Kretinin S.V. The Young German movement  in Poland, 1920–1930s

Abstract: The article examines the history of the Young German movement in Poland during the 1920–1930s. Its focal topics are the reasons and the historical conditions in which the National-socialist Young German party developed, led by Rudolf Wiesner. The article describes the political program of the movement, its relations with other German political forces in Poland, including the role of the Young Germans in the debate between “the elders” and “the young” in 1933–1939. It also defines the relations between the Young German party and the rehabilitation regime of the Second republic. The author gives light to the reasons of the party’s loyalty to the Polish government. Separate attention is dedicated to the influence of Nazi Germany on the political life of the Germans in Poland. The foreign policy structures of Nazi Germany led a similar line of policy towards other Volksdeutsche in the countries of Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe. The policy’s main goal was to establish control over the local ethnic German groups in these countries, in the first place – over their political organizations. This was while Berlin officially sought to avoid conflicts with the authorities of countries, where citizens of German nationality resided and who were seen as potential allies. Thus the absence of a due support by the radical National-socialists groups in Poland is explained.

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