The Romanian occupation of Pokuttia () took place in early 1919, when, as a result of
alliances concluded between
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
and
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, the former entered the southeastern corner of the former
Austro-Hungarian ruled province of
Galicia.
During the
interwar period
In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...
, Romania was Poland's main ally in
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...
(''see
Polish–Romanian alliance''). Both nations were bound by several treaties and history of this alliance dates back to the end of World War I and the
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace ...
. However, to actively cooperate, governments in
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
and
Warsaw
Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
emphasized the necessity of a shared border. Discussions about the border started in Paris some time at the beginning of 1919 and continued during the following months.
The proposal for occupation was first advanced by the Romanian government of
Ion I. C. Brătianu on May 8, 1919. Brătianu suggested this as a means to separate both
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
and
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
from
Soviet
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
influences, thus consolidating the position of both
Greater Romania and the
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 7 October 1918 and 6 October 1939. The state was established in the final stage of World War I ...
, as well as help the Poles get in touch with their Romanian ally.
The proposal was accepted by the Polish leader, Marshal
Józef Piłsudski
Józef Klemens Piłsudski (; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman who served as the Chief of State (Poland), Chief of State (1918–1922) and first Marshal of Poland (from 1920). In the aftermath of World War I, he beca ...
and on May 24, 1919, the
Romanian Army 7. Infantry Division, led by General
Iacob Zadik, entered Pokuttya. After three days, the Romanians met the Poles in the area of
Kalusz. As
Polish Army
The Land Forces () are the Army, land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 110,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military histor ...
was involved in other conflicts (chiefly with the Soviets), the Romanians stayed in Pokuttia until late August 1919. Their units were stationed in such towns as
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk (, ), formerly Stanyslaviv, Stanislav and Stanisławów, is a city in western Ukraine. It serves as the administrative centre of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast as well as Ivano-Frankivsk Raion within the oblast. Ivano-Frankivsk also host ...
, and
Kolomyia
Kolomyia (, ), formerly known as Kolomea, is a city located on the Prut, Prut River in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in the west of Ukraine. It serves as the administrative centre of Kolomyia Raion, hosting the administration of Kolomyia urban hromada ...
. In late summer of 1919 Polish troops entered Pokuttya (''see
Polish-Ukrainian War'') and the Romanians withdrew to their country.
Also, the mutual cooperation resulted in Romanian permit for the free passage of the
4th Riflemen Division (under General
Lucjan Żeligowski). This unit was kept in Romanian province of
Bukovina
Bukovina or ; ; ; ; , ; see also other languages. is a historical region at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe. It is located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians and the adjoining plains, today divided betwe ...
for political purposes, and on June 17, 1919, the Romanians allowed it to enter Poland.
See also
*
Union of Bukovina with Romania
References
* http://manufactura.home.pl/zecernia/?p=10
* http://www.wspolnota-polska.org.pl/index.php?id=pwko70
External links
* Romanian stamps issued in occupied Pokucie
{{Great Union
1919 in Europe
Romanian involvement in the Russian Civil War
Occupation
History of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
Greater Romania
Military operations of the Russian Civil War in 1919
Romanian military occupations
1919 in Ukraine
1919 in Romania
Pokuttia
1919 in Poland
Romania–Ukraine relations
Polish–Ukrainian War