OCTOBER REVOLUTION TO RUSSIA AND INDEPENDENCE OF POLAND
Let's address to the documents accepted in the first days of revolution, — to the Decree on peace from October, 26th (on November, 8th) 1917 and the Declaration of the rights of the people of Russia from November, 2nd (15), 1917. In the first certificate — in the general plan, and in the second — in a legislative order “the right of all people of Russia (including Polish) on free self-management more particularly was fixed up to branch and formation of the independent state”. It is necessary to underline unique character of the similar declaration: accurately formulated position about the right of each nation to the statehood, accepted by the higher legislative and executive powers of any country, at that time simply didn't exist.
Thus, already in the first days of the Russian revolution the legal base for formation of the independent Polish state has been created. As to other powers participating in world war their positions in the Polish question looked much weaker and lost in comparison with the aforementioned Decree and the Declaration.
The known Austro-German certificate from November, 5th, 1916 about the future Poland and her borders had the extremely uncertain and unessential character, at the best he provided an autonomy of the Polish earths which were as a part of Russia, but didn't concern the Polish territories which have departed to Germany and Austro-Hungary as a result of sections of Poland. France and Great Britain, truth, have already started to tend to a reconstruction of independent Poland, but to formulate the position on this question, moreover at high official level while abstained.
October revolution in Russia has objectively led to internationalization of the Polish question of that always was afraid and constantly imperial diplomacy tried to avoid. Similar internationalization, undoubtedly, has done good to idea of a reconstruction of the Polish state though the question on independence of Poland basically has already been solved by October revolution.
The impartial analysis shows that is necessary to reckon also with variety of other factors which have predetermined a birth of independent Poland. Except October revolution and the certificates accepted by her great value had defeat in war of powers — participants of sections of Poland — Germany, Austro-Hungary and, in a sense, Russia, and also the support rendered to Poland about parties Antanty and the USA. However the major factor was, undoubtedly, powerful aspiration of the most Polish people to a reconstruction of the state and presence in the country and behind her limits of the Polish political forces, ready to realize national expectations.
It is necessary to refer to one basic document which, in our opinion, also has served its purpose in legal formation of the Polish state. It is the decree of Council of National Commissioners of RSFSR from August, 29th, 1918 about refusal of contracts of Russia with Germany and Austro-Hungary about sections of Poland.Article 3 of this decree accepted still before formation of the Polish Republic in November, 1918, proclaimed:
All contracts and the certificates concluded by the government of the former Russian empire with the governments of Kingdom Prussian and Austro-Hungarian empire, concerning sections of Poland, in view of their contradiction to a principle of self-determination of the nations and revolutionary sense of justice of the Russian people which have recognized behind the Polish people an inalienable law to independence and unity, — are cancelled by the present irrevocably.
However the further succession of events by tritely such way that Russia owing to the developed circumstances has appeared removed from active participation in the Polish affairs: as a result of signing with Germany the Brest world, civil war, foreign military intervention, economic and diplomatic blockade.
Despite it, it is necessary to note variety of steps on the Polish affairs, undertaken by the Soviet government in the first year of the existence which great value for Poland was showed later, in performance of decisions of the Riga peace treaty of 1921.
In the conditions of the most complicated internal political and country world situation it is created the National commissariat on affairs of the Polish nationality from J.Leshchinsky in head (the decree from November, 28th (on December, 11th) 1917), vigorous measures under the account and preservation of the Polish cultural values which have appeared for the various reasons in territory of Russia, mainly as a result of military operations are taken. The majority of the documents accepted in that time on this point in question are published in known collections. We will be limited to reduction of the text of the basic document — the decree from January, 17th (30), 1918 in which the valid relation of the new power of Russia to the Polish people first of all was showed.
The decree
About protection of subjects of olden time and art,
Belonging to the Polish people
In view of that in the western and northwest provinces of the Russian Republic, in many cities and manors of persons of the Polish nationality there are the subjects having exclusive value for the Polish people, and the majority of these subjects has been taken out from Poland during deviation of Russian armies and earlier, the Council of National Commissioners for returning of these subjects perfectly safe to all Polish people — decides and for a management of subject revolutionary powers declares the following:
1. Subjects of olden time and art, library, archives, pictures and in general museum subjects where they were, accepted as the national property of the Polish people under protection of the power of the Working and Country Government in the name of the Commissariat on the Polish Affairs and Societies охранения antiquities before transfer to their Polish national museums.
2. About acceptance under protection of the above-named subjects statements, and the certificate about voluntary transfer to the Polish museums of the subjects which are in the Polish manors are drawn up, the owner of manor or him on that authorized person signs with own hand. The certificate is made in duplicate: one of them is stored in the Polish Commissariat at the Council of National Commissioners, the second — in Petrograd Department of the Polish Society охранения antiquities — the official representative in Russia Polish art and historical societies.
3. Except certificates the exact inventory of transferred subjects in 4 copies is made, and one copy remains at the owner, another — in the Commissariat on the Polish Affairs, the third — in a regional commissariat on protection of ancient monuments or in bureau of the nearest executive office of the union of military men of Poles, the fourth — in Society Board охранения antiquities in Petrograd.
4. For drawing up of certificates and inventories and for realization of the real decree, and equally control over observance of that on places, the Polish Commissariat appoints special regional commissioners with powers of Commissioners of the Working and Country Government.
5. All mentioned organizations and persons work in contact to local revolutionary powers in the name of local Councils of Soldier's, Working and Country Deputies by which it is made a duty to render full assistance in protection on places and transportations of the Polish cultural values.
The chairman of the council of National Commissioners
Вл. Ulyanov (Lenin)
The national Commissioner on Education
A. V.Lunacharsky
The commissioner on the Polish National Affairs
J.Leschinsky
Operating affairs of Council of National Commissioners
V.Bonch-Bruevich*
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