Aquila Polonica - Poland WW2

09/01/2024

“I was late to the office. As noiselessly as I could, I sneaked through the hall and tiptoed to my room. It was empty. So were all the adjoining rooms. A strange silence hung over the office. Yet, I could see through a door left ajar that there were people in the boss’s room. Curiosity getting the better of my embarrassment at being late, I walked in.

“All that was left of the Economic Research Department sat there in a wide circle, still and silent. All eyes turned towards me as I entered but no one smiled. All faces had a solemn, strained look.

“And the head of the department said in a level voice:

“’The German army has crossed our frontiers at almost every point early this morning.’

“So it had come. War was on.”

Rulka Langer recounting the moment she learned World War II had begun in her book “The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt: War Through a Woman’s Eyes 1939-1940”, which you can learn more about here:
https://www.polandww2.com/books/mermaid/about-the-book/

08/31/2024

"Polish leaders are expected to attend ceremonies this weekend to mark the 85th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.

"Commemorations are planned across the country, including in the town of Wieluń, which was the first to be bombed by the Germans at 4:40 a.m. on September 1, 1939.

"The first bombs of World War II fell on a hospital in Wieluń, killing 32 people, including 26 patients, according to historical records."

Read more about the planned commemorations for this anniversary at Polskie Radio:

Polish leaders are expected to attend ceremonies this weekend to mark the 85th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.

08/30/2024

"‘Wielka droga’, directed by Michał Waszyński, made in Italy in 1946, is the first post-war Polish feature film. However, the first copy of this movie did not come to Poland until 1962, and due to the anti-Soviet nature of Waszyński’s picture, it remained on the shelf for more than a quarter of a century.

A film made immediately after World War II that hoped to share the experiences of Polish Siberian exiles who became Poland's II Corps on the Italian front. Excellent read at Culture.pl:
https://culture.pl/en/work/the-great-way-unveiling-michal-waszynskis-lost-polish-war-epic-film

‘Wielka droga’, directed by Michał Waszyński, made in Italy in 1946, is the first post-war Polish feature film. However, the first copy of this movie did not come to Poland until 1962, and due to the anti-Soviet nature of Waszyński’s picture, it remained on the shelf for more than a quarter...

08/29/2024

"The torso of a long-lost monument to Prussian King Frederick William I has been discovered in the Polish city of Koszalin, ending an 80-year mystery.

"Archaeologist Jacek Borkowski, who led the search, announced the find, calling it a 'great success.'

"The remarkable discovery occurred on August 11, when a property owner decided to clear his overgrown plot. As an excavator operator worked, fragments of ceremonial armor from the monument, which dates back to 1724, began to emerge from the shallow ground. The operator quickly realized the significance of what he had uncovered and called in Borkowski."

Read about this amazing discovery at Polskie Radio:

The torso of a long-lost monument to Prussian King Frederick William I has been discovered in the Polish city of Koszalin, ending an 80-year mystery.

08/28/2024

"Hard on the outside, soft on the inside. Poles embody a spectrum of paradoxes that perplex foreign visitors, but one feature dominates the others: hospitality. Alicja Ptak introduces her people.

"You get off at Warsaw’s main train station. Hordes of sad-looking people pass you by. You try to build a rapport with strangers by smiling at them – a rookie move. Your kind gesture is most likely met with suspicion.

"But when you find yourself in a Polish house, you are greeted with a truly royal welcome. The table is breaking under the weight of baked goods, a three-course dinner is simmering on the cooker, and you’ve been given your own pair of slippers.

"Are you confused yet? Don’t be."

An interesting read about Poland and her people at Notes from Poland:

If you think Poles are unapproachable, just wait until you're handed your own pair of slippers.

08/27/2024

August 27, 1896: Warsaw Uprising commander Jan Mazurkiewicz, codename “Radoslaw,” is born in Lwow (modern day Lviv).

Mazurkiewicz was a WWI combat veteran and Polish counter-intelligence officer before the war. By the time of the Warsaw Uprising, Mazurkiewicz was in command of the Radoslaw Group: one of the largest, well-trained, and best-equipped Polish forces during the battle. He commanded his troops throughout the 63 day battle, and was still fighting with the Parasol battalion when Polish forces finally surrendered. Mazurkiewicz was wounded in combat, but managed to escape captivity by disguising himself as a civilian.

After WWII, Mazurkiewicz attempted to live in a new Communist Poland. However, in 1949, he complained about the persecution against Armia Krajowa veterans in the communist regime. He was arrested, tortured and locked in prison until the 1956 amnesty. After his release, he was active in Armia Krajowa veteran associations in Communist Poland, and was promoted to the rank of General.

