The Issue of Silesian Autonomy in Polish and German Graphic Satire During the Upper Silesia Plebiscite Period

Abstract

After the end of World War I, during the Paris Peace Conference, it was decided to hold a plebiscite in Upper Silesia to determine the national affiliation of this territory. This decision sparked an unrelenting propaganda battle between the Germans and the Poles. One of the key arguments in this confrontation became the promises made by the authorities of both countries to grant autonomy to the plebiscite area. This issue quickly became a priority for those responsible for the tone of the widely published graphic satire. The authors of these satirical illustrations presented the pros and cons of the promised self-governance in a poignant or humorous manner.