Security of civilians in East Galicia in the years 1919–1921

Abstract

The subject of this paper is the state of security of civilians in West Galicia in the years 1918–1921 (from the beginning of Polish-Ukrainian struggle in November 1918 to the end of the Polish-Soviet war in 1921). The author discusses the attitude of the Polish Army to the civilians in this region, access to illegal weapon by civilians, and the impact of the internal situation in the region on the increasing rate of common crime. During the Soviet counteroffensive in the summer 1920, East Galicia found itself under Soviet occupation, which had a considerable impact on the attitudes of civilians. Some started to cooperate with the Red Army and the Bolsheviks, and formed a collaborative communist civil administration. In the text, the author attempts to present the impact of hostilities in Eastern Galicia on the existence of civilians, life in the background of the front line and the movement of the population. He will focus on the impact of military units stationed in the region, and will pay attention to cases of specific crime related to warfare, which was the stronger activity of robber bands. The author does not describe the course of military operations of the Polish-Ukrainian war and the Polish-Soviet war in Eastern Galicia, because there is ample literature on these issues. He draws attention to selected aspects of the issues raised, which are the starting point for further research.