DISINFO: Poland and Nazi Germany were in close alliance
SUMMARY
The alliance relations between Poland and Nazi Germany were so close that Hitler ordered the organization of a religious service in Berlin after Pilsudski’s death, and Hitler was personally present at that service.
RESPONSE
This message is a recurring pro-Kremlin historical revisionist narrative and an attempt to erode the disastrous historical role of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact by stating that Poland was a Nazi ally, so it should blame itself. While it is true that Hitler organized a religious service after Piłsudski's death, and while it is also true that the latter's rule was authoritarian, none of this is evidence that there was an alliance between Poland and Nazi Germany.
Before WWII, Poland had tense political relations with Nazi Germany, which expressed open territorial claims to Poland (revision of the status of the Free City of Danzig and control over the “Polish Corridor”). Despite intense political pressure from Hitler, Poland consistently refused to become part of the Nazi block.
After Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933, Piłsudski was only compelled to accept Hitler’s suggestion of a 10-year German-Polish non-aggression agreement signed in 1934. To show that this was not a sign of alliance with Hitler, Poland prolonged the existing non-aggression treaty with the Soviet Union until December 31, 1945. Hitler repeatedly sought a German-Polish alliance against the Soviet Union, but Piłsudski had consistently denied such offer; he also declined to meet with Hitler. Piłsudski's objective was to gain time, believing that Poland should be ready to fight Nazi Germany when the necessity arose. Those were the last instructions he gave to his confidants before his death in 1935. Piłsudski was also renowned for his tolerance towards religious minorities, particularly towards the Jews.
Read similar examples of the Russian historical revisionism concerning Poland - Poland posed a military threat to the USSR in 1938-1939, Nazi Germany considered Poland its best ally, If Poland realized a rational policy in 1939, Moscow would have had a different approach towards it and Poland re-writes the history of the Warsaw uprising accusing the USSR of its failure.