He died in 1988, and his remains are buried at Powazki Military Cemetery.

08/26/2024

"As a sixth grader some 60 years ago, I learned that two Polish heroes played prominent roles in the struggle to secure American independence from Great Britain—Casimir Pulaski and Thaddeus Kosciuszko. What they did for America left a deep impression on me and began a lifelong appreciation for Poland and things Polish."

Good article at Eurasia Review about two Polish heroes who came to fight for Freedom during America's war for independence:

By Lawrence W. Reed As a sixth grader some 60 years ago, I learned that two Polish heroes played prominent roles in the struggle to secure American independence from Great Britain—Casimir Pulaski and Thaddeus Kosciuszko. What they did for America left a deep impression on me and began a lifelong a...

08/23/2024

"As Poland commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising, its historical lessons on resistance and international support resonate powerfully with Ukraine’s ongoing struggle for freedom.

"On Aug. 1, 1944, fighting erupted across Warsaw as coordinated units of combatants attempted to reclaim the city from the Germans. The Warsaw Uprising was an attempt to assert a free and independent Poland, separate from the occupying N***s and distinct from the approaching Soviet army."

Full read on this opinion piece at the Kyiv Independent:

Sirens fill the streets. Police cars flash passersby with blue lights. The capital city pauses. But no one’s phone buzzes with alerts. No one seeks shelter. No one scans the sky for missiles. The scene is Warsaw, not Kyiv. Every year on Aug. 1, at 5:00 p.m.

08/22/2024

"A weekend of events is planned commemorating General Stanisław Sosabowski, the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade (1IPB) and their links with the Kingdom of Fife.

"Previously Councillor Jim Leishman, Provost of Fife, said: 'In Fife we are very proud of our historical links with General Sosabowski and Polish Armed Forces that assisted allied troops in defence of our country in the Second World War. This has resulted in a lasting legacy of links between Fife and Poland. Many Polish nationals settled in the area after the War and there is still a strong Polish community here.'"

Some really amazing events planned this weekend, full details at Fife Today:

A weekend of events is planned commemorating General Stanisław Sosabowski, the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade (1IPB) and their links with the Kingdom of Fife.

08/21/2024

"Officials and historians have condemned a secret agreement between N**i Germany and the Soviet Union that paved the way for their invasions of Poland in 1939, leading to the horrors of World War II.

"Poland's Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) has noted that shortly before the war the communist Soviet Union and N**i Germany signed a Treaty of Non-Aggression, known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, that sought to divide Europe between the two totalitarian regimes."

Full story at Polskie Radio:

Officials and historians have condemned a secret agreement between N**i Germany and the Soviet Union that paved the way for their invasions of Poland in 1939, leading to the horrors of World War II.

08/20/2024

"Officials and residents have commemorated the 81st anniversary of the Białystok Ghetto Uprising, a Jewish revolt against the N**i Germans in the northeastern Polish city during World War II.

"The Białystok Ghetto Uprising, which pitted 300 Jewish insurgents against 10 times as many German troops equipped with tanks and aircraft, is regarded as the second-biggest single act of Jewish resistance against the N**i Germans, after the April 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising"

More on this anniversary and these commemorations at Polskie Radio:

Officials and residents have commemorated the 81st anniversary of the Białystok Ghetto Uprising, a Jewish revolt against the N**i Germans in the northeastern Polish city during World War II.

08/19/2024

August 19, 1944: The Polish 1st Armored Division under General Stanislaw Maczek successfully complete the encirclement of German Army Group B in Falaise Pocket, France. The 1st Canadian Army, US 1st Army and British 2nd Army close in on 100,000 German soldiers.

The 1st Armored Division occupied Hill 262, which dominated the only remaining escape path for German forces in Normandy, but also cut them off from other Allied units. The Polish forces held out for 48 hours against constant German attacks by the 2nd, 9th, 10th and 12th Waffen SS Panzer Divisions, desperate to break out of the Allied trap.

Commander of the German 7th Army Paul Hausser ordered the Polish defenders on Hill 262 ‘eliminated,’ but the Poles repeatedly beat off determined attacks by German forces. When the Canadian Grenadier Guards reached Hill 262 on August 21, they found the Polish troops almost completely out of ammunition.

The Battle of Falaise Pocket was the final battle of Normandy, and a crushing defeat for N**i Germany. Afterwards, France was liberated, and German forces withdrew across the Seine River. Over 50,000 German soldiers were killed or captured over the course of the battle.

