The Lemko Republics were two small states founded in Eastern Europe, specifically Southeastern Poland, by the Lemko people, a people closely related to the Rusyns. Both Lemko Republics were founded in the aftermath of WWI in the later years of 1918. The first was known as either just the Lemko Republic or the Lemko-Rusyn Republic, sought unification with first Russia and later Czechoslovakia and controlled a Lemko-inhabited strip along the border between Poland and Czechoslovakia before being ended by the Polish government in March 1920. The second, known as either the East Lemko Republic or Komancza Republic, was situated farther to the east of the Lemko Republic, and sought unification with the West Ukrainian People's Republic, which was suppressed by the Polish government during the Polish-Ukrainian War, the Komancza Republic being disbanded in January 1919. Now, the question I want to ask is how could these small states in Eastern Europe have successfully avoided being annexed by Poland, either independent or part of neighbouring Czechoslovakia and West Ukraine as originally intended?
AHC: Lemko Republics successfully break away from Poland
- Thread starter TunguskaStorm
- Start date
The Poles and the Czechs weren't on good terms. Given that Poland's army was committed to the east against the Ukrainians and later the Soviets, I imagine the Czechs would win any armed conflict over the border regions.
non-substantive bumps aren't approved of. I'm not quite sure but I imagine reposting threads (at least soon after the original post) is frowned upon.
Sounds like another aspect of the Cieszyn/Zaolzie dispute. A Czechoslovak annexation that Poland sees as getting stabbed in the back while it’s down, to be resolved by an annexation in 1938 that makes Poland look bad.
Looking at them on Wikipedia:
mind you, I believe these are the republics' maximalist claims
Last edited:
I see. I was trying to understand how Czechoslovakia would look like with this addition, and, critically, if Prague could have any realistic shot at holding it (it seems tall order but not impossible). However, the area is within the borders of former Austrian Galicia, right?
My understanding is that the Slovak border basically follows the older Hungarian one and Poland would take kindly any variation. Also, this adds another specific ethnic component to the Czechoslovak interwar mix.
Assuming no butterflies, Poland would be more revisionist against the Little Entente and more likely to find common ground with Hungary and maybe Germany.
Not sure how the Soviets enter this equation, but I expect them closer to Prague.
Yup.
Actually Czechoslovakia already had a Rusyn majority region in the form of Carpathian Ruthenia. These annexations would raise the profile of the Rusyns though.
Aw, where's the fun in that?
Honestly, the East Lemko/Komancza Republic was already contained within the borders of the West Ukrainian People's Republic, so not much would have happened there had they been allowed to unite with West Ukraine. Poland would probably still have taken over the republic. What else could happen could be that Czechoslovakia accepts to annex the Lemko Republic (for the sake of simplicity, I'm going to be calling the East Lemko Republic simply the Komancza Republic), causing Poland to attempt to hold the territory with force, leading to a war between the two. Czechoslovakia may be supported by the little entente, but I honestly don't think they'll support Czechoslovakia in an aggressive military incursion. If all-out war were to break out between the two, Poland may be distracted/prevented from annexing West Ukraine, and seeing as though this is the same time as the Polish-Soviet War, Poland's borders may not be extended as far eastward either. Of course, I'm unsure of the military numbers of Poland, Czechoslovakia, the entire little entente, and the Soviets in 1920, so Poland may actually be able to come out on top regardless. I doubt it, though, if the Miracle at the Vistula is butterflied away.