Historical calendar: November 17, 1847 – the beginning of the Berlin process

Historical calendar – the anniversary of the verdict in the alleged Berlin process. The Prussians judged participants of the Polish independency campaign.

Today in our calendar we will look at the “springs of peoples” in the Prussian partition.

In the 1940s, a revolutionary boiling point and rebellion against the Viennese order were expanding throughout Europe, which drove the increasing bourgeoisie and coal industry. The demands of progressive propaganda of the population focused on improving material conditions, establishing universal democracy, and autonomy or even independency for those surviving under abroad regulation of nations.

The culmination took place between 1848 and 1849, erstwhile the Lutov Revolution took place in France, the March Revolution in Berlin, the rebellions in Austria, Italy and Spain. This period is called Spring Peoples. The most dramatic turn took on the rebellion in Hungary, during which the Magers attempted to regain independency from Austrian hands. They announced the dethronation of the emperor and began armed action against Vienna.

Despite crucial Polish aid (generals Józef Bem and Henryk Dembiński and the alleged Legion of Poland), the uprising fell upon the combined offensive of Austrians and Russians. Despite military disasters throughout Europe, the Spring of the Peoples, which took the banner of the French Revolution ("Freedom, equality, fraternity or death"), ended in any successes.

In the long run, it gave impetus to further revolutionary conflict for workers' rights and democracy and alleged social justice, understood in many ways depending on the slogans of the propaganda. As a consequence of the revolts of the population, the state (except Russia) was widely eliminated, and the importance of bourgeoisie increased at the expense of aristocracy. In many countries the marketplace has been freed, the catalogue of civilian rights has been expanded and constitutional and parliamentary governments have been introduced.

The component of “Spring of Peoples” in Prussia was the Polish uprisings in Wielkopolska from 1846 and 1848.

Since 1840 the Polish Democratic Society has planned a national uprising to cover all 3 occupations at the same time. Louis Mierosławski was appointed leader of the rebellion. The insurgent plans were very advanced, but by a tip from a Prussian agent among the conspirators Henryk Poniński, at night from 21 to 22 February 1846 there were mass arrests in Wielkopolska. The Prussians protected their informers, so to cover the traces of treason, Poniński was besides arrested and imprisoned.

Among another things, Mierosławski was captured, who was willing to attest against another conspirators, leading to subsequent arrests. Despite the failure of commanders, the fighting in Wielkopolska broke out, but due to a deficiency of coordination, a tiny number of insurgents and weak weapons (mostly fellow-sponsors), the rebellion was rapidly suppressed by the authorities.

In 1847 the Berlin Process took place, in which respective 100 of the most active members of the organizations cooperating with the TDP, specified as Poznań Centralization and Plebejusz Union, were judged. The second group focused on the most extremist social elements, demanding the introduction of utopian socialism, the abolition of private property, equal distribution of goods and the introduction of unconditional labour rights.

On November 17, the court line ended. On 2 December, out of more than 200 arrested, 117 people (including 8 were sentenced to death penalty), 3 were suspended and 134 were released from charges.

Thanks to the 1848 March Revolution in Berlin, Polish conspirators with Ludwik Mierosławski and Karol Libelt managed to leave the prison by virtue of the royal amnesty. After their release, they went to Wielkopolska, where they began preparing a fresh rebellion.

Previous entry from our calendar is available Here.