Jasmine Directory

Poland's history is a chronological tale of invasions and foreign occupations, which almost lead to its non-existence. Invasions by the Celts, the Germanic tribes and the Baltic tribes, all claimed this great fertile land as their conquest. However, the Slavic tribes, between the 5th and 8th centuries, truly envisioned this land as a powerful nation and called it Polanie ("the people of the fields or plains").

Poland's first tribal chief was Piast, who united the unorganized tribes and renamed this land "Polska," later it was called "Wielkopolska," which means Great Poland. Piast's great-great grandson, Duke Mieszko I, united Poland into one great dynasty.

Poland remained in this family dynasty, until the 11th century, while conquering the surrounding regions in the south, east and north and further establishing Poland's borders. Peace was an illusive goal due to continued raids and invasions by the Ottomans, the Tatars and the different tsars of Moscow.

However, with each occupation, Poland continued to grow and advance in commerce, education and foreign parliamentary governance. The great nation of Poland, has survived WWI, WWII and the Stalin regime.

Poland eventually found independence under Solidarity leader Lech Walesa and in 2012 is ruled under President, Bronislaw Komorowski. Poland today includes a population of Germans, Ukrainians, Belarussians, Gypsies, Jewish citizens and Lithuanians.