1945–1980

World War II - consequences

In 1945, following the Second World War, Poland's borders were redrawn following the decisions made at the Potsdam Conference of 1945 at the insistence of the Soviet Union. The Eastern Polish territories, which the Soviet Union had occupied in 1939 were permanently annexed, and most of their Polish inhabitants expelled. In turn, Poland received the Free City of Danzig and former German territory east of the Oder-Neisse line, consisting of the southern two-thirds of East Prussia and most of Pomerania, and Silesia. The German population was forcibly expelled before these "recovered territories" were repopulated with Poles from central Poland and those expelled from the eastern regions. After WW II Poland was converted into Soviet-controlled country. Communism devastated identity and culture of Poles for more than 40 years.