Free State of Kashubia

The Polish Corridor again. The grand dilemma of having Poland securing sea access and not having Germans grow revanchist just by looking at the map and seeing Polish territory oddly separating East Prussia from the rest of Germany.

So... Introducing the Free State of Kashubia! :) Danzig is included with an opt-out scheduled for a couple of decades from then. The rest is majority Kashubian (so, it could evolve into an independent country on its own) with non-Kashubian-Polish and German minorities.
It's administratively autonomous but sovereignity is formally shared between Poland and Germany: in practise, free transit for Poland to the sea, free transit between both sides of Germany. Kashubian citizens may have some kind of representation in the German and Polish parliaments.
 
The Poles wouldn't accept it. They were considered apart of the Entente and could dictate the rules of victory.

He's right. They're one of the four insurgent groups invited to the table (Czechs and Slovaks, Armenians, and Hedjaz Arabs). They'd be able to refuse that deal.
 
Well, they weren't given Upper Silesia nor Southern East Prussia...

Anyway, to make it viable one can either have an alternate WW1 ending and/or an alternate mood in Versailles.
 
Why would Germany care if the object separating East Prussia from the rest is a Kashubian state, or part of a Polish one? I also can't see how to enforce this sharing of soverignity between two contending states.

Furthermore, the Kashubians themselves were pro-Polish before WWI, and I do not recall the existence of any separatist Kashubian movement afterwards. I'd expect the non-German population to feel menaced by Germany and opt for union with Poland as soon as possible, especially after Danzig's inevitable (if the Danzigers are given the option) reunion with Germany which will significantly reduce the number of Germans. The Germans in the remaining area are will also complicate matters...
 
Why would Germany care if the object separating East Prussia from the rest is a Kashubian state, or part of a Polish one?
Because 1) psychologically it'd be like Germany wouldn't have been eaten away by an advancing Poland but the region was itself a kind of nation of its own 2) they'd have sovereign transit rights.

I also can't see how to enforce this sharing of soverignity between two contending states.
Well, don't think of it as a condominium. Think of it as an independent country demilitarized but with its own police that allows 2 foreign sovereign railways.

Furthermore, the Kashubians themselves were pro-Polish before WWI, and I do not recall the existence of any separatist Kashubian movement afterwards. I'd expect the non-German population to feel menaced by Germany and opt for union with Poland as soon as possible, especially after Danzig's inevitable (if the Danzigers are given the option) reunion with Germany which will significantly reduce the number of Germans. The Germans in the remaining area are will also complicate matters...
OK. Good probabilities of going that way.
The other possibility is ethnic Kashubians getting used to have its own state.
 
Because 1) psychologically it'd be like Germany wouldn't have been eaten away by an advancing Poland but the region was itself a kind of nation of its own 2) they'd have sovereign transit rights.

I'm not sure it would make any significant difference. The Germans will feel insulted anyway, with an Entente creation in that location. The transit rights for Germany are indeed a good point, although an independent Kashubia is not necessary for them to exist.

Well, don't think of it as a condominium. Think of it as an independent country demilitarized but with its own police that allows 2 foreign sovereign railways.

My mistake. The solution you suggest stands a better chance of working then as a condominium. (EDIT: Better, as in not assuring that Poland and Germany will be constantly at the brink of war, from day one.)

OK. Good probabilities of going that way.
The other possibility is ethnic Kashubians getting used to have its own state.

There will be quite a lot of Germans in our Kashubia, even after Danzig goes, which may farther destabilize the region even if the non-Germans come to like their independence. What borders do you propose for the new state? The percentage of Germans in it will depend upon this.
 
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I'm not sure it would make any significant difference. The Germans will feel insulted anyway, with an Entente creation in that location. The transit rights for Germany are indeed a good point, although they do not necessitate an independent Kashubia to exist. At least in theory.



My mistake. The solution you suggest stands a better chance of working then as a condominium.



There will be quite a lot of Germans in our Kashubia, even after Danzig goes, which may farther destabilize the region even if the non-Germans come to like their independence. What borders do you propose for the new state? The percentage of Germans in it will depend upon this.

Essentially putting all Kashubian regions* in that state (to sell it as a nation) plus Danzig (not necessarily the whole territory of OTL Free City of Danzig). The plus Danzig thingy is just until Gdynia is ready.

* purple in the pie charts

Germans would be a bigger minority than non-Kashubian Poles but still, a minority.

Oh and I was considering this state a de jure condominium but de facto independent except in some key areas. It could later evolve into a really independent country keeping extraterritorial railways as remnants of their former status.
 
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Such a stae will probably be seen as an unnatural abomination by both Poles and Germans who will still hate eachother and blame eachother for its existence, while trying to dismantle it and claim the terittory for themselves. As for the local Kashubians, they would probably see this as a plot by the great powers to prevent them from uniting with their polish brothers.
 
Such a stae will probably be seen as an unnatural abomination by both Poles and Germans who will still hate eachother and blame eachother for its existence, while trying to dismantle it and claim the terittory for themselves.

Yes.

As for the local Kashubians, they would probably see this as a plot by the great powers to prevent them from uniting with their polish brothers.

It would indeed be extremely difficult to make the Kashubians averse to Poles and union with Poland. It is certainly impossible as long as Germany has any intention of absorbing the region. The size of the German minority (which can be expected to want reunification with Germany) will by itself be sufficient to prevent any Polish-Kashubian conflict.
 
Such a stae will probably be seen as an unnatural abomination by both Poles and Germans who will still hate eachother and blame eachother for its existence, while trying to dismantle it and claim the terittory for themselves.
Certainly by the Poles. The common German could see a state with an autoctonous Slavic-speaking majority and a German minority not that unnatural and having a certain degree of control of it wouldn't be such a bad deal.

As for the local Kashubians, they would probably see this as a plot by the great powers to prevent them from uniting with their polish brothers.
If Kashubians carry on fiercely seeing themselves as Poles the state is doomed. But Kashubians weren't exactly the Germanophobe type and being under German and Polish flags while retaining a large degree of autonomy would hardly be outrageous for them. If they get used with it they could drop the "Kashubians are Poles" meme that wasn't always there in the first place.
 
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