Postępowanie władz czeskich i położenie ludności polskiej na Śląsku Cieszyńskim w okresie przedplebiscytowym (luty 1919–lipiec 1920) w świetle dokumentów z Archiwum Instytutu Józefa Piłsudskiego w Ameryce

The subject of the article is the conduct of the Czech authorities towards Poles and the situation of the Polish population in Cieszyn Silesia in the period from the end of February 1919 to July 1920. The aim of the considerations was to identify and describe selected phenomena characterizing the situation of the Polish population and Polish-Czech social tensions, contributing to the deepening of the Polish-Czechoslovak dispute over Cieszyn Silesia in the pre-plebiscite period. The research material consisted of documents from the Archives of the Józef Piłsudski Institute in America, and auxiliary documents as well as studies from scientific literature were used too. The analysis of the presented material allows us to conclude that Polish messages indicated numerous manifestations of the anti-Polish activities from the Czech authorities in Cieszyn Silesia. Czech propaganda and agitation activities, persecution and attempts to bribe the Polish population, obstruction of the development of Polish education, and the use of the army and gendarmerie to support the Czechization of the region were taken into account. An important role was assigned to paralyzing the professional activity of Poles in workplaces, especially in the mining industry. The activities of the German minority and Silesian circles in destabilizing the region and strengthening Polish-Czech social tensions were noted. Reference was made to the resettlement of the Polish population and the Czech foreign propaganda aimed at supporting the policy of Czechoslovakia in gaining international support for Cieszyn Silesia.