Since the age of the postal stamp began, Polish lands have experienced a bewildering series of wars, territorial changes, political upheavals, cultural transformations, demographic shifts and military occupations. The scope of Volume 1 & 2 (published jointly under one ISBN) extends to all the lands and provinces which, at one time or another, have been subject to Polish rule. These volumes illustrate most of the items carried on postcards and letters, such as stamps, which indicate the ruling political authority in force at the point of posting. The censorship marks and military insignia, which are authentic relics of a historical moment, help to determine the social, commercial and political context of the unique mini-event during that period. The Congress Kingdom, which issued the first Polish stamp, came to an end only three years later. The great imperial peace of the late 19th century was shattered by WWI. The Second Republic was born amidst a rash of armed conflicts. WWII, which saw Poland brutally buffeted between the Third Reich and USSR, destroyed almost all existing institutions. The so-called People’s Republic, or PRL, went through several evolutions before it finally collapsed. For all these reasons, postal history provides an excellent exposition of the complex fate of the Polish people and statehood. — The book is a tantalizing, new pictorial history of Poland as seen through the eyes of real people and their stories found on postcards. Written by one of the greatest contemporary historians of Polish history, it is the result of years of collecting postcards and letters from antiquarian bookstores and flea markets. Davies cleverly uses their stories and illustrations to create a fascinating, real-life account of 150 years of Polish history in a way that is highly accessible and enlightening. By employing such an unusual device to map Polish history, the author created a truly original perspective that may even challenge the opinions of experts.