Warsaw World War 2 – Warsaw Before and After WW2

If you want to understand what happened during World War 2 in Warsaw, this post is for you. Moreover, you should join our Warsaw World War 2 Tour to see changes between Warsaw before and After World War 2.

Warsaw hosted many crucial events in Poland history. Nowadays it became major commercial as well as cultural centre of Central Europe.

Warsaw Before World War 2

The 11 November 1918 is celebrated as the beginning of the Poland’s independence day. Then, Warsaw become the capital of Poland. However, the first years of Poland’s independence were very hard. In that time the war havoc and also Polish-Bolshevic War happened.

In 1925, 1,000,000 people lived in Warsaw. After 5 years, wealth of the city doubled due to good economic situation around the world. For that reason, new streets as well as the new airport occured in Warsaw. Moreover, the first radiostation was opened.

The city Government was planning to build a metro. Sadly, this idea was stopped due to outbreak of the World War 2.

Warsaw During WW2

On 1 September 1939 the first bombs felt on Warsaw. The most important representatives of military and civil administration escaped to Romania. They took a lot of equipment as well as ammunition which should help to defense the county.

On 9 September, German tanks attacked Warsaw from south-west. Defenders were able to stop them in Ochota district. However, the situation was hopeless. Germans had so many divisions that they would conquer the city anyway. Moreover, few days later, on 17 September, Soviets invaded east Poland.

On 27 September Warsaw surrendered and on 1 October Germans were able to enter the city. In September 1939, 31,000 people died and 46,000 people were injured. Moreover, Germans destroyed 10% of the buildings then.

Germans planned to destroy the Polish capital even before the start of WW2. In the same year Adolf Hitler approved the Pabst Plan. It was a plan to reconstruct Warsaw as a Nazi model city.

Since the very first days, Nazi arrested and executed Poles. They also took Poles to the concentration camps.

Since October 1940, Germans started to deporting entire Warsaw Jews population to the Warsaw Ghetto. They put 500,000 people on the area of 2.6 square kilometers. Jews were not only dying because of executions but also from hunger and diseases.

When Hitler wanted to destroy the Ghetto as a part of Final Solution, Jews launched the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Despite the fact that they were very outgunned and outnumbered, the Ghetto held out for almost o month. After the end of fight, Nazis massacred almost all of the people. Only few of them were able to escape or hide. Later, Germans destroyed the Ghetto that well that even house walls didn’t remain.

Warsaw Uprising

Polish Governments in exhile knew that Stalin was hostile to the idea of independed Poland. For that reason, it gave orders to try to seize the control of Warsaw from Germans before the arrival of Red Army. Accordingly, on 1 August 1944, the Warsaw Uprising began.

Plan was to last 48 hours but they struggled for 63 days, until 2 October. After that time, Germans forced the Home Army fighters as well as civilians assisting them to capitulate. Later, they transported them to prisoner of war camps in Germany and expelled all the civilians.

After that, Nazis demolished 85% of Warsaw including the historic Old Town as well as the Royal Castle.

On 17 January 1945, Soviet troops entered the ruins in Warsaw. They liberated the suburbs from German occupation. Later, they took the city and went towards Lodz. Soviets arrested Home Army soldiers who survived the war and executed them or deported them to Siberia.

During German occupation 700,000 people died in Warsaw. The material looses were 45 billion dollars.

Warsaw After World War 2

After the Soviet troops entered the Warsaw, they decided to renew the city in modern style, with large free areas. For that reason, they demolished many buildings which could be rebuilt. However, in 1953, the Old Town, the Royal Route as well as Royal Castle were reconstructed. Palace of Culture and Science is the symbol of Soviets presence. Stalinism lasted in Poland till 1956.

The Old Town rebuilding was an achievement on a global scale. Due to that, in 1980, UNESCO inscribed the Old Town onto its World Heritage list.

Nowadays, you can see many monuments on Warsaw streets which are making those awful crimes.

After many years, in 2004, Poland entered the European Union. From that time, Warsaw experienced the biggest economic boom of its whole history. The European football championships in Poland and Ukraine in 2012 was another important stimulator of the economy.

Warsaw Tours Connected with World War 2

As you surmise, there are many tours connected with World War 2. If you don’t like to organize everything on your own and you want to hear more about those tragic times join our tour! Your private guide will answer all of your questions!

Warsaw Private WW2 Walking Tour & Powazki Cemetery

During this tour you will visit places and see monuments in Warsaw connected to the World War 2. Moreover, your guide will tell you the history of the war in Poland as well as stories of some Polish army heroes.

This tour has two options for you to choose from:

• 2 hours option

During 2 hours option you will see the most important places as well as monuments related to World War 2 as Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

• 3 hours option

During 3 hours option you will learn even more essential information about World War 2. Moreover, you will visit the Powaski Cemetery.

Both of the options are available at 9.00 am, 10.30 am as well as 1.30 pm. Pick the best time for you and join our tour! You can book the tour here!