The Libka Tatars are one of the oldest Muslim societies in Europe.. History of the Muslims of Poland since the 14th century

The large memorial installed on a railroad car in the capital, Warsaw, highlights the role of Muslims in the defense of Poland during centuries, and a number of religious symbols such as Catholic and Orthodox crosses appear on the monument, in addition to Jewish and Islamic symbols.

Katarzyna Gorak-Sosnowska, associate professor at Warsaw University of Economics, told Anadolu Agency that the presence of the crescent symbol for Muslims along with the Jewish Star of David reflects the scene of ethnic and religious diversity in the country's eastern border region.

She added that the memorial was established in honor of the Poles who were killed in the east of the country, especially those who were deported to labor camps in Siberia after the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939, as well as the victims of the Katyn massacre in 1940.

The memorial displays the names of the places where Poles were deported for use as slaves in the Soviet Union, and the names of the camps, collective farms and outposts where they stayed.

The memorial designed by Maximilian Biskupsky is located at the intersection of Muranowaska and General Wadislaw Andres Streets in the Polish capital, Warsaw.

The 7-meter-high bronze monument was designed by Biskupsky in 1991, and was officially displayed on September 17, 1995, to mark the 56th anniversary of the Soviet invasion.

Warsaw battle

In 2020, a plaque was erected on the wall of the Tatar Muslim cemetery in Warsaw at the initiative of the Higher Islamic College of the Islamic Religious Union and the Tatar Union of the Republic of Poland, to commemorate their ancestors who fought in defense of Poland.

The painting was unveiled on the centenary of the Battle of Warsaw in 1920 with the participation of the Mufti of Poland Tomas Miskewicz.

During the Polish-Bolshevik war in 1920, a Muslim regiment participated in the fighting along the Vistula River near the city of Blok, where they suffered heavy losses.

After the battles ended, many soldiers were transferred to the "Vilnius Ulans 13" area, where special units for the Tatars were established, so that the regiment participated again in the September 1939 campaign to fight the Soviet invasion.

first beginnings

Founded in 1925, the Polish Muslim Religious Union "MZR" is the oldest Muslim organization in Poland.

This organization represents the "Lipka" Tatars who have lived since the 14th century in the border areas between what is now Poland, Lithuania and Belarus, and therefore it is one of the oldest Muslim societies in Europe.

Historically, the Muslim community served Poland in various wars, including the army of King John III Sobieski (1629-1696) that fought at the Battle of Vienna in 1683.

According to local estimates, the Muslims of Poland, numbering about 25,000, are divided between the Libka Tatars and Muslim immigrants from Syria, Chechnya, Iraq, Tajikistan and Bangladesh.

In the early Middle Ages, Arab traders and travelers were the first Muslims to arrive in Poland, including Ibrahim ibn Yaqub, who was a Jew working in the diplomatic service of the Caliph in Spain.

Ibn Jacob’s journey included many European countries, and it was reported that he met the Roman Tsar Otto I (912-973), who was the first emperor of what would later become the Holy Roman Empire, which also controlled the country of Bohemia, i.e. the Czech country, and was imposing tribute on the ruler Boleslav I And he wrote about the details of his meeting with Caesar Otto, using Arab and Hijri dates, according to a previous report by Al-Jazeera Net.

service ground

The history of Islam in Poland began in the 14th century, after Muslims settled in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, of the then Polish Confederation.

The first Muslims at that time were from the "Golden Horde" Tatars, who were often prisoners of war.

During the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, the Polish-Lithuanian army was supported by Jalal ad-Din, the holder of the Chan throne of the Golden Horde, and after the battle many of his warriors remained in Lithuania.

Later the Tatars came to Lithuania during the 15th and 16th centuries and to a lesser extent in the 17th century, when the number of Tatars in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is estimated at about 15,000 people.

The Tatars were granted land in exchange for military service, and the first Tatar settlements include Kulnolari, Kozaklari, Mirezlani, Prodziani and Sorok Tatari.

Muslim rights

Muslims in Poland did not obtain their religious freedoms until the constitution of May 3, 1791, but without any political rights.

The Constitution of the Duchy of Warsaw of 1807, and later the Constitution of the Kingdom of Poland of 1815, granted full political rights to Muslims.

During the reign of Stanislaw August Ponatowski, the last king of Poland, many Muslim Tatars participated in the war against Russia in 1792, when the Polish army was led by Tatar General Joseph Bilac.

The Tatars also participated in many battles during the Kosciusko Uprising in 1794, and after Poland lost its independence, Muslims participated in many popular uprisings.

after independence

After Poland gained independence in 1918, about 5,500 Muslims settled within the Polish borders in the provinces of Novogrudok, Vilnius and Bialystok, and a small Muslim community settled in Warsaw.

World War II (1993-1945) and its aftermath led to a significant change in the situation of Muslims in Poland, as the Polish Tatars were expelled to Siberia, and some of them ended up in German concentration camps.

Many Tatars participated in World War II on the Western Front as soldiers in the 2nd Polish Legion, and on the Eastern Front in the 1st and 2nd Polish Armies.

After the war ended, many Tatars settled in Britain, expanded their lands in New York, and traveled to Australia, while several families of them settled in Turkey.