I just discovered an interesting historical occurrence... between 1945 and 1948, the town of Haren in northwestern Germany, near the border with the Netherlands, was controlled by a Polish unit of the British army and renamed to Maczków. The existing residents were expelled, and a Polish population was moved in. Streets, etc, were renamed to Polish names, and for a few years it basically became a Polish town.
However, three years later this occupation had concluded and the town was returned to its original German inhabitants.
What I'm curious about is... would it have been possible for the Polish presence to have continued there? Would the Polish government/army-in-exile be able to push for an independent "Maczków Republic" that the Polish anti-communists could settle down in, and get that approved of by the Western allies? I assume Stalin would oppose such a thing.
And if so, how would this independent microstate, sandwiched between the Netherlands and Germany, develop? Economically, politically, etc.
I'm guessing it would end up being one of the founding members of the EU.
However, three years later this occupation had concluded and the town was returned to its original German inhabitants.
What I'm curious about is... would it have been possible for the Polish presence to have continued there? Would the Polish government/army-in-exile be able to push for an independent "Maczków Republic" that the Polish anti-communists could settle down in, and get that approved of by the Western allies? I assume Stalin would oppose such a thing.
And if so, how would this independent microstate, sandwiched between the Netherlands and Germany, develop? Economically, politically, etc.
I'm guessing it would end up being one of the founding members of the EU.