Poland

Poland was a country in Europe, located between Germany and Russia.

Early history
The Sidhe, an interdimensional species, inspired the legendary Leshy in Polish folklore. (PROSE: Autumn Mist)

In 705, there was a dragon in the Polish city of Krakow. It was defeated by the Doctor. (PROSE: Only Human)

In the 1580s, John Dee and Edward Kelley visited Poland during their tour of Europe. (PROSE: Managra)

In the 19th century, Poland was controlled by Russia, but was at one point taken over by Napoléon Bonaparte. In 1812, Bonaparte invaded Russia in anticipation of a Russian attempt to retake Poland, but was defeated by the Russians. (AUDIO: Mother Russia, A Thousand Tiny Wings) At some point in the 19th century, Poland was governed by a Viceroy, who was known, among other things, for his liaisons with Lola Montez. (AUDIO: Whiskey and Water)

In 1887, Polish ophthalmologist Zamenhof invented the constructed language Esperanto, intending it to be the universal language of peace. (PROSE: Legacy of the Daleks)

20th century
During the 20th century, the capital of Poland was Warsaw. (PROSE: Timewyrm: Exodus)

Poland, which had not been an independent country for some time at that point, was recreated by the Allies in the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I in 1918. (PROSE: Timewyrm: Exodus) The Nazis saw it as a state created in a draconian treaty in order to punish the Germans. Many Germans lived in Poland (AUDIO: Just War) Prior to World War II, Adolf Hitler defied the Versailles Treaty by reoccupying the Rhineland. Winston Churchill thus grew fearful of Hitler's plans for Czechoslovakia, Poland and, in time, all of Europe. (PROSE: Players)

Before the outbreak of the war in September 1939, the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany. (AUDIO: An Eye For Murder) The pact stipulated that Poland be split between Germany and the USSR. Hitler hoped this would keep the Soviets off Germany's back but fully intended to attack them eventually. (PROSE: Timewyrm: Exodus)

When Germany invaded the country on 1 September 1939, an event which was recorded by the Matrix as being a part of the Web of Time, (AUDIO: Neverland) they effectively started the War. The Soviet Union also participated in the invasion, as per their previous agreement with Hitler. (PROSE: Timewyrm: Exodus) The invasion lasted a month. Brigadier Kraus gained a reputation during the invasion as the Butcher of Krakow. (PROSE: Illegal Alien) On 3 September 1939, the United Kingdom and Germany entered into a state of war because Adolf Hitler's Nazi government did not withdraw his troops from Poland. (PROSE: Timewyrm: Exodus)

After Poland was conquered by Germany, many Polish air force pilots escaped to Britain and fought Germans together with the Royal Air Force in the Battle of Britain. They included Wilhelm Rozycki and Jan Ostowicz. (AUDIO: Their Finest Hour)

During the war, Edmund Trevithick and his men discovered a mass grave in Poland. (PROSE: Nightshade)

After the war ended in 1945, Poland was ruled by Communists. (AUDIO: The Curse of the Fugue, COMIC: The Broken Man)

In 1976, two Polish priests who were members of the Order of Saint Peter pursued the last known European vampire to Los Angeles. (AUDIO: Minuet in Hell)

In 1989, the Communist regime in Poland was overthrown, and Poland became a democracy. (COMIC: The Broken Man) According to Lucie Miller, this was due to a "bloke with big bushy moustache" saving the day. (AUDIO: The Curse of the Fugue)

By the 1990s, Polish troops, including Sergeant Zbrigniev, were members of the United Kingdom branch of UNIT. (TV: Battlefield)

21st century
In the 21st century, Poland joined the European Union (AUDIO: The Curse of the Fugue) and many Poles emigrated to the United Kingdom (TV: Day One) – like Trepper, who worked at the ATMOS factory (TV: The Sontaran Stratagem) or the family of Matteusz Andrzejewski, a student at the Coal Hill Academy. (TV: For Tonight We Might Die)

At some point in the 21st century, Poland was in economic crisis. Cities like Elbląg and Kalisz faced vast unemployment, with many people having limited access to such basic commodities as fresh water, food and petrol. Many Poles sought work in Eurozone countries such as the United Kingdom as illegal immigrants. Some of them, like Stefan Radek, were kidnapped and experimented upon by Alex Marlowe who tried to genetically engineer a new strain of Krynoid. (AUDIO: Hothouse)

Later history
In the 22nd century, the Wronsdehj conquered Poland, along with the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Italy and France. They were eventually defeated by the Fourth Doctor and Romana I. (PROSE: Life from Lifelessness)

Background
According to the official SJA website the mirror drone was found by Sarah Jane Smith in Sosnowiecz, Poland in 2002. The correct spelling of the city's name is actually Sosnowiec.

Some Polish historical figures appear or are mentioned in Doctor Who stories, but are not identified as Polish in-universe, like Nicholas Copernicus (TV: City of Death) or Bronisław Huberman (AUDIO: String Theory).