If you carefully observe the map of Europe after the First World War, you can probably find that there is a long and narrow Polish territory between the east and west parts of Germany that leads directly to the Baltic Sea. This strip of land is the famous "Danzig Corridor" "(Also known as the Polish corridor).
Because of the re-division of the European structure after World War II, most of Germany’s eastern territories have been attributed to Poland. Therefore, the “corridor” that divided Germany into two has become a historical term. The only window to the German people's heart is also a scar that will never go away.
Gdansk on the Baltic Sea is one of the most important ports in Poland, but before it was incorporated into Polish territory, it had a typical German name-Danzig. As for Danzig’s historical attribution, it is indeed a silly account. According to today’s research, we can only vaguely understand that around 980 AD, the Poles first established a stronghold at the entrance of the Vistula River into the Baltic Sea. The predecessor of Gdansk (or Danzig). However, because this area is already at the junction of the Germanic and Slavs' range of activities, the port has frequently changed hands between the two. From the 10th century to the 18th century, it is difficult to count how many wars broke out around Danzig, but it is certain that it eventually fell into the hands of the rising Kingdom of Poland.
Unfortunately, the good times did not last long. After Prussia became strong, between 1772 and 1795, it divided Poland with Russia and Austria three times in a row. Since then, Poland has disappeared as a country for 123 years, and Prussia’s share of land includes Danzig City. After entering the nineteenth century, Prussia used force to forcibly integrate the German states, and finally established the first empire of Germany. At this time, no one doubted, and no one dared to doubt the German sovereignty over Danzig. But war will always change everything. After Wilhelm II drove a German chariot to the battlefield of World War I, Europe was inevitably shuffled again. After the defeat of
, Germany had to accept the "Versailles Peace Treaty" with humiliation, and the most important item of the peace treaty involved the issue of "Poland restoration". According to US President Wilson, if Poland is only a pure landlocked country after restoration, its future economy and politics will inevitably depend on Germany, which is extremely detrimental to Germany's post-war checks and balances. Therefore, the Allies planned to cede the German territory between the Vistula River and Danzig to Poland, so that the latter had a direct export to the Baltic Sea. Obviously the Germans are extremely resistant to such a claim, but as a defeated country they can only accept it, and the "Danzig Corridor" has thus become the basis for German nationalists to instigate hatred.
Before the outbreak of the Second World War, the Germans had to open up sea shipping to connect East Prussia, and any initiative involving land transportation would be ruthlessly rejected by the Polish side, and the seeds of hatred began to germinate in the German hearts. After Hitler came to power, he took a series of military adventures, including annexing the Rhine Demilitarized Zone, annexing Austria, and annexing Czechoslovakia. After completing the above actions, Germany naturally put forward the "Polish Corridor" request to Poland. Because of the military commitments of Britain and France, Poland boldly rejected Hitler, who immediately launched a blitz.
Under the joint attack of the Soviet Union and Germany, the entire territory of Poland fell, and a large area of western Poland including the "Danzig Corridor" was occupied by the SS. In 1945, Germany was defeated again, and this time it was not only the "Danzig Corridor", but also East Prussia was incorporated into other countries. Time flies, entering the 21st century in a blink of an eye. Today's Danzig has long been renamed Gdansk, but how many people still remember the past of this city?
