82 years ago, on September 27, 1939, the Service for Poland’s Victory was established – the beginning of the Polish Underground State (PUS). It was the second attempt in less than eighty years to establish secret structures of a state fighting for independence. The creators of PUS were aware that they were the continuators of the Secret Polish State of 1863–1864.
At the basis of the existence of military and civil structures of the Polish Underground State is the order issued by Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły, interned in Romania. This document authorized General Juliusz Rómmel, who was in charge of the defense of Warsaw, to make further decisions regarding the continuation of the fight.
Polish Underground State – secret structures of the Polish state, existing during World War II, subordinate to the Polish government in exile. They were a system of state authorities, acting on behalf of the Republic of Poland, during the occupation of the territory of the Polish state by the Third Reich and the USSR.
It existed from September 27, 1939 (the establishment of the Service for Poland’s Victory) to July 1, 1945 (self-dissolution of the Council of National Unity and the Government Delegation for Poland in connection with the withdrawal of international recognition for the Government of the Republic of Poland in exile).
This term was first used in the occupied country in the “Biuletyn Informacyjny” (Information Bulletin) on January 13, 1944.