Roman Dmowski

Dmowski co-founded the National Democratic Party (Endecja) in 1897, which became the leading Polish nationalist movement. The party advocated for Polish independence through gradual cultural and economic development, opposing both socialism and the romantic insurrectionist tradition.

Dmowski led the Polish National Committee in Paris, recognized by the Allies as the official representative of Polish interests during World War I. He lobbied for Polish independence, organized the Blue Army of Polish volunteers in France, and shaped Allied policy toward Poland.

Dmowski presented the Polish case at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, arguing for the restoration of an independent Polish state with access to the Baltic Sea. His memorandum and testimony influenced the Treaty of Versailles, which granted Poland independence and the Polish Corridor.

Dmowski was a signatory to the Treaty of Riga on March 18, 1921, which ended the Polish-Soviet War. The treaty established the Polish-Soviet border, granting Poland substantial territories in the east. Dmowski's nationalist vision influenced the territorial settlement.