Naturalization of Polish population in Rhóne-Alpes region of France after the Second World War

The paper aims the analysis of status and naturalization process o f Polish population in Rhône Alpes region of France after the Second World War. Naturalization is understood as the obtaining o f French citizenship by foreign emmigrants. Many forms of naturalization can be distinguished - legal and declared being the teo basic ones. Emmigration of Poles to Rhône-Alpes region started during the First World War. A particularly intense inflow of Polish people took place after signing a Polish-French Convention on emmigration of Polish workers to France in 1919. After the Second World War the number of naturalized Poles in that region stabilized and amounted to 8000 people. However, their percentage in the total number of naturalized emmigrants dereased gradually and steadily (from 6,5% in 1962 to 5,4% in 1975). Spatial distribution of naturalized Polish emmigrants was not stable and changes in this field did not fully reflect evolution pertaining to all naturalized emmigrants. A progressive, gradual deconcentration of Polish community was observed. Between 1949 and 1978 in Rhône-Alpes region 4193 Poles were legally naturalized, among them 60% up to 1960. Naturalization process revealed a decreasing tendency to be noticed all over that region. The number of declared naturalized Poles was twice as small as the legal one. Polish people applying for French citizenship were motivated by different reasons. Descriptions of Illustrations: • 1. Status and structure of naturalized Polish population in Rhône-Alpes region from 196"> till 1975. 2. Naturalization of selected nationalities in France in Rhône-Alpes region in post-war years. 3. Participation of legal naturalization of selected nationalities in France and Rhône-Alpes region through periods. 4. The number and participation of legally naturalized Poles in Rhône-Alpes region through periods.Artykuł zawiera, poza uwagami wstępnymi, omówienie warunków powstania i rozwoju skupiska polonijnego w regionie Rhóne-Alpes oraz analizę stanu i struktury naturalizowanej ludności polskiej w świetle spisów ludnościowych. Scharakteryzowano też przebieg procesu naturalizacji według jej form.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 zostało dofinansowane ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę