Polish Government-in-Exile

[Freiritter]

I get the impression that the pre-war Polish government was a democracy. I saw a documentary which gave me me impression that General Sikorski was the head of the Polish Government-in-Exile. It had stated that General Sikorski had died in Gibraltar during 1943 under mysterious circumstances, Stalin possibly had him assassinated so he'd have no competition for the control of post war Poland. Was General Sikorski the head of the pre-war Polish General Staff? Also, did the General Staff control the Free Polish Forces in Western Europe?

[Der Untermensch]

I get the impression that the pre-war Polish government was a democracy

Unfortunately, this impression is wrong. The Polish democracy ended in 1926. The regime established afterwards was sort of a military dictatorship, true, qute a mild one compared to other dictatorships that were so much in fashion these days.

Was General Sikorski the head of the pre-war Polish General Staff?

No. His was despised by the military regime in power. This is what catapulted him to premiership after the pre-war regime collapsed in such a pathetic way.

Also, did the General Staff control the Free Polish Forces in Western Europe?

In theory yes, if you mean the Polish General Staff on exile. In practice the control exercised was reduced to recrutiment, training, logistics and administration, as Polish units engaged in combat (Norway 1940, France 1940, UK 1940, Africa 1943, Italy 1944-45, France 1944) were subordinated to local allied commanders and the Polish General Staff had little or no say on the way the troops were used.

[Freiritter]

Thanks, Untermensch. Did Sikorski command any troops during the September Campaign? How did he attain the premiership?