In 1944, from August 1st to October 5th, the Polish Home Army attempted to liberate Warsaw from the occupying Nazi/German forces.  It appeared the Germans were in full retreat, with the Red Army on the opposite bank of the Vistula river.  The insurgency was supposed to last only 1 week, and they assumed they would mop up the straggling forces and give momentum to the German pull-out.

However, a combination of miscalculations and politics would tip the already unbalanced scales against the resistance movement.  In addition, the Germans decide to stay and defend warsaw, bringing additional reinforcements.

The Home Army numbered approximately 40,000 (including 4,000 women), yet had only enough weapons for roughly 2,500 people.  They faced 15,000 trained and armed German soldiers initially.  That number would grow to over 30,000, adding tanks, planes and artillery.  

The insurgents followed the example of the previous Jewish uprising in the ghettos, utilizing the sewer system and brave children.  One Australian wrote:

"You are fighting splendidly.  No country in the world has youth like yours.  In England, one will surely not find a 12-year-old boy decorated with a Cross of Valour for heroism.  This is possible only in Poland.  Earlier I maintained that it was the Australians who were the best soldiers in the world; today I have changed my mind, it is the Poles."

An interview with W.E. Smith, who escaped from captivity,
"Rzeczpospolita Polska, 
Warsaw, August 26, 1944, No. 37

The fighting eventually so infuriated Hitler, that he ordered the city of Warsaw destroyed.  Completely.

Everything in Warsaw was catalogued and ranked by cultural importance.  Buildings were leveled with dynamite, libraries were burned, and art was stolen or destroyed.  By the end of the uprising, 85% of the city had been totally annihilated.  

There are no amount of pictures or words that can convey the emotion of standing in the middle of what was once a battleground 60 years prior, admiring the architecture and learning that 50 years ago every single brick of every building you see was scattered across the ground, and that the tallest standing remnant of the country’s royal palace was half of a stone surround from a window, standing about as tall as a person.

But just as the sadness begins to set in, you realize that it was all painstakingly rebuilt.  Not only rebuilt, but rediscovered.  Among the documents destroyed were the blueprints, so it was all rebuilt from memory, photographs, and paintings.

Far worse than the destruction of the city was the loss of life.  When we toured Old Town in the summer, Pan Adam (our honorary tour guide) compared the loss of life to having September 11th, every day for 63 days in a row.  

More impressive than strength and courage in battle, is that the survivors, after evacuation through the sewers, returned.  They ran out of room for cemeteries, there were so many dead.  

When we moved here, one of the things I noticed was how nice the cemeteries were, and how respectful everyone was.  I also noticed the amount of decoration and how frequently people visited the graves.  Now I understand why.  Today is All Saints Day, and tonight we are going to visit a cemetery, along with nearly everyone else, who go on this day especially to pay their respects to their departed ancestors.  I have no doubt that it will be a sight to behold, given the state of cemeteries on normal days.

Getting back to the Museum.

The Museum walks you through each day of the uprising, with information about the prominent figures, daily events and struggles, and political goings on.  It was another case of information overload, but it was something I think everyone should see if they can.

In the center of the museum is a stone wall, pockmarked with replica bullet holes.  The wall is actually a giant speaker, steadily pulsing a heartbeat.  If you listen at the bullet holes, you can hear recordings of the fighting. 

The walls are plastered with leaflets ranging from propaganda, orders from the occupying German army, and underground flyers from printing presses operating in secret.

We saw uniforms worn by the soldiers, supply capsules dropped by Allied forces, weapons, photographs, radios, movies, vehicles, printing presses, old bunkers, and many many flags.

In short, there is too much there to explain it all here.  But I think you get the idea.

We finished out the day by relaxing at one of our favorite restaurants.  I had some mulled mead (Miód Pitny) and Zurek (a traditional barley soup), and Jess had chicken and potatoes.  It was a nice way to unwind afterwards.

A few days later, I got to thinking about U.S. History.  We learned a lot in school, and I’ve even visited some of the sites.  But I think that in exploring the history of another country, you wonder more about your own.  When I return home, I doubt things will look the same, as I will see them through different eyes.  But I will also seek out locations of historical significance and spend my time learning about where I live and what happened there, and honoring those that built it all and made life as I know it possible.

For more information about the Warsaw Uprising, visit any of the following links:

http://www.warsawuprising.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Uprising
http://www.warsaw-life.com/poland/warsaw-rising-museum
http://www.warsawuprising.com/doc/emblem.htm
 

(Info on the Jewish uprising in the Ghetto that I mentioned: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto_Uprising)