Picture: Soldiers from Poland's 1st Armored Division inspecting the remains of a German vehicle column they destroyed.

08/16/2024

"Thursday afternoon saw swathes of Warsaw grind to a halt while a column of military hardware was paraded down the Wisłostrada highway, a key artery, as part of the country’s annual celebration of Armed Forces Day. The date of the ceremonies is by no means arbitrary, and is directly tied to one of the nation’s finest hours."

A good read at TVP World about the history behind the date of Poland's Armed Forces Day:

TVP World looks at the 1920 Battle of Warsaw, a victory which saved Western Europe from the Red Army.

08/15/2024

"Bella Vista woman honored in Poland for her service during 80th anniversary of Warsaw Uprising

"'I'm just one of many and we did what we had to do,' Basia Berner said. 'I fight to survive.'"

Despite her humble words, Basia Berner is an incredible hero 🙂. She served as a resistance messenger, courier, and nurse during the 63-day Warsaw Uprising of World War II. Full story at 5 News Online:

“I'm just one of many and we did what we had to do,” Basia Berner said. “I fight to survive.”

08/14/2024

"Victims of the 1937-1938 'Polish Operation' were commemorated in Gdańsk on Sunday, August 11, the 87th anniversary of the signing of the order that precipitated the genocide of ethnic Poles living in the Soviet Union.

"Following directives from the highest authorities of the Soviet Union, on August 11, 1937, Nikolai Yezhov, the head of the Soviet secret police (NKVD), signed Operational Order Nr. 00485.

"As a result, nearly 140,000 people, or some 22% of Poles living within the Soviet Union, primarily in modern-day Belarus and Ukraine, were detained and sentenced, of which at least 111,000 were sentenced to be executed with a bullet to the back of the head, with the sentence being carried out immediately."

Full details on this solemn anniversary at TVP World:

Of the 140,000 Poles that were arrested and sentenced, some 80% were executed.

08/13/2024

"A plaque designed by a Polish paratrooper has been gifted to the Friends of Newark Cemetery, to be near the 26 Polish paras buried there.

"The plaque was designed by Arnhem veteran airborne engineer Sergeant Eugeniusz Jakubowskis — known as Jim — who first presented it to Nottingham PRA in 1981.

"It was decided that due to the Polish connection to the chapel and the cemetery, with the commonwealth war graves, it would be the best place for the plaque to be displayed."

An amazing effort, full story at the Newark Advertiser:

A plaque designed by a Polish paratrooper has been gifted to the Friends of Newark Cemetery, to be near the 26 Polish paras buried there.

08/12/2024

"A new exhibition in New York honors the heroes of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising against the N**i Germans.

"The display, available for viewing outside the Polish Consulate General in New York, was mounted on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the unsuccessful World War II revolt.

"The exhibition, which runs until early October, features colorized photos of the Warsaw Uprising, which started in the Polish capital on August 1, 1944 and lasted 63 days."

Don't miss this if you're near NYC! Full details at Polskie Radio:

A new exhibition in New York honors the heroes of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising against the N**i Germans.

08/11/2024

August 11, 1892 – Polish General Władysław Anders was born in Krośniewice–Błonie, near Kutno (at that time part of the Russian Empire). Anders fought in World War I in the Russian Army. After Poland’s independence, Anders joined the newly formed Polish Army.

Anders commanded a cavalry brigade in the September 1939 defensive campaign against the Germans. Retreating eastward against the German onslaught, he was taken prisoner by Soviets, who had invaded Poland on September 17, 1939. During the fighting and retreat, Anders was wounded a number of times. After capture by the Soviets, he was imprisoned and tortured in the notorious Lubyanka prison in Moscow.

When Hi**er invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, Polish Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Władysław Sikorski negotiated an agreement with the Soviets that called for release of all Polish POWs and civilians in Soviet territory, and creation of a Polish army on Soviet soil. General Anders was named commander of this new Polish army, and released from Lubyanka prison. This new army became known as the Polish Second Corps, or Anders’ Army.

Gathering as many Poles as he could, including women and children, Anders managed to get them out of the Soviet Union to Iran, Iraq and Palestine, where they trained with the British. The Polish Second Corps was the unit that finally took Monte Cassino in 1943, after several failed attempts by other Allied countries.

After the war, Anders remained in exile in Britain rather than return to a communist-controlled Poland. He took an active part in the Polish government-in-exile in London during the postwar years. Anders died in London on May 12, 1970.

