Julia Ledóchowska and the Act of 5 November 1916

Abstract

The aim of the article is to present the activity of Mother Urszula (Julia) Ledóchowska in Stockholm’s Polish Agency Committee (Polska förmedlingskommitten), established in mid-March 1916 at the time of the announcement of the Act of 5 November 1916, as well as the reaction of the Polish community living in Sweden to this manifesto, issued on behalf of the Emperors of Germany and Austria-Hungary and proclaiming the establishment of the independent Polish Kingdom. The author presents a range of attitudes among Polish activists in Stockholm and local politicians to the possible rebirth of Poland, with the leading role of Mother Ledóchowska, Vice-President of the Polish Committee in Stockholm. The author discusses Swedish press articles illustrating the resonance of the Swedish and Polish community to the new policy of the central states, which was a result of the propaganda aimed at winning the favour of public opinion for the new policy of the central states, also considering its expected positive and negative effects, as well as the future fate of Poland. The author also describes the fear of creating a Polish army on behalf of the central states. The article analyses reports of the delegate of the Military Department of the Supreme National Committee in Stockholm, Stanisław Wędkiewicz, to the headquarters in Kraków, as well as letters written by Mother Urszula Ledóchowska, whose opinion was of great importance, shaping the way in which the Act of 5 November was perceived by the Polish community in Sweden.