Military General Government of Lublin


The Military General Government of Poland, also known as the Military General Government of Lublin, was a
military administration of an area of the Russian Empire under the occupation of Austria-Hungary, during World War I, that existed from 1915 to 1917. Its seat of government was originally based in Kielce, but moved to Lublin in October 1915.

History

On 25 August 1915, the Imperial and Royal Army formed the General Government of Kielce, renamed the General Government of Lublin from 1 October 1915. It covered the southern parts of Russian Poland. On 10 October 1916, the German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg demanded the dissolution of the Austrian General Government of Lublin and the creation of a joint administration with the German General Government of Warsaw. However, the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister Stephan Burián von Rajecz rejected the order. On 18 October 1916, an agreement was reached on the uniform legislation and administration of the General Governorates of Warsaw and Lublin. As a result of the proclamation of the Kingdom of Poland on 5 November 1916, the gradual transfer of administration to Poland was planned. Due to different ideas from the German and Austro-Hungarian sides regarding the future role of Poland and Polish independence efforts, the establishment of Polish state organs had stalled several times. It was only in the summer of 1917 that the first parts of the judiciary and the teaching system were released from the direct management of the occupation administration. Interventions by the Governor-General continued to take place.

Literature