As a Pole I feel obliged to write this text:
Exactly 74 years ago happened one of the most beautiful exemplar of real heroism and patrioism. Exactly 74 years ago Warsaw uprising broke out. So sit down comfortably and read about the Warsaw Uprising.
1 August 1944, from the morning everyone who was took part in resistace in the warsaw know what will happen in this day. But before that outline of history before uprising:
Russian Red Army is on the other side of the Vistula, Warsaw people after almost 5 years germans occupation have enough. They don't want to wait for the Russians beacuse Stalin was also very unfair to polish soldiers.Young polish soldiers who operate in AK (Armia Krajowa - name of polish resistance) want to captured city before Soviets come so they took all weapon which they had, and the decided to attack 50.000 germans soldiers who were armed very well, anyway for sure much better than insurgents...
Finally after 5 years underground fight they could go out and fight face to face. It's time for 'W hour' ('W hour' was codename for beginning Warsaw Uprising on 1 August, 5 p.m) so the uprising was beginning. Unfortunately first strike had failed . Within the first hours 300 people were killed. Polish assults have been successful in only a few places.
A few next days was better, polish soldiers took over a lot important tactical points. However first Hitler reaction for uprising was ordered for air raids. The plan was simple - tear down the whole town and end uprising. A special german military unino was created specially for fight with insurgents under the command of general Von Dem Bach - Zalewski.
Von Dem Bach - Zalewski!
Despite crushing advantage of Germans, Poles resist very strong all the time. Unfortunately better equipment German army took parts of city. Germans also were making a mass murders of which the biggest was on Warsaw Wola where Germans under the command of Heinz Reinefarth murdered from 30 to 65 thousands civilian people (he never was held to responsible). But Warsaw were defended all time. In fact, after few first weeks of the uprising began only defense of capital city of poland and fight about life of insurgents and the Soviets didn't come...
Finally the Warsaw Uprising fell on 2 Oktober 1944. 200 thousands polish people were killed in all. About 18.000 insurgents and 180.000 civilian people. In addition 65% of city was completely tear down of which many boroughts were destoryed in almost totally and of course many priceless landmark. Even worse many of insurgents were persecuted by communists and many of them were killed.
In conclusion I would like to tell to don't forget about real heroes who sacrificed themselves for yours safely and comfortable life.
wedding during the uprising
explosion one of the building
Warsaw after uprising
brave insurgents
evacuation of civilians