The Polish Underground State structures, which emerged during the Second World War, fully deserve to be called a phenomenon. No European nation had ever managed to build an underground state with its own secret administration, judiciary, or education. The Polish Underground State was established, i.a. to fight against the occupying forces and to seize power after the end of the Second World War.
The issue of Polish resistance against the German and Soviet occupants was introduced to the world by Stefan Korboński, who after the war published books in exile devoted to the extensive, secret structures of the Polish state – both civilian and armed. He was very familiar with the realities of the time, having stood at the head of the Directorate of Civil Struggle – the dispatch centre for civilian combat – since April 1941. In 1947, he fled the communist-controlled country, becoming involved in the activities of Polish political emigration.
Poland Underground had been emerging since the first days of the German and Soviet occupation. At first, forms of passive resistance appeared almost immediately, i.e. condemning all manifestations of collaboration, boycotting orders of the occupation authorities, evading work, or hiding radio apparatuses, etc. At the same time, numerous manifestations of active resistance quickly emerged: weapons were collected and concealed, and false documents were supplied. Information activities developed particularly intensively. By the end of 1939, as many as 40 conspiratorial organisations had been established in Warsaw, and by 1940 there were already 140.
The beginning of the Polish Underground State dates to 26/27 September 1939, when the Service for Poland’s Victory was established, transformed into the Union of Armed Struggle, and then, from 14 February 1942, into the Home Army (AK). These organisations had an armed character and were subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief and the Polish government in exile. In addition, individual political parties began to create their own military organisations, e.g. the Peasant Battalions were formed under the auspices of representatives of the peasant movement, and the National Armed Forces were formed by representatives of the nationalists.
From 1940, secret organs of administrative and state power began to function in Underground Poland. The Government in Exile established the Government Delegation for Poland, together with its subordinate ministries and field delegations. The importance of its activities is shown by the fact that in 1944 the work of the Delegation was even threatened by the cooperation of the NKVD and the Gestapo. Thanks to this cooperation, a combat group of the Communist People’s Army under the command of Lt. Col. Jerzy Fonkowicz carried out an attack on the Warsaw premises at 12 Poznańska Street, which housed the Delegation’s archives.
In turn, the political representation of the Polish Underground State, a sort of substitute for a parliament, was initially formed by the Political Consultative Committee, renamed in 1943 to the National Political Representation and in 1944 to the Council of National Unity. A government coalition, known as the ‘big four’, consisting of the People’s Party, the National Party, the Labour Party and the Polish Socialist Party – ‘Freedom, Equality, Independence’ – participated in this body.
The experience of the occupation pointed to the need for closer cooperation between the civilian and armed parts of the secret state structures. To this end, the establishment of the Direction of Civil Struggle, transformed into the Direction of Underground Struggle, was prompted. Strengthening through consolidation was also needed for strictly military initiatives, and so a so-called consolidation action was initiated under the aegis of the Home Army, which thus became a mass organisation – the largest underground army in Europe. In turn, the German terror unleashed the need for reprisal actions on the part of the underground armed forces. The most famous sabotage and diversion actions included, for example, the Arsenal action, the “Highlander” or “Wreath” actions. The regular partisanship also developed.
It is known that from August 1942 to July 1944, 110,238 diversionary, sabotage and retaliatory actions were carried out in the General Government, and 200 combat and diversionary actions in Pomerania, while in Silesia industrial sabotage was effectively used throughout the occupation. Intelligence activities, i.e. the detection of V2 weapons by members of the Home Army, are also noteworthy.
As the Soviet offensive approached the pre-September eastern border of Poland, Home Army units began to implement the “Tempest” plan developed by the Headquarters. This plan envisaged undertaking a local armed struggle against the retreating Germans and seizing civil and military power before the Red Army entered. The “Tempest” action lasted from January to November 1944, but in view of the decisive actions of the Soviet troops and especially the security services, it did not achieve the intended results.
The last attempt to seize power in Poland by the Government Delegation for Poland and the Home Army was the Warsaw Uprising (1 August-2 October 1944). It turned out to be the largest armed action of the Polish Underground State, in which civilians fought alongside soldiers, including members of non-combatant structures.
The Polish Underground State resisted two enemies – the Third Reich and the Soviet Union. The latter proved to be just as dangerous as the former, especially in the final phase of the war. After the Soviets occupied the Polish territories, repressions initiated by the NKVD and the Security Service (UB) began, which mainly affected members of the Polish independence underground.