Stephen Bonsal
American journalist, writer and diplomat, personal interpreter to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson during the Paris Peace Conference
Lobbyists
The Western advocates of Polish independence
A site dedicated to Westerners – diplomats, politicians, journalists, scientists, businessmen, military men – who contributed to the establishment of the Second Polish Republic.
Scroll down to contentBios
Isaiah Bowman
American geographer, advisor to President Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference
Archibald Cary Coolidge
American historian, lecturer at Harvard University, expert in the history of Eastern Europe
Hugh Gibson
American diplomat, participant in Herbert Hoover's humanitarian operations
Arthur Lehman Goodhart
American lawyer, counsel for the Henry Morgenthau mission
Anson Conger Goodyear
American businessman, member of the American Relief Administration's team of experts
William Remsburg Grove
U.S. military officer, Herbert Hoover's associate in relief efforts under the United States Food Administration
James Wycliffe Headlam-Morley
British historian and civil servant, advisor to the Foreign Office
Herbert Clark Hoover
American businessman, director of the American Relief Administration
Edward Mandell House
American politician, close advisor to President Wilson
Esme Howard
British diplomat, member of the Interallied Mission to Poland
Vernon Lyman Kellogg
American entomologist, head of mission to Poland under the United States Food
Robert Lansing
American lawyer and diplomat, US Secretary of State
Robert Howard Lord
American historian, member of the Peace Inquiry Bureau - a group of advisors to President Wilson
David Hunter Miller
American lawyer, State Department official, member of the Peace Inquiry Bureau
Henry Morgenthau
American lawyer, businessman and diplomat, chairman of the American mission investigating the situation of the Jewish minority in Poland
William John Rose
Canadian researcher of nationality issues, emissary of the National Council of the Duchy of Cieszyn
James T. Shotwell
American historian, member of the Peace Inquiry Bureau
Harry Wade
British military officer, member of the mission accompanying Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Gallery
Background
The “Polish question” on the international arena on the eve of the World War I
The year 1914 is undoubtedly a watershed date in the history of Europe and Poland, for it marked the beginning of the Great War, which…
ReadWestern advocates of Polish independence
Poland’s independence in 1918 was both won by the Poles and was offered to them. In other words – it was a unique coincidence of…
Read
Discussion
The role of Americans in Poland's independence restoration
44:49 min
The film “Colonel House” and the book “Lobbyists. The Western Advocates of Polish Independence” are discussed by the author of the film Jacek Stawiski and the editor of the book Andrzej Turkowski Ph.D. The panel is moderated by Michal Przeperski Ph.D. of the Polish History Museum
About the book
In 2018–21, the KARTA Centre carried out a research project under which a two-volume publication Lobbyists. The Western Advocates for Polish Independence was created. It is a unique selection of texts by Western (mainly American) politicians, journalists, businessmen and military officers who contributed to the establishment of the Second Polish Republic. They presented a pro-Polish stance during World War I, during the Paris peace negotiations, and as part of efforts to contain the post-war crisis. The two volumes include testimonies of their activities – excerpts from their diaries and memoirs, published for the first time in Polish.
Volume I – At Versailles
collects texts from the period 1914–19, mainly related to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. Edward Mandell House, a close advisor to American President Woodrow Wilson, is the key figure here.
Volume II – Reports from Poland
contains accounts by some Westerners living in or visiting Poland in the years 1918–20. Many of them were taking part in the relief efforts led by the future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover.