Warsaw Uprising Poland

Legendary

Learn how the citizens of Warsaw fought unsuccessfully for 63 days to oust the Nazis and regain control of their city.

Photo by Dennis Jarvis

The Warsaw Uprising began on August 1, 1944, and lasted until October 2, 1944. It was a brave but tragic moment in Polish history.

In this battle, the Polish resistance fighters tried to take back Warsaw from the German army, who had taken over Poland during World War II. These fighters wanted to see their city free again! But the battle was tough, and the Germans were determined to crush the rebellion. Sadly, up to 90% of Warsaw’s buildings were destroyed in the fighting.

The Polish resistance hoped for help from the Soviet army, which was nearby. But Soviet leader Joseph Stalin decided not to help. He stopped his troops just short of Warsaw, refusing to aid the Polish fighters or even allow Western Allies to send supplies. This made the uprising even harder to win.

The brave fighters continued for 63 days, but without enough help or supplies, they were eventually defeated. Afterward, the Germans forced the people of Warsaw to leave their city and began destroying whatever was left. The Soviets only entered Warsaw in January 1945, after the Germans had left.

For many years, the story of the Warsaw Uprising was not allowed to be told. The government at the time didn’t want people to remember the bravery of the Polish resistance. It wasn’t until 1988 that permission was given to build a monument to honor the fighters, and it was unveiled on August 1, 1989, exactly 45 years after the uprising began.

The monument stands as a tribute to the courage of the Polish people. In 1994, German President Roman Herzog visited the monument. He apologized for the terrible things that happened in Poland during the war and expressed deep sorrow for Germany’s actions.

Today, the Warsaw Uprising Monument serves as a reminder of the strength and bravery of the Polish people, who fought for freedom even in the darkest of times.

Wikipedia