Air and Chemical Defense League (Polish: ''Liga Obrony Powietrznej i Przeciwgazowej'', ''L.O.P.P.'') was a mass

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

paramilitary organization, founded in 1928 as a result of the merger of the ''State Air Defense League'' (Polish: ''Liga Obrony Powietrznej Panstwa'') with the Gas Defense Society (Polish: ''Towarzystwo Obrony Przeciwgazowej''). In 1937 it numbered some 1.5 million members, with 14,000 local branches. It had a national character, gathering enthusiasts of aircraft, communications and ballooning. Between 1928 and 1939, its director was general

Leon Berbecki Leon Berbecki (28 July 1875, Lublin – 23 March 1963, Gliwice) was a Polish army officer, who fought in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I with the Imperial Russian Army. Following the foundation of the Second Polish Republic, Berbecki ser ...

State Air Defense League

The State Air Defense League was formed by members of the

Polish Aero Club The Polish Aero Club (''Aeroklub Polski'', AP) is the Polish central association of persons practising air sports or recreational flying. It was founded in 1921 and is a member of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. It has a headquarte ...

and

Andrzej Strug Andrzej Strug, real name Tadeusz (or Stefan) Gałecki (sources vary; 28 November 1871/1873 – 9 December 1937) was a Polish socialist politician, publicist and activist for Poland's independence. He was also a freemason and declined the ...

. By 1925 A Schreck

FBA 17 The FBA 17 was a training flying boat produced in France in the 1920s. Design and development Similar in general layout to the aircraft that FBA had produced during World War I, the Type 17 was a conventional two-bay biplane with unequal-span, ...

HMT2 was operated by LOPP with funds raised by contributions from the readers of ''Głos Lubelski''.

After the merger

The League backed in all possible ways purchases of aviation equipment, development of aircraft as well as various airforce-oriented publications. Its members helped with construction of airfields, parachute towers, and League's activities, aimed at youth, helped the nation understand and support the aircraft. It had its logo, anthem, flag, pinups, seals and medals. Its honorary director was president

Ignacy Mościcki Ignacy Mościcki (; 1 December 1867 – 2 October 1946) was a Polish chemist and politician who was the country's president from 1926 to 1939. He was the longest serving president in Polish history. Mościcki was the President of Poland when Ge ...

. In the summer of 1939, L.O.P.P organized mass anti-German demonstrations in several Polish cities and towns. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, in 1951, the League was recreated under the new name, ''Territorial Air Defense'' (''Terenowa Obrona Przeciwlotnicza'').

External links

Photos from the 1938 album

References

Military history of the Second Polish Republic Military units and formations established in 1928 Polish aviators {{poland-mil-stub