Post-war Poland was a drastically different country from the one it was before WWII. Redrawn borders, a new political authority, economic instability, and religious homogeneity marked the new Poland of 1945-47.
Post-War Poland's Borders
Poland's renegotiated borders made the country smaller, but land gained from Germany resulted in the repatriation of some Polish nationals into their own country. Those who lived in lands that were no longer a part of Poland after the redrawing of borders had to decide whether to stay where they were or move within the new Polish borders. Other demographics were also in flux. Most remaining Jewish citizens decided to leave Poland. People who had been scattered throughout Europe due to the chaos of war faced building new lives in their homeland – some used this opportunity to start anew; others returned to their old homes and social positions.
Economy in Post-War Poland
Poland's urban centers were devastated as a result of war. Many people were left homeless, children orphaned. Infrastructures were destroyed, and the rate of illness and infection increased. Prices were high, wages were low, and everyday supplies were difficult to get. There was a growing gap between the rich and poor – the latter far outweighed the former. In addition, there was a growing displeasure with authorities who were unable to ease the economic situation.
New Political Authority
Post-war Poland, under Soviet military control, saw the Communist Party creep in as the new political authority, though parties with specific platforms vied for power. The Communist Polish Workers' Party (PPR) gradually wore down the power the Polish Peasants' Party (PSL) and subsumed the less-potent Polish Socialist Party (PPS) to form the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR). The rise of the Communist Party did not result out of public enchantment with the Communist Party. Indeed, many Poles were uneasy with this political authority. However, the power the Party wielded meant opportunities for individuals seeking upward job mobility, which was attractive to those attempting to rebuild lives and secure futures.
The Role of the Catholic Church
Due to the emigration of most of Poland's remaining Jewish and German inhabitants, the vast majority of post-war Poland's citizens fell under the religious jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. Catholicism now became important to Polish nationalism; the two qualities were considered more strongly intertwined than they had been before the war. Until 1947, the Catholic Church was free from censorship and repression. In order to maintain its freedom, the Church had to cooperate with the Communist Party on some levels. The Communist Party, desiring to use the Church as a means of influence, often asked that it preside over political funerals and use its sermons for political manipulation,which indicated to those attending that the Church was in agreement with Communist Party tenets.
Post-war Poland was characterized by instability and change. The end of the war ushered in the beginning of a new Poland.
References
Kersten, Krystyna. The Establishment of Communist Rule in Poland, 1943-1948. Trans. John Micgiel and Michael H. Bernhard. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991. 163-171, 386-388.
Lukowski, Jerzy, and Zawadski, Hubert. A Concise History of Poland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. 313-317.