08/09/2024

August 9, 1944 – Polish 1st Armoured Division commanded by General Stanislaw Maczek goes into action against the Germans in Operation Totalize. Attached to the Canadian First Army, their objective is to break through the German defenses south of Caen and capture the high ground north of the city of Falaise. The Battle of the Falaise Gap began a few days later. Falaise would be the scene of a decisive Allied victory where Poland's 1st Armoured Division would end up playing a key part.

08/08/2024

"Thanks to the great understanding of cultural matters by Home Army soldiers, we managed to secure the largest private library in Warsaw, containing about 30,000 volumes, mainly in the field of Polish philology. The house containing the book collection is located on the front line. The books were transported to a safe place’, reported ‘Rzeczpospolita Polska’ on 24 August 1944. Tens of thousands of volumes, old prints and manuscripts from the book collection of Jan Michalski, a Warsaw Polish philologist and bibliophile, were saved that day. Today, 80 years after the Warsaw Uprising, securing remembrance seems to be the most important thing. We thus present a selection of eight books that fulfil this task."

A great list of reads to understand the Warsaw Uprising at Culture.pl:
https://culture.pl/en/article/eight-books-for-the-80th-anniversary-of-the-warsaw-uprising

Also consider our book "The Color of Courage: A Boy at War", written by Julian Kulski during his time as a Home Army soldier during the Rising:
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Courage-World-Julian-Kulski/dp/1607720167

Today, 80 years after the Warsaw Uprising, the most important thing seems to be to preserve its memory. We present a selection of eight books that fulfill this task.

08/07/2024

"The woman who left Britain to parachute into N**i-occupied Poland

"On a crisp September night in 1943, a woman boarded a warplane ready to return to Poland to fight the N***s, a parachute strapped to her back and a blue dress beneath her flight suit.

"Elżbieta Zawacka had arrived in the UK in May following a perilous journey lasting several months across 1,000 miles of occupied territory.

"So who was the woman who went by the name of Zo, and what inspired her to acts of such defiance and bravery?"

Read more about the amazing life of Elżbieta Zawacka at the BBC:

Elżbieta Zawacka had arrived in London in 1943 with special orders from a Polish military chief.

08/06/2024

"On this day, 80 years ago, Warsaw’s western district of Wola became the scene of one of the most hideous atrocities to impact occupied Poland - a wanton bloodletting that resulted in the deaths of an estimated 50,000 civilians over the space of a week.

"On August 1, 1944, Poland’s underground army, the AK (Home Army), launched the Warsaw Uprising. Their aim was simple: to liberate the city ahead of the Red Army’s arrival. Buoyed by news of Germany’s collapsing Eastern Front, by seizing the Polish capital the AK hoped that they could prevent the future Sovietization of their country.

"This did not go to plan. If many had harbored hopes that the Germans would relinquish Warsaw with only a token fight, they were soon proved wrong. Breaking the news of the insurgency to Hi**er in Berlin, Himmler painted the Uprising as 'a blessing' and an opportunity to finally erase Warsaw once and for all."

Remembering this tragic episode at TVP World:

Warsaw pauses to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Uprising’s bloodiest chapter.

08/05/2024

August 5, 1772: The First Partition of Poland occurs after Tsarist Russia, the Kingdom of Prussia (predecessor to modern Germany), and the Austro-Hungarian Empire sign a treaty to divide territories of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth among themselves.

Two more partitions of Polish-Lithuanian territory occurred in 1793 and 1795, which resulted in the complete dissolution of the Polish state. For the next 123 years, Poland disappeared from the map of Europe.

The Partitions of Poland had far-reaching consequences for European history. Poland did not regain its independence until 1918 at the end of World War I, when Germany and Austria-Hungary were defeated, and Tsarist Russia overthrown. World War II began with the invasion of Poland by two of the former partitioning nations. Even today, the 18th century Partitions of Poland still exert lingering influence over the borders of modern-day Europe.

08/02/2024

"Much has been made of Warsaw’s wartime destruction and subsequent resurrection. While 'the phoenix city' today cuts a modern silhouette, scratching below its shiny surface reveals a living museum bristling with traces of the past.

"Warsaw’s rise from the ashes of war has been as spectacular as it has been well-documented. Rebuilt in an incoherent mesh of styles, it is perhaps this imbalance and sense of urban muddle that has helped lend the city its intoxicating energy: 70s panel blocks and post-modernist pearls brush shoulders with colossal Socialist Realist landmarks and soaring skyscrapers from the modern age.

