Sharing a border on the west with the Germanic world, to the South with the Slavs and in the East by the Russians, Poland has experienced a difficult, tormented history and has regularly been cut up and shared out between its powerful neighbours. The 18th century nearly witnessed its total demise but in the 20th century especially that it had to face its most difficult tests, passing from Nazi to Soviet domination. But the thirst for independence on the part of its long oppressed people, carried along by intellectuals, as well by popular movements, finally enabled it to free itself and have a chance to takes its fate in hand. It aimed to anchor itself in Europe by joining the European Union in 2004 which it chaired in the 2nd semester 2011 in spite of the difficulties of the economic crisis.