PKWN (Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego)

The PKWN (Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego), or Polish National Liberation Committee, was a provisional government established by the Allies and Polish communist activists in July 1944 as they advanced into Poland during World War II. Its goal was to organize Polish administration and prepare the country for post-war sovereignty. Although it presented itself as a legitimate authority, the PKWN was heavily influenced by the Soviet Union, which aimed to establish a communist-led government in Poland. Its formation marked the beginning of communist control in Poland, leading to the country's eventual incorporation into the Eastern Bloc.