The Brest trials (Polish: Proces brzeski) were among the most famous trials conducted under the Second Polish Republic. Lasting from 26 October 1931 to 13 January 1932, they were held at the Warsaw Regional Court where leaders of the Centrolew, a "Center-Left" anti-Sanation-government political-opposition movement, were tried.
Satirical drawing from "Hasło Łódzkie" newspaper, 5 October 1930. The text: "From the series: 'Most popular Polish spa towns' - Brest-on-the-Bug." The picture is a reference to the Brest trial and the "Brest elections", when many Polish politicians of the Centrolew party were imprisoned in the Brest Fortress (pictured).
Overview
The Polish Sanation government had invalidated the May 1930 election results by disbanding the parliament in August[1] and with increasing pressure on the opposition started a new campaign, the new elections being scheduled for November.[2] Using anti-government demonstrations as a pretext, 20 members of the opposition,[1] including most of the leaders of the Centrolew alliance (from Polish Socialist Party, Polish People's Party "Piast" and Polish People's Party "Wyzwolenie") were arrested[3] in September without a warrant, only strictly on the order of Józef Piłsudski and the then Minister of Internal Security, Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski, accusing them of plotting an anti-government coup.[4]
The opposition members (who included the former prime minister Wincenty Witos, and Wojciech Korfanty) were imprisoned in the Brest Fortress, where their trial took place (thus the popular name for the election: the 'Brest election'). A number of less known activists were also arrested throughout the country.[1] They were released after the end of the election in the same month. The Brest trial ended in January 1932, with 10 accused receiving sentences up to three years of imprisonment; the appeals of 1933 confirmed the sentences. The government however gave the accused the choice of emigrating: five of them did so, the other five stayed on in Poland to serve the prison term instead.[3]
^ abcAndrzej Paczkowski; Jane Cave (2003). The spring will be ours: Poland and the Poles from occupation to freedom. Penn State Press. p. 28-. ISBN978-0-271-02308-3. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
^Timothy Snyder (2005). Sketches from a secret war: a Polish artist's mission to liberate Soviet Ukraine. Yale University Press. pp. 73–. ISBN978-0-300-10670-1. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
^ abRichard Crampton; Ben Crampton (1997). Atlas of Eastern Europe in the twentieth century. Routledge. pp. 103–. ISBN978-0-415-16461-0. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
^Anna M. Cienciala (Fall 2007) [2002]. "DOMESTIC PROBLEMS AND FOREIGN POLICIES OF INTERWAR EAST EUROPEAN STATES". Retrieved 2011-11-14.
External links
Media related to Brest trial at Wikimedia Commons
January 06, 2023
brest, trials, polish, proces, brzeski, were, among, most, famous, trials, conducted, under, second, polish, republic, lasting, from, october, 1931, january, 1932, they, were, held, warsaw, regional, court, where, leaders, centrolew, center, left, anti, sanati. The Brest trials Polish Proces brzeski were among the most famous trials conducted under the Second Polish Republic Lasting from 26 October 1931 to 13 January 1932 they were held at the Warsaw Regional Court where leaders of the Centrolew a Center Left anti Sanation government political opposition movement were tried Satirical drawing from Haslo Lodzkie newspaper 5 October 1930 The text From the series Most popular Polish spa towns Brest on the Bug The picture is a reference to the Brest trial and the Brest elections when many Polish politicians of the Centrolew party were imprisoned in the Brest Fortress pictured Overview EditThe Polish Sanation government had invalidated the May 1930 election results by disbanding the parliament in August 1 and with increasing pressure on the opposition started a new campaign the new elections being scheduled for November 2 Using anti government demonstrations as a pretext 20 members of the opposition 1 including most of the leaders of the Centrolew alliance from Polish Socialist Party Polish People s Party Piast and Polish People s Party Wyzwolenie were arrested 3 in September without a warrant only strictly on the order of Jozef Pilsudski and the then Minister of Internal Security Felicjan Slawoj Skladkowski accusing them of plotting an anti government coup 4 The opposition members who included the former prime minister Wincenty Witos and Wojciech Korfanty were imprisoned in the Brest Fortress where their trial took place thus the popular name for the election the Brest election A number of less known activists were also arrested throughout the country 1 They were released after the end of the election in the same month The Brest trial ended in January 1932 with 10 accused receiving sentences up to three years of imprisonment the appeals of 1933 confirmed the sentences The government however gave the accused the choice of emigrating five of them did so the other five stayed on in Poland to serve the prison term instead 3 L p Accused Party allegiance Defender s Sentence1 Herman Lieberman PPS Eugeniusz Smiarowski Ludwik Honigwill Leopold Potok 2 5 years2 Norbert Barlicki PPS Leon Berenson Zygmunt Nagorski 2 5 years3 Stanislaw Dubois PPS Stanislaw Benkiel Kazimierz Sterling 3 years4 Mieczyslaw Mastek PPS Mieczyslaw Rudzinski Waclaw Barcikowski 3 years5 Adam Pragier PPS Leon Berenson Jan Nowodworski 3 years6 Adam Ciolkosz PPS Jan Dabrowski Antoni Landau 3 years7 Wincenty Witos PSL Piast Stanislaw Szurlej 1 5 years8 Wladyslaw Kiernik PSL Piast Stefan Urbanowicz 2 5 years9 Kazimierz Baginski PSL Wyzwolenie E Smiarowski Zygmunt Gralinski 2 years10 Jozef Putek PSL Wyzwolenie Waclaw Szumanski Mieczyslaw Jarosz od 02 11 1931 Zygmunt Gralinski 3 years11 Adolf Sawicki SCh Kazimierz Ujazdowski Tomasz Czernicki declared innocentReferences Edit a b c Andrzej Paczkowski Jane Cave 2003 The spring will be ours Poland and the Poles from occupation to freedom Penn State Press p 28 ISBN 978 0 271 02308 3 Retrieved 13 November 2011 Timothy Snyder 2005 Sketches from a secret war a Polish artist s mission to liberate Soviet Ukraine Yale University Press pp 73 ISBN 978 0 300 10670 1 Retrieved 13 November 2011 a b Richard Crampton Ben Crampton 1997 Atlas of Eastern Europe in the twentieth century Routledge pp 103 ISBN 978 0 415 16461 0 Retrieved 13 November 2011 Anna M Cienciala Fall 2007 2002 DOMESTIC PROBLEMS AND FOREIGN POLICIES OF INTERWAR EAST EUROPEAN STATES Retrieved 2011 11 14 External links Edit Media related to Brest trial at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brest trials amp oldid 1119926164, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
