President marks centenary of Third Silesian Uprising

President Andrzej Duda took part in an observance marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the 3rd Silesian Uprising, in Katowice, southern Poland.

"I bow my head to the heroes of all Silesian Uprisings," Duda said at the ceremony.

He highlighted the contribution of the Silesian insurgencies to the country's independence.

In the years 1919-1921, Upper Silesia, which belonged to Germany before World War I, was contested by Germany and Poland. Polish national sentiments in the region mounted considerably after Poland re-won its independence in 1918, and were strongly fought down by its German administration and army. The conflict led to three Silesian Uprisings between 1919 and 1921. The third erupted in the night of May 2nd 1921 and ended, successfully, on July 5. A year later, 29 percent of land and 46 percent of the population of the area was returned to Poland.