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Sanation (Polish:Sanacja,pronounced[saˈnat͡sja]) was a Polishpolitical movement that emerged in theinterwar period, prior toJózef Piłsudski'sMay 1926Coup d'État, and gained influence following the coup. In 1928, its political activists went on to form theNonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government (BBWR).[1][2][3]
The Sanation movement took its name from Piłsudski's goal of a moral "sanation" (healing) of the Polishbody politic.[4] The movement functioned cohesively until Piłsudski's death in 1935. Following his death, Sanation fragmented into several factions, including "the Castle" (PresidentIgnacy Mościcki and his supporters).[5][1][2]
Sanation, which supportedauthoritarian rule, was led by a circle of Piłsudski's close associates, includingWalery Sławek,Aleksander Prystor,Kazimierz Świtalski,Janusz Jędrzejewicz,Adam Koc,Józef Beck,Tadeusz Hołówko,Bogusław Miedziński, andEdward Śmigły-Rydz.[5] It emphasized the primacy of thenational interest in governance, and opposed the system ofparliamentary democracy.[5][1][2][3]
Named after theLatin word for "healing" ("sanatio"),[6] the Sanation movement mainly consisted of former military officers who were dissatisfied with theperceived corruption in Polish politics. Sanation was a coalition of rightists, leftists, and centrists, primarily focused on addressing corruption and reducing inflation. The movement emerged prior to theMay 1926Coup d'État and persisted until the onset ofWorld War II, but was never formalized. While Piłsudski had previously led thePolish Socialist Party, he grew disillusioned withpolitical parties, which he viewed as promoting their own interests rather than those of the state and the people. As a result, the Sanation movement did not evolve into a political party. Instead, in 1928, Sanation members formed theBezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem (BBWR, "Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government"), a pro-government group that did not consider itself a political party.
Although Piłsudski never sought personal power, he exercised considerable influence over Polish politics after Sanation came to power in 1926. For the next decade, he played a central role in Polish affairs as the de facto leader of a generally popular centrist regime.Kazimierz Bartel's government and all subsequent governments were informally approved by Piłsudski before being confirmed by the President. In his pursuit ofsanation, Piłsudski combined democratic and authoritarian elements. Poland's internal stability improved, and economic stagnation was addressed throughEugeniusz Kwiatkowski's economic reforms. At the same time, the Sanation regime took action against communist parties (citing formal grounds that they had failed to legallyregister as political parties) and worked to limit the influence of opposition parties by fragmenting their support.[citation needed][3] A notable feature of the regime was that, unlike in many non-democratic European countries, it did not evolve into a full dictatorship. Freedom of the press, speech, and political parties was never legally abolished, and opposition figures were often dealt with through means other than formal court sentences, such as actions by "unidentified perpetrators."[citation needed]
Sanation allowed the1928 election to be relatively free, but faced a setback when itsBBWR supporters fell short of securing a majority. Prior to the1930 election, some opposition parties united in aCentrolew (Center-Left) coalition, calling for the government's overthrow; in response, Sanation arrested more than 20 prominent opposition leaders from theCentrolew movement. In the subsequent election,BBWR won over 46 percent of the vote and secured a large majority in both houses of parliament[citation needed]. The personality cult surrounding Józef Piłsudski was largely a result of his general popularity with the public, rather than through top-down propaganda, which is notable given Piłsudski's skepticism of democracy. Sanation's ideology focused primarily on populist calls for political and economic reform, but did not delve into societal issues in the manner of contemporary fascist regimes. From 1929, the semi-official newspaper of Sanation, and thus of the Polish government, wasGazeta Polska (thePolish Gazette)[citation needed].
