CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2010
| Author | Goldstein, Lauren |
|---|---|
| Title | THE BRITISH RECEPTION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE POLISH RESETTLEMENT CORPS, 1946-1949 |
| Summary | The Polish Resettlement Corps was created in September 1946 as a British solution for demobilizing the over 200,000 members of the Polish Armed Forces who found themselves to be an illegal army once the Second World War ended and the Polish government-in-exile was no longer internationally recognized as the legitimate leader of Poland. All this was taking place while Britain was suffering through a failing economy, a manpower shortage, and an immense loss of political and diplomatic prestige, among other troubles. In such a complex postwar environment, the Poles’ futures were uncertain, many believing they would soon be able to return to an independent Poland, others wishing to re-emigrate to the USA or Australia. All these various factors, affecting both the host and immigrant populations, played a role in the success of the Poles’ resettlement in Britain. While the government was forced to prioritize economic and diplomatic matters in addition to the reactions of its constituents, public opinion was formed on a more individualistic level, focusing on personal security, especially in terms of employment. This resulted in a very nuanced response by the British toward the Poles. The following thesis aims to assess the reception of the members of the Polish Resettlement Corps by their British hosts via public opinion and official reactions to their arrival. Such an analysis will mainly be accomplished through the examination of British government papers and major British periodicals, with secondary sources providing supplementary information. |
| Supervisor | Kochanowicz, Jacek and Rieber, Alfred |
| Department | History MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2010/goldstein_lauren.pdf |
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