The party was formed in 1896 but due to repression by the German police and local Prussian authorities, it did not adopt an official program until 1898.
[1] The party was formed in response to, and was focused on opposing the policy of forced Germanization pursued by the Prussian authorities with regards to the Polish-speaking population of the region.
[2][dead link] The party was established in November 1896 by the publicist Karol Bahrke from Warsaw and the poet Michał Kajka in Ełk (Lyck).
[1] The main points of its program concentrated on the protection of the Polish language in Masuria, opposition to Germanization, as well as ensuring freedom of religion[1] (the party included both Catholics and Protestants).
The program also focused on agrarian issues, including land reform, increased spending on rural infrastructure and progressive taxation.