The Free City of Danzig was established in 1920 under the Treaty of Versailles as a semi-autonomous city-state to provide Poland access to the sea while appeasing both German and Polish interests. Although nominally independent, it was heavily influenced by Germany, leading to tensions with Poland over trade, customs, and citizenship. These tensions, coupled with rising Nazi influence in the 1930s, made Danzig a flashpoint in the lead-up to World War II, culminating in its annexation by Germany in 1939 and the outbreak of the war.

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