"But peering underneath this patchwork quilt, a different Warsaw awaits."

Excellent and detailed read about the traces that still remain of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising in modern day Warsaw, full story at TVP World:

Not all of Warsaw was left flattened by the N***s, and today the city hides a string of sights that survived the reckoning of 1944.

08/01/2024

August 1, 1944: Tens of thousands of Polish Underground soldiers rise up in Warsaw to fight against their German occupiers. Polish forces hold their ground in the city for 63 days against relentless Germany bombardment and assaults. Though the Warsaw Rising ended in defeat following the dubious halt of Russian forces outside the city, it continues to be remembered today as a defining moment of modern Poland's history.

"At exactly five o’clock, as planned, a wave of explosions and bursts of automatic rifle fire set off the Uprising throughout the city. In the midst of the dust and fire, white and red flags (not seen since 1939) were raised along the streets and fluttered from windows and rooftops to hail this great moment.

"German tanks were on the corners of all the main boulevards and squares, and their shells and machine-gun fire prevented our units from crossing the streets. Heavy gunfire, machine guns, and exploding shells broke out all over Żoliborz. The battle had started in earnest."

August 1, 1944 entry of Julian Kulski's World War II diary, soldier of Ninth Company Commandos (AKA Żniwiarz Group), Żoliborz Division. His full wartime recollections are available in print here:
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Courage-World-Julian-Kulski/dp/1607720159/

07/31/2024

"Poland’s president has awarded state distinctions to staff at the capital’s Warsaw Rising Museum as well as to contractors and volunteers for their part in keeping alive the memory of the Warsaw Uprising.

"The 80th anniversary of the insurgency’s start falls on August 1 and will be marked by commemorative events in Warsaw and around Poland. The Warsaw Uprising was the biggest single armed act of resistance against German occupation during the Second World War and its anniversary is an important date in Poland’s calendar."

Well deserved! Full story at TVP World:

The presentation of medals took place on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the uprising’s commencement.

07/30/2024

"The display, organized by the Warsaw branch of the Institute of National Remembrance, will highlight the stories of over twenty women who played active roles in the resistance during the Warsaw Uprising.

"Polish women made up about 20% of those fighting in the Warsaw Uprising. On August 1, 1944, 7,000 women joined the fight against the N***s, and throughout the entire period of the uprising, around 12,000 Polish women participated in resistance activities."

An important aspect of the Warsaw Uprising, full story at Polskie Radio

The display, organized by the Warsaw branch of the Institute of National Remembrance, will highlight the stories of over twenty women who played active roles in the resistance during the Warsaw Uprising.

07/29/2024

"New York City's Polish community is pulling out all the stops to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising.

"Highlights include a stunning mural restoration at the Polish National Home in Greenpoint and a dazzling billboard in Times Square on August 1st."

Some amazing displays to look forward to in NYC this week, full story at Polskie Radio:

New York City's Polish community is pulling out all the stops to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising.

07/26/2024

The night of July 25th/26th, 1944: An SOE (Special Operations Executive) Dakota transport plane and Polish resistance forces smuggle a German ‘wonder weapon’ out of occupied Poland: the V-2 rocket.

The V-2 rocket was the world’s first ballistic weapon, and Hi**er hoped that it would turn the tide of the war against the Western Allies. V-2 rockets were tested in Poland near Blizna. The Polish underground made a concerted effort to recover and analyze rockets from failed tests.

The SOE transport landed at Armia Krajowa outpost ‘Motyl (butterfly),’ and the V-2 rocket had to be loaded on before daylight. The British pilots wanted to abort the mission by destroying the plane when it became stuck in the mud. However, the Poles kept trying until the last moment. They dug trenches for the plane and laid down wooden boards for much of the night. The aircraft managed to take off on its third try.

The near completed V-2 rocket was delivered to London months before the first V-2 was fired at Allied nations.

07/25/2024

"A new exhibition at Warsaw's Museum of Sport and Tourism traces the history of Poland's Olympic triumphs, showing how outstanding performances by Polish athletes have been celebrated in the country during the last 100 years.

"Over the past century, Polish athletes have won over 300 Olympic medals. The photos displayed at the Taste of Olympic Success exhibition capture moments of welcoming Olympic champions upon their return to the country at train stations, airports and seaports."

More history about Poland's time at the Olympics and this new exhibit at Polskie Radio:

A new exhibition at Warsaw's Museum of Sport and Tourism traces the history of Poland's Olympic triumphs, showing how outstanding performances by Polish athletes have been celebrated in the country during the last 100 years.