Polonization

As Polonization (Polish polonizacja ), the acculturation of minorities in Poland to the majority population and the displacement of their languages ​​(eg, the German, Lithuanian, Prussian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Kashubian ) by the Polish language.

Polonisation in Poland

Historically significant, the Polonization was, inter alia, during the time of the Polish-Lithuanian Real Union. To the east of the former state of Poland - Lithuania, assimilated much of the population, particularly the top, in the Polish culture. This was particularly areas in the present states of Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus, in which the Polish -speaking expanding itself. To date, there are more Polish-speaking minority there.

The Second Polish Republic (1918-1939) already aimed at an ethnically homogenous Polish state and the Polish sat by as the sole official language, but stood in front of the problem that a third of the population was not polnischsprachig. From the German minority emigrated at this time already several hundred thousand people to Germany.

After the Second World War, the expulsion or forcible transfer of large non assimilierungsbereiter populations was accompanied by a rigorous Zwangspolonisierung the remaining members of minorities. The use of all - Polish languages ​​was also banned by the communists such as using non-Polish place names and personal names. The victims were mostly from the state a new Polish first and last name. Similarly, all non- Polish cultural institutions (newspapers, churches, theaters, schools and other institutions) were closed. The Zwangspolonisierung, which was sometimes understood as a retributive response to the previous Germanization and Russification of before 1918 and after 1939, was directed against the Germans, Silesians, Kashubian, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Jews. With her ​​for the first time in the history of Poland is a largely homogeneous ethnic Polish state was reached.

Polonization of names

The term Polonization also referred to the adaptation of loanwords or city name to the Polish pronunciation and spelling and their translation into Polish, eg Olsztyn - Olsztyn.

" Polonization " of the German Empire

In another sense, the term referred to in the German Empire as a political rallying cry feared a " foreign infiltration " by Polish immigrants. ( See also Ruhr Poles )