The following is the list of events of the year 1938 in Poland.
Incumbents On May 15, 1936, president of Poland Ignacy Mościcki designed the government under prime minister Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski. The government was dissolved on September 30, 1939, and it was the last government of the Second Polish Republic which resided in Warsaw.
Members of the government President of Poland – Ignacy Mościcki, Prime Minister – Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Treasury – Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski, Minister of Foreign Affairs – Józef Beck, Minister of Justice – Witold Grabowski, Minister of Military Affairs – Tadeusz Kasprzycki, Minister of Agriculture – Juliusz Poniatowski, Minister of Communication – Juliusz Ulrych, Minister of Post Office and Telegraphs – Emil Kaliński, Minister of Religious Beliefs and Public Enlightenment – Wojciech Świętosławski, Minister of Industry and Trade – Antoni Roman.
Other personalities Primate of Poland – August Hlond, Eastern Orthodox Church Archbishop of Warsaw – Dionizy (Dionisij, real name Konstantyn Waledynski), Chief Rabbi of Warsaw – vacant, Marshall of the Sejm – Waclaw Makowski, Marshall of the Senat – Boguslaw Miedzinski.
Events
January January 1. In Tarnopol, a process of 51 members of the Communist Party of Western Ukraine ends. Izrael Wuhl is sentenced to 8 years in prison, Himmelstein Szapse – to 6 years. Altogether, 37 persons are sentenced. According to the government's statistics, as for January 1, 1938, there are 44 200 motor vehicles in Poland, including 9876 motorcycles. In 1937, 194,000 tourists visited the Eastern borderlands of Poland, with 66,000 of them visiting Wilno, January 3. The Polish Road Congress begins at the Warsaw University of Technology. In Daugavpils, the 18th anniversary of the city's capturing by forces of the Polish Army under Edward Rydz-Śmigły is celebrated (see: Battle of Daugavpils), January 11. General Stanisław Skwarczyński officially becomes leader of the Camp of National Unity, January 13. Minister Józef Beck leaves Warsaw for the session of the League of Nations in Geneva, via Berlin, January 15. Launching of the submarine Orzeł in the Dutch port of Vlissingen, January 17. German military delegation visits Poland, January 22. Professor Edmund Bulanda becomes chancellor of the Jan Kazimierz University in Lwów. On the same day, a meteorological observatory is opened on the Kasprowy Wierch, January 26. General Tadeusz Kutrzeba, while presenting a plan of possible military conflict with Nazi Germany, emphasizes that the Wehrmacht is three times stronger than the Polish Army, January 28. Józef Beck gives a speech at the League of Nations session in Geneva January 29. Empress of Iran, Tadj ol-Molouk, comes to Poland. In southern Poland, in Drohobycz and Boryslaw, violent hurricane destroys several oil rigs, January 30. General Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski tours northeastern Poland – counties of Braslaw, Święciany, Dzisna, and Postawy, January 31. First Congress of Polish Muslims begins in Wilno.
February February 5. Miklós Horthy comes to Kraków, then goes hunting to Białowieża, February 9. Miklós Horthy visits Warsaw, February 12. Economic Council of Eastern Lesser Poland is opened in Lwów by voivode Alfred Biłyk, February 15. Snowstorms across Poland make railroads impassable, February 18. Three members of the Wilno branch of the National Party are incarcerated and sent to the Bereza Kartuska prison, February 23. Hermann Göring comes to Poland, and goes hunting to Białowieża,
March March 2. In Kowel, a process of 19 members of the Communist Party of Western Ukraine begins, March 5. A ten-day strike in the Warsaw Opera ends, March 6. Józef Beck comes to Rome. On the same day in Berlin, Congress of the Union of Poles in Germany begins, March 7. In Złoczów, a process of 9 members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists begins. The defendants are accused of killing two Poles. In Rome, Józef Beck dines with Benito Mussolini and Galeazzo Ciano, March 10. Herbert Hoover comes to Poland, March 11. Herbert Hoover visits the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. A soldier of the Border Defence Corps is killed on the Polish – Lithuanian border by Lithuanian troops, March 13. Józef Beck leaves Rome. On the same day in Lutsk, the meeting of the Association of Reserve Officers takes place, March 14. Authorities of the Stanisławów Voivodeship close local branches of Ukrainian organizations Sokil and Prosvita, March 16. In Warsaw's Royal Castle, Edward Rydz-Śmigły, Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski, Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski, and Józef Beck meet to discuss Polish – Lithuanian conflict, March 17. Polish ultimatum to Lithuania. On the same day, textile workers of Łódź and surrounding towns declare a warning strike, March 18. In Wilno and Warsaw, thousands of inhabitants take part in an anti-Lithuanian demonstration. Among Polish officials present at the demonstration in Wilno, is the commander-in-chief of the Polish Army, Edward Śmigły-Rydz, who had come to the city by train at 7:45 a.m., March 19. The government of Lithuania accepts Polish ultimatum, March 24. In Brzeżany, five members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists are sentenced to several years in prison, March 26. Christian merchants of Warsaw present to the Polish Army 40 heavy machine guns (see: National Defence Fund), March 27. In Lwów, 27 members of the Communist Party of Western Ukraine are sentenced to several years in prison. Sara Bryn is sentenced to 10 years, Rybka Malinowitzer and Gerdie Zimmer to 7 years, and Dora Eichenbaum to 5 years, March 27. In Lwów, and other cities of southern Poland, hundreds of Jewish refugees from Austria arrive (see: Anschluss), March 28. Franciszek Charwat arrives in Kaunas as the first Polish diplomatic representative in Lithuania, March 30. President Ignacy Mościcki grants amnesty to 134 criminal prisoners. On the same day, Association of Poles in Czechoslovakia issues a statement in which it demands autonomy for the Polish minority of Czechoslovakia. First telephone conversation between Poland and Lithuania takes place, March 31. Poland and Lithuania establish diplomatic relationships,
