Poland

Christianity was established in Poland by Mieszko in 966; in 1569, Poland became a kingdom in the Union of Lublin, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which collapsed in 1795. Then, for more than 120 years, Poland was not on the map; Russia, Austria, and Prussia governed the territory. The Second Polish Republic was established following World War I, but then Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union occupation followed in World War II. Years later the socialist People's Republic of Poland emerged within the Eastern Bloc. Polish language, education, and culture were often quashed under occupation, thus women's significance in the family was critical to maintain the Polish cultural heritage. The Third Polish Republic was established in 1989 when communism was overthrown. Poland is a member of the ...