The idea of the Republic had its roots in mass demonstrations of peasants, which were taking place almost on a daily basis in the fall of 1918.

Tarnobrzeg had been part of Austria-Hungary (Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria) and the dissolution of this entity created a political unrest.

On 6 November, after a demonstration with some 30,000 people, local peasants decided to take advantage of it and seize power.

As news of the Russian Revolution came to Tarnobrzeg, socialist activists decided to follow Communist ideas.

The Republic of Tarnobrzeg was suppressed by units of the freshly created Polish Army at the beginning of 1919.