ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Second Polish Republic

The Second Polish Republic was a country that existed in Eastern Europe from 1918 to 1939. Imagine if you built a new Lego tower and made it into your own far away kingdom. That’s kind of what happened in Poland after World War One.

Before the Second Polish Republic, Poland did not have its own country. The land was controlled by other countries like Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary. But after World War One, the countries that won the war agreed to give Poland its own land and country.

Just like how you have a president or leader of your classroom, Poland also had a leader called a president. The leader of the Second Polish Republic was a man named Józef Piłsudski. He was really important in building the new country.

There were a lot of different people living in Poland at the time, with many different languages and religions. So, Poland had to work hard to make sure everyone got along and had equal rights. Imagine you went to a new school where everyone was speaking a different language and had different customs. It might be hard to understand and make friends, but that’s what Poland did.

The Second Polish Republic had some big challenges. One of those challenges was fighting with some of its neighbors. Germany and the Soviet Union both tried to take over some of Poland’s land.

But even with all these challenges, the Second Polish Republic grew and developed. The country built new roads and schools, and had a strong economy. Just like how you try to build a really cool castle with your Legos, Poland built a great country that it was proud of. But unfortunately, the Second Polish Republic ended when Germany invaded in 1939, starting World War II.