 After the partitions of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late 18th century, the Polish cultural pressure in the region was replaced by that of the Russian Empire, until the end of the First World War resulted in the restoration of independent Polish and Lithuanian states.During the Interwar period of the 20th century (1920–1939) Lithuanian-Polish relations were characterised by mutual enmity.Starting with the conflict over the city of Vilnius, and the Polish-Lithuanian War shortly after the First World War, both governments - in an era when nationalism was sweeping through Europe - treated their respective minorities harshly.