Polish immigrants help their Old Country
Although many people viewed World War I as a war that consisted of “bloody, pointless warfare,” the Polish people - in Europe and in the United States - viewed the Great War as an opportunity to finally liberate their Old Country [1]. At the start of the First World War, “the old Polish Commonwealth” had been under Russian, Prussian, and Austrian partitions for more than one hundred years [2]. Under the control of these powers, the Polish country vanished off of the European map and the Polish people were greatly mistreated. The country of the Polish people only existed in their imaginations, as “a political fantasy of the past [3].” Fortunately, the dream of liberating Poland became something that the Poles greatly strived for during the Great War. The Polish immigrants in the United States, especially those in Chicago, did everything they could in order to help the Polish cause.
The desire to recover Poland’s freedom was greatly carried on by Poles who emigrated from Europe. In 1912 alone, approximately 175,000 Polish immigrants entered the United States, and many of them settled in Chicago [4]. Chicago was the perfect home for immigrants in the New World because the city was the “fastest growing center west of New York,” with its “internal lines of communication” and its growing meatpacking and steel industries [5]. These industries played a crucial role in bringing in immigrant populations to Chicago, especially the Poles [6].
"Fourth Province of Poland"
The Polish people who settled in Chicago became part of a larger community of “Polish immigrants in the United States [7].” Polonia Amerykańska were often viewed as the “fourth province of Poland,” for these Poles formed a part of Poland in exile by keeping their language, history, and religion alive [8]. Polonia, the Polish community living outside of the Motherland, held on to the faith that Poland would soon be restored. Many had a historical responsibility to their Old Country so they waited and prayed for the right moment for the liberation of Poland [9].
Polish newspaper calling for aid in the Polish cause. January 15, 1918. Courtesy of Dziennik Związkowy. [28]
“For over a century, Poles had realized that a general European war, which would find the partitioning powers on opposite sides, was the best hope of freedom for Poland. Some [Poles] even dared pray, at the end of their litanies, ‘For a World War, we beseech Thee, O Lord [10].’”
Once the “assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand” ignited a major European war, Polonia began to help the Polish cause even though President Wilson called for net neutrality [11]. Many Poles in Chicago showed their patriotism towards their Old Country, especially during the “religious consecration of a new church, St. Mary of the Angels [12].” In August 1914, “20,000 Poles turned a religious celebration into a massive patriotic demonstration,” where the Poles and more than twenty marching bands played and sang ‘God Save Poland,’ a patriotic hymn [13]. After a century of living under borders, the Polish people were happy for a chance at a free country.
Polish Parade in a Chicago neighborhood. 1914-1918. Courtesy of Polish Museum of America. [29]
"Financial Assistance"
Throughout the war period, especially during the era of neutrality, donations were an important part of the Polish cause. Polish newspapers, such as Naród Polski, called all Poles to “give what [they could] to the national treasury [14].” Moreover, the Polish Roman-Catholic Union asked its members to pay 5 cents every month “to help [their] unfortunate brothers and sisters who [were suffering] from the effects caused by the war in Poland [15].” Additionally, around $4,000 per month was sent to the Vevey Committee in Switzerland. Established by Henryk Sienkiewicz, a Polish novelist, and Ignacy Jan Paderewski, a Polish pianist, the Vevey Committee was a worldwide organization in service to the freedom of Poland [16].
As the war continued, the Poles bought Liberty Bonds in order to help the Polish and American cause. The money invested in these bonds was used to create weapons as a way to “fight for the rights of all mankind and for the small nations [which were] being oppressed [17].” By being the immigrant group who purchased the “largest number of Liberty Bonds,” the Poles helped to ensure that the Americans were able to fight for the greater good [18]. With a proper and well equipped American army, the Poles knew this would be an advantage for their movement.
Group of Poles who helped the Polish cause in Chicago. 1914-1918. Courtesy of Polish Museum of America. [30]
"Relief for Poland"
Much of the effort for the liberation of Poland is in gratitude towards Ignacy Jan Paderewski. During the war, he helped to organize relief efforts during his concerts, won over President Wilson’s support for the Polish cause, and helped to create the Polish Army in the United States [19]. Through Paderewski’s help, the American public became convinced that the Polish cause was that of a moral obligation which they should take part in. Therefore, during the Polish Relief Day on January 24, 1915, much of the American public helped to fund for the Polish cause. In addition, Polonia was able to sell tags on the 24th and 25th of January in order to obtain a greater amount of funds. Through these funds, “almost a quarter of a million dollars [was] collected nationwide on Relief Day [20].”
One of Ignacy Paderewski's songs for the Polish cause - Hej Orle Biały. It was the anthem of the Polish Army. 1918. Courtesy of Polish Museum of America. [31]
"Role of Polish Immigrant Men"
Once the United States diminished the idea of neutrality and entered the Great War, enlisting in the army was an important action that many Polish men took part in. Around seventeen hundred Polish men enlisted during the first three weeks of the Polish Roman Catholic Union’s draft [21]. While a few Poles were not happy to go back to Europe, many more were ready to kill the Prussians, Poland’s oldest enemy [22]. Although more than 38,000 Poles applied for the Polish Army, only 20,720 ended up sailing for France [23]. Many other Polish men worked in factories during the war as a way to further help their Old Country. As the amount of immigrants during the war period decreased and the demand for wartime supplies increased, the Polish workers had an immense duty to work, “not waste time,” and to “save fuel” both at work and at home in order for the soldiers to use them abroad instead [24].