The Sanation government invalidated the results of the May 1930 election by disbanding the parliament in August.[7] New elections were scheduled for November 1930.[8] In response to anti-governmentdemonstrations, 20 opposition-party members,[7] including most of the leaders of theCentrolew alliance (Socialist,Polish People's Party "Piast", andPolish People's Party "Wyzwolenie" leaders) were arrested[9] in September 1930 withoutwarrants, on the orders of Piłsudski and the Minister of Internal Security,Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski, and accused of plotting an anti-governmentcoup.[10]
The opposition leaders (including former prime ministerWincenty Witos andWojciech Korfanty) were imprisoned andtried at theBrest Fortress (which led to the popular name for the November 1930 election: "the Brest election"). A number of lesser-known political activists across the country were also arrested;[7] they were released after the election. The Brest trial concluded in January 1932, with ten of the accused sentenced to up to three years' imprisonment; appeals in 1933 upheld the sentences. The government offered those sentenced the option of emigrating abroad; five chose this option, while the other five decided to serve their prison terms.[9]
A key turning point for thePiłsudskiites occurred in 1935 with Piłsudski's death. TheApril 1935 Constitution, adopted a few weeks earlier, had been designed with Marshal Piłsudski in mind. In the absence of a successor with similar authority, a reinterpretation of the new Constitution became necessary. AsIgnacy Matuszewski stated, "We must replace the Great Man with an organization."
Piłsudski's death led to the fragmentation of Sanation, driven by two main factors: competition for power and influence among Piłsudski's followers (the struggles among thediadochi – "the heirs" – asAdam Pragier referred to them); and a search for a more suitable ideology that Piłsudski's supporters might accept. The combination of personal competition and differing ideological views resulted in division and a lack of unity.[11]
Eventually, Sanation divided into three major factions:
"In accordance with the will of Mr. President of the Republic Ignacy Mościcki, I order the following: General Śmigły-Rydz, appointed by Mr. Marshal Józef Piłsudski as the First Defender of the Fatherland and the first co-cooperator of the President of the Republic in governing the state, is to be regarded and respected as the first person in Poland after Mr. President of the Republic. All state functionaries headed by the Prime Minister are to show him signs of honor and obedience."
— Prime Minister General Sławoj Składkowski
The document deviated from the state order established by theApril Constitution.
Another outcome of the Mościcki-Śmigły agreement was the promotion of the general to Marshal of Poland. On November 10, 1936, President Mościcki appointed himGeneral of the branch and, at the same time,Marshal of Poland, and decorated him with theOrder of the White Eagle.[14]
Additionally, the creation of theCamp of National Unity (OZN) under Śmigły’s direction and within his framework expanded his influence. As a result, he became the central figure in determining the ideological direction of Sanation from 1937 to 1939.
Piłsudski's death led to a power struggle, as is often the case in such circumstances. At the same time, there were increasing differences in political thought among thePiłsudskiites. TheColonels' group andSławek lost influence, and with them, the concepts of asocialized state and the Constitution as the sole regulator of state life. A new authority emerged in the figure ofŚmigły-Rydz, largely supported by some former Colonels. This new group, centered around theGeneral Inspector, took anationalistic direction, and at times exhibitedpro-totalitarian tendencies. The Castle Group and the “Naprawa” group, based around the president, sought to moderate these tendencies. The Sanation left, weak among the Piłsudskiites, effectively distanced itself from the camp.[15]
During the 1939invasion of Poland, many Sanationists evacuated toRomania orHungary, from where they were able to travel toFrance or French-mandatedSyria and, after the fall of France, toBritain. Although France sought to exclude Sanationists from thePolish Government in Exile, many continued to maintain influence. During the war, Sanationists established several resistance organizations, including in 1942 thePolish Fighting Movement (Obóz Polski Walczącej), which in 1943 became subordinate to theHome Army and in 1944 merged with the Council of Independence Organizations (Konwent Organizacji Niepodległościowych) to form the Union of Independence Organizations (Zjednoczenie Organizacji Niepodległościowych). AfterWorld War II, Poland's Soviet-installedcommunist government labeled Sanationists asenemies of the state, leading to executions or forced exile for many.
The following is a list of Sanation's political parties and their successors:[citation needed]
The case of authoritarian rule in Poland [...] following theMay Coup of 1926, is notable for its unique origins [...] Rooted in a period when Poland lacked statehood [...] Polish authoritarianism evolved [...] Central to this phenomenon was MarshalJózef Piłsudski, the ideological leader of Poland's ruling camp after the May Coup of 1926