warsaw uprising ! 1 August 1994! We remember
August 1… We remember.
Today, sirens wailed across Poland. In Poland, there is a tradition that at 5:00 p.m., we all pause for one minute in silence. It is a gesture meant to pay tribute to those who fought in the Warsaw Uprising. They fought for the freedom of their homeland, their families, and a better future for their children! Poles gather in one place with flags and light flares in remembrance.
What was the Warsaw Uprising?
The Warsaw Uprising broke out on August 1, 1944, at 5:00 p.m., known as “Hour W.” It was an armed uprising organized by the Home Army (Armia Krajowa) against the German occupiers. The goal was for Poles to regain their freedom. It was intended to weaken the enemy before the Red Army entered the city. It was meant to show the world that, despite several years of war, we still had the strength and our own structures to organize the fight.
Unfortunately, the Soviets deceived us and never helped us. Poles died while they stood by and watched.
The fighting lasted 63 days—until October 2, 1944.
In Poland, it is called the "63 Days of Glory."
Who were the insurgents?
You might think they were trained soldiers, but the truth is quite different.
Thousands of young people fought in the ranks of the uprising. Some insurgents were between 14 and 18 years old. They included soldiers, medics, Boy Scouts, and children who carried messages with orders. Even though they were children, they were willing to risk their own lives so that their families could regain their freedom!
What was the cost of the Uprising? Hundreds of thousands of people died in the Warsaw Uprising. It is estimated that 18,000 insurgents were killed. And in the German reprisal operations to retake Warsaw, over 180,000 civilians were killed. It was a merciless bombardment and burning of the entire city. Practically nothing remained of Warsaw.
This is probably Poland’s greatest tragedy.
https://um.warszawa.pl/-/-miasto-ruin-to-warto-zobaczyc
Its not AI
How many insurgents are still alive?
It is estimated that 225 insurgents are currently alive. Unfortunately, their numbers are dwindling. Fewer and fewer people remain who witnessed the horrors of war firsthand—witnesses to how a human being can turn into a monster and inflict so much suffering on another human being.
It may seem like just history now, something that happened a long time ago. None of us think about the war anymore, or about the fact that people died for our freedom. But was it really that long ago? In my opinion, as long as people are alive and remember the effects of war firsthand, it isn’t that long ago.
https://um.warszawa.pl/-/kolejni-powstancy-warszawscy-otrzymuja-nagrody
During World War II, Poland suffered the greatest loss of life and material wealth. It endured the most destruction, and yet it never gave up. What’s worse, after all these years, Poland has not received reparations from the perpetrators, and some of the stolen works of art are still in German museums. To me, it’s outrageous that Germany has been unable to return the works of art it looted by killing Poles.
Thanks <3