April April 1. Territorial reform of Poland, in which borders of several Western and Central Voivodeships change considerably, April 4. A process of 39 Communist activists begins in Warsaw. Prime minister Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski, together with voivode of Lwów, Alfred Biłyk, tour southern Poland – counties of Mielec, Kolbuszowa, Dąbrowa Tarnowska, Brzesko, and Tarnów, April 5. Rail communication between Poland and Lithuania is initiated, along with the connection Landwarow – Vievis, April 10. In Rawa Ruska county, the police arrest around 70 members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. Several handguns are confiscated, April 11. Demonstrations of Maritime and Colonial League in Polish cities, in which overseas colonies for Poland are demanded, April 12. Near Wieluń, a train from Gdynia to Kraków derails, with no casualties, April 13. In the Upper-Silesian settlement of Lagiewniki, a Polish streetcar crashes with a German streetcar, April 14. Henryk Józewski becomes voivode of the Łódź Voivodeship, while Aleksander Hauke-Nowak becomes voivode of the Wołyń Voivodeship, April 18. In Rome, Andrzej Bobola becomes a saint, April 19. Inhabitants of Wilno celebrate the 19th anniversary of the city's liberation from the Soviets. Dar Pomorza returns to the port of Gdynia, after a 216-day cruise, April 20. The outbreak of an epidemic of typhus in the area of Jaworów. In Wilno, eight students of Jewish high schools are sentenced for membership of communist organizations, April 21. Polish mass-media inform that the population of the country is 34,534,000, April 23. In Warsaw, 39 communists are sentenced to several years in prison. South of Muszyna, Czechoslovak border guards shoot a Polish balloon Moscice, April 24 A general meeting of Camp of National Unity takes place in Katowice, April 25. Minister Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski visits Polish Upper Silesia. Local authorities in Wilno allow publication of Lithuanian minority newspapers and magazines, April 26. A group of Hitlerjugend attacks a meeting of The Association of Poles in the Free City of Danzig. Airborne and Antigas Defence League has 1,630,000 members, April 27. A Polish – British Sea Treaty is signed in London, April 30. To prevent street clashes during the International Workers' Day, temporary prohibition is introduced in Warsaw. Across the Nowogródek Voivodeship, construction of 100 Marshall Józef Piłsudski elementary schools begins,
May May 1. Street clashes during celebrations of the Labor Day in such cities, as Kielce, Lwów and Warsaw, May 2. Opening of the Poznań International Fair, May 9. Gauleiter Albert Forster comes to Poland. He talks with Józef Beck, visits Warsaw, Lwów and Wilno, May 10. After the resignation of professor Wladyslaw Szafer, professor Tadeusz Lahr-Splawinski becomes new chancellor of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, May 11. Opening of telephone lines and mail service between Poland and Lithuania, May 13. Poland celebrates the third anniversary of the death of Marshall Józef Piłsudski, May 15. In Legionowo, balloon "Toruń" sets off to a stratospheric flight, May 17. Prime minister Slawoj-Skladkowski meets all Polish voivodes, May 19. General meeting of the Camp of National Unity begins in Warsaw, May 20 Romanian prime minister, Patriarch Miron Cristea, comes to Poland. A transport of bears from the Soviet Union comes to Białowieża Forest. Some of Josephine Baker's possessions are stolen during her stay in Lwów, May 21. Minister Józef Beck leaves Warsaw for Stockholm, May 22. A Ukrainian Congress, planned in Lwów to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the creation of Prosvita, is banned by the Polish government. Romanian prime minister visits Kraków. In Warsaw, Polish lawyers present to the army six anti-aircraft guns, May 25. Large fires destroy about 100 buildings in two villages near Wilno. In Stockholm, Józef Beck meets Gustaf V. A meeting of Polish Gymnastic Society Sokół, planned in Lwów, is called off, May 26. Meeting of Reserve Officers takes place in Lwów, attended by Marshall Edward Rydz-Śmigły. Prime Minister Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski tours Greater Poland, May 31. A new ambassador of Romania comes to Warsaw. Works on the Warta – Gopło canal begin in Kujavia.
June June 1. Fire in the biggest Polish glass manufacturer, Kara, in Piotrków Trybunalski. Polish minority parties win local elections in Załozie, garnering almost 11,000 votes, June 3. Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski, the new ambassador of Poland in Italy, comes to Rome. Ten people die in a fire near Olkusz. Iron ore deposits are found near Zdołbunów, June 7. An extraordinary session of the Sejm begins in Warsaw. A hydrobiological station is opened in Pinsk, as the third one in Poland, after stations in Hel, and at the lake Wigry, June 8. A Polish delegation flies to Kaunas, to discuss the opening of air connection between Poland and Lithuania, June 9. Two planes of the Luftwaffe enter Polish airspace near Katowice, June 10. The whole village of Zaklików near Janów Lubelski is burned in a fire, June 11. A train with remains of Saint Andrzej Bobola comes to the border station of Zebrzydowice, greeted by thousands of faithful, June 14. Józef Beck visits Tallinn, where he dines with Estonian minister of foreign affairs, Karl Seiter, June 15. Józef Beck has breakfast with President of Estonia, Konstantin Päts. The first customs office is opened in Landwarow, on the Polish–Lithuanian border, June 19. Marshall Edward Rydz-Śmigły visits Polish Pomerania, June 20. A hailstorm destroys crops in Tarnopol Voivodeship. A funeral of Marshall of the Sejm, Stanisław Car, takes place in Warsaw,