Little Treaty of Versailles


Little Treaty of Versailles or the Polish Minority Treaty was one of the bilateral Minority Treaties signed between minor powers and the League of Nations in the aftermath of the First World War. The Polish treaty was signed on 28 June 1919, the same day as the main Treaty of Versailles was signed, which is the reason for one of its names. It was the first of the Minority Treaties and served as a template for the subsequent ones; together with Articles 87-93 of Treaty of Versailles, it also formally established Poland as a sovereign and independent state on the international arena.

Background

Poland regained independence, after 123 years of partitions, in the aftermath of the First World War. The victorious powers decided that due to significant non-Polish minorities in areas claimed by Poland and the ongoing civilian strife caused by the local wars, Poland had to sign the treaty in exchange for Polish independence and for Poland to sign the peace treaty with Germany. In addition, the treaty declared that Poland had to take over a part of debts of Russian state and grant a most favored nation clause in transit trade to "Allied and Associated States".

The treaty

The Polish government declared its support for "total and complete protection of life and freedom of all people regardless of their birth, nationality, language, race or religion" and religious tolerance. Provisions of the treaty "were obligations of international importance and were guaranteed by the League of Nations".
They could not be changed "without consent of majority of the League of Nations Council". National minorities could direct their complaints to the League of Nations Council. Difference of opinions "in legal or actual matters" between Poland and any of the western powers or any of the members of the League of Nations Council, which would result from provisions of the treaty was to have an international character.
The treaty was signed by Polish representatives at Versailles on 28 June 1919, the same day as the main Treaty of Versailles (hence it is known as Little or Small Treaty of Versailles. The parliament of Poland, the Sejm, ratified the treaty on 31 July 1919; the treaty was implemented on 10 January 1920. Poland renounced it at the League of Nations forum in Geneva on 13 September 1934.