▁pu ppet ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁Empire ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁The ▁decision ▁to ▁propose ▁the ▁rest oration ▁of ▁Poland ▁after ▁a ▁century ▁of ▁partitions ▁was ▁taken ▁up ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁polic ym akers ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁legit im ize ▁further ▁imperial ▁om ni pres ence ▁in ▁the ▁occupied ▁territ ories . ▁The ▁plan ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁propag anda ▁pam ph let ▁campaign ▁delivered ▁to ▁the ▁Pol es ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁claim ing ▁that ▁the ▁German ▁soldiers ▁were ▁arriv ing ▁as ▁liber ators ▁to ▁free ▁Poland ▁from ▁sub j ug ation ▁by ▁Russia . ▁ ▁A ▁draft ▁constitution ▁was ▁proposed ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁The ▁German ▁government ▁used ▁pun itive ▁thre ats ▁to ▁force ▁Polish ▁land own ers ▁living ▁in ▁the ▁German - occup ied ▁Balt ic ▁states ▁to ▁re loc ate ▁and ▁sell ▁their ▁Balt ic ▁property ▁to ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁the ▁entry ▁to ▁Poland . ▁Par allel ▁efforts ▁were ▁made ▁to ▁remove ▁Pol es ▁from ▁Polish ▁territ ories ▁of ▁the ▁Pr uss ian ▁Part ition . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁Arm ist ice ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁signed ▁by ▁the ▁Al lies ▁with ▁imperial ▁Germany , ▁which ▁ended ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁the ▁area ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁nas cent ▁Second ▁Polish ▁Republic . ▁ ▁Early ▁plans ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁on set ▁of ▁war ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁for ▁the ▁purposes ▁of ▁se cur ing ▁Germany ' s ▁eastern