▁border ▁against ▁the ▁Russian ▁imperial ▁army , ▁The ob ald ▁von ▁Beth mann - H oll weg , ▁the ▁German ▁ch an cell or , ▁decided ▁on ▁the ▁an nex ation ▁of ▁a ▁specific ▁strip ▁of ▁land ▁from ▁Congress ▁Poland , ▁known ▁later ▁on ▁as ▁the ▁Polish ▁Border ▁St rip . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁avoid ▁adding ▁the ▁Polish ▁population ▁there ▁to ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁imperial ▁Germany , ▁it ▁was ▁proposed ▁that ▁the ▁Pol es ▁would ▁be ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁proposed ▁new ▁Polish ▁state ▁further ▁east , ▁while ▁the ▁strip ▁would ▁be ▁res ett led ▁with ▁the ▁Germ ans . ▁ ▁As ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁started , ▁the ▁German ▁Emperor ▁Wilhelm ▁II ▁conce ived ▁of ▁creating ▁a ▁dependent ▁Polish ▁state ▁from ▁territory ▁conquer ed ▁from ▁Russia , ▁since ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁all ▁Pol es ▁had ▁lived ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁ever ▁since ▁the ▁nation ▁van ished ▁from ▁the ▁European ▁maps , ▁after ▁the ▁three ▁spl itt ings ▁of ▁the ▁Polish – L ith uan ian ▁Commonwealth ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 2 – 1 7 9 5 . ▁This ▁put ative ▁Polish ▁kingdom , ▁of ▁limited ▁aut onomy , ▁would ▁be ▁ruled ▁by ▁a ▁German ▁prince ▁and ▁have ▁its ▁military , ▁transport ation ▁and ▁economy ▁controlled ▁by ▁Germany . ▁Its ▁army ▁and ▁railway ▁network ▁would ▁be ▁placed ▁under ▁Pr uss ian ▁command . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁German ▁and ▁Aust rian ▁troops ▁quickly ▁conquer ed ▁the ▁Russian ▁V ist ula ▁Land , ▁the ▁former ▁Congress ▁Poland , ▁and ▁in ▁