▁one ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁sign ator ies ▁of ▁the ▁Wars aw ▁P act ▁al liance . ▁The ▁largest ▁city ▁and ▁official ▁capital ▁since ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁was ▁Wars aw , ▁followed ▁by ▁industrial ▁Ł ód ź ▁and ▁cultural ▁Krak ów . ▁▁ ▁The ▁country ▁was ▁border ed ▁by ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Sea ▁to ▁the ▁north , ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁to ▁the ▁east , ▁Czech oslov ak ia ▁to ▁the ▁south , ▁and ▁East ▁Germany ▁to ▁the ▁west . ▁ ▁The ▁former ▁country ▁covers ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁contemporary ▁Poland ▁between ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁under ▁the ▁Soviet - back ed ▁commun ist ▁administration ▁established ▁after ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ' s ▁release ▁of ▁its ▁territory ▁from ▁German ▁occupation ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁The ▁state ' s ▁official ▁name ▁was ▁the ▁" Rep ublic ▁of ▁Poland " ▁() ▁between ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁in ▁accord ance ▁with ▁the ▁temporary ▁Small ▁Constitution ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁The ▁name ▁" Pe ople ' s ▁Republic " ▁was ▁introduced ▁and ▁defined ▁by ▁the ▁Constitution ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁Like ▁other ▁Eastern ▁B loc ▁nations ▁( E ast ▁Germany , ▁Czech oslov ak ia , ▁Hung ary , ▁Roman ia , ▁Bulg aria ▁and ▁Alban ia ), ▁Poland ▁was ▁regarded ▁as ▁a ▁satellite ▁state ▁in ▁the ▁Soviet ▁sphere ▁of ▁influence , ▁but ▁was ▁never ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁ ▁The ▁Polish ▁People ' s ▁Republic