Shades of a nation

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This book narrates and examines the nationalization of a local population in an interwar Central European border area, set against the backdrop of international political and diplomatic relations. It spans thirteen years, from 1921, the year of the Upper Silesia plebiscite, to 1934, when Poland and Germany signed a non-aggression pact. Following the plebiscite, Upper Silesia was divided between Germany and Poland, with the Polish section undergoing an intensive nationalization process termed “Polonization.” The focus is on Kattowitz/Katowice, a politically significant city that became the capital of the new Polish Silesian Voivodeship after the border shift. The analysis delves into the dynamics of belonging and affiliation experienced by two non-national groups: the Silesians and Jews in Eastern Upper Silesia. Their micro-histories are contextualized within the macro-history of interwar Central Europe. This work enhances understanding of the relationships between minorities and ruling majorities in the 20th-century national discourse and aids in tracing the interwar origins of conflicts that persist today.