republic · Poland, Lithuania and Russia

Republic of Zakopane

1918 CE – 1918 CE · capital Zakopane

A local Polish government in the Tatra resort of Zakopane, headed by the novelist Stefan Zeromski in the first days of independence.

Origins

In late October 1918, as Austria-Hungary disintegrated, the citizens of Zakopane and the Podhale highlands took over local power from Austrian officials. A National Organisation was formed, and on 13 November the writer Stefan Zeromski, who was living in the town, became chairman of its council.

Rule and society

The so-called republic was a temporary administration rather than a separate state: it declared loyalty to a reborn Poland, took control of the town's offices and police, and organised volunteers to guard the border with Slovakia. It also had to deal with food shortages in the mountain region.

Decline and legacy

Within weeks the new Polish government in Warsaw and Krakow extended its authority to Podhale, and by the end of 1918 Zakopane was simply part of the Second Polish Republic.

Lineage

Republic of ZakopaneSecond Polish Republic 1918 CE – 1939 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Republic of Zakopane. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-zakopane
MLA
“Republic of Zakopane.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-zakopane. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Republic of Zakopane.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-zakopane.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Republic of Zakopane’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-zakopane (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