Polish Army soldiers in front of Holy Trinity Church. 1914-1918. Courtesy of Polish Museum of America. [32]
"Role of Polish Immigrant Women"
Polish women likewise played an essential role in the Polish cause. As a way to honor and express gratitude towards President Wilson for announcing that “Poland should be united, free, and autonomous,” the Women’s Auxiliary of the Polish National Alliance (P.N.A.) announced a mandatory mass meeting at the P.N.A. building [25]. Moreover, Polish women took part in the Clothing Committee by helping to make and/or donate clothing and shoes to those abroad. During its existence, “7,717 pieces of clothing” were sent abroad through their help [26]. In addition, there were women who desired to work “patriotic jobs,” such as working in airplane shops, in order to “beat the Kaiser [27].” Although many were not fluent in English, the Polish women aspired to work the jobs that the men fighting the war left because they too wanted to help their Old Country.
Clothing collected by the 'Ladies of the Holy Rosary Parish' for the Polish Relief. 1914-1918. Courtesy of Polish Museum of America. [33]
Although many Poles left partitioned Poland and immigrated to the United States, they did not forget their Old Country. During the Great War, Polonia made it their duty to help the Polish cause, for it was their ancestral home. Through their ambition of aiding in the war effort, the Poles were likewise able to strengthen their position in the American society. Their drive of determination was something of awe to the American public, for the Poles likewise fought for justice and democracy. Since a partitioned Poland is not just, Polonia Amerykańska - especially the Poles in Chicago - were able to show Wilson and the rest of the country that this was something worth fighting for.
Created by Veronica Materna
End Notes
[1] William E. Leuchtenburg, The Perils of Prosperity, 1914-32, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1958), 30.
[2] Dominic Pacyga, Polish Immigrants and Industrial Chicago: Workers on the South Side, 1880-1922, (Columbus: Ohio State Univ. Press, 1991), 17.
[3]Peter D'Alroy Jones and Melvin G. Holli, Ethnic Chicago, (Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub., 1981), 270.
[4] Pacyga, Polish Immigrants, 17-18.
[5] Kantowicz, Polish-American Politics in Chicago, 12-13.
[6] Pacyga, Polish Immigrants, 26.
[7] Kantowicz, Polish-American Politics in Chicago, 1.
[8] Kantowicz, Polish-American Politics in Chicago, 8.
[9] Kantowicz, Polish-American Politics in Chicago, 39.
[10] Kantowicz, Polish-American Politics in Chicago, 110.
[11] Leuchtenburg, The Perils of Prosperity, 11.
[12] Jones and Holli, Ethnic Chicago, 271.
[13] Ibid.
[14] "The Fatherland Calls for Help," Naród Polski, September 23, 1914, Foreign Language Press Survey, Newberry Library.
[15] "Union to Help the Fatherland," Naród Polski, March 15, 1916, Foreign Language Press Survey, Newberry Library.
[16] M. B. Biskupski, "Paderewski as Leader of American Polonia, 1914-1918." Polish American Studies 43, no. 1 (1986), 37.
[17] "Buy Liberty Bonds (Editorial)," Dziennik Związkowy, June 05, 1917, Foreign Language Press Survey, Newberry Library.
[18] Pacyga, Polish Immigrants, 196.
[19] Biskupski, “Paderewski as Leader,” 38-39.
[20] Kantowicz, Polish-American Politics in Chicago, 111.
[21] Kantowicz, Polish-American Politics in Chicago, 112.
[22] Joseph T. Hapak, “The Polish Military Commission, 1917-1919,” Polish American Studies 38, no. 2 (1981), 32.
[23] Hapak, “The Polish Military Commision,” 36.
[24] "Polish Workingmen! Your Duty if to Help to Win the War," Polonia, January 31, 1918, Foreign Language Press Survey, Newberry Library.
[25] "Appeal to All Polish Women," Dziennik Związkowy, February 09, 1917, Foreign Language Press Survey, Newberry Library.
[26] "The Clothing Committee," Dziennik Związkowy, April 05, 1917, Foreign Language Press Survey, Newberry Library.
[27] "Five Polish Girls Register for Work in Airplane Shops," Dziennik Związkowy, August 07, 1918, Foreign Language Press Survey, Newberry Library.
[28] "100 lat temu (51)," Dziennik Związkowy, January 15, 1918, Chicago Dla Niepodległej, Dziennik Związkowy. http://dziennikzwiazkowy.com/chicagodlaniepodleglej/100-lat-temu-51/
[29] Parada, Polish Museum of America, 1914-1918, World War I Collections, Polish Museum of America, Chicago, Il. http://polishmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/photo/808CC526-473F-414E-AFF8-877128482730
[30] Polsko Amerykanski Komitet Pomocy Dzieciom, 1914-1918, Help for Poland - WWI: Relief Committee for Poland Collections, Polish Museum of America, Chicago, Il. http://polishmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/photo/92C5E168-60CB-4CD4-BBAF-611514367887
[31] "Hej Orle Bialy" - sheet music | nuty, 1918, Sheet Music Collections, Polish Museum of America, Chicago, Il. http://polishmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/archive/3B6FA624-FFC1-4CB2-9F9F-561529357530
[32] Zdjęcie grupowe przed kościołem Św. Trojcy, 1914-1918, World War I Collections, Polish Museum of America, Chicago, Il. http://polishmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/photo/0902D197-CB12-4C50-8BCD-984904009113
[33] Holy Rosary Parish - Polish Relief, 1914-1918, Help for Poland - WWI: Relief Committee for Poland Collections, Polish Museum of America, Chicago, Il. http://polishmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/photo/2A5313F5-2AA5-450C-87A4-226141479220