Warsaw Uprising

In April I left Europe from Warsaw returning to Australia for a few months. In the last week of July, I returned back to Warsaw where I spent one week working before I had some annual leave. During my leave I plan to explore more of Europe, while visiting friends and family, you can expect a number of posts during this time 😄.

Warsaw is perhaps the city I am most familiar with in Europe. I have family here and have visited on multiple occasions, and I will likely visit many more times again. In 2018 I was in Warsaw for the 1st of August, when the city remembers the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. This year I again had the privilege to witness this event, which was the 80th anniversary.

For those who don't know, the Warsaw Uprising was an event during World War II where the Polish underground state attempted to overthrow Nazi rule. This uprising started on the 1st of August 1994 at 5:00 pm and lasted for 63 days before ultimately failing. Today, the 1st of August is a public holiday in Poland and at 5:00 pm the entire city of Warsaw stops. Sirens sound and flares are lit and for a full minute the city stands still and remembers the uprising.

With the sirens ringing and flares held high I had such a feeling of anticipated action, like something huge was about to happen, and not at all good. This transported my mind to what this moment must have been like, 80 years ago when the uprising started. Perhaps this is how those brave polish fighters of the Home Army felt when they began their battle. I suppose in some ways this was a better memorial to the event than a minute of silence would have been.

We went to the Warsaw Uprising monument for the the 5:00 pm zero hour moment. There were crowds like this throughout the city, at all the various monuments associated with the uprising. They city was extra packed as boys/girls scouts from all over Poland were visiting for this event and some of them were going through the crowd giving out pins with the symbol of the Polish Resistance.

When the crowds had dispersed, a bit after zero hour, I was able to get a close up photo of the uprising monument. Normally one can walk within the monument but today it was barricaded off. There were staff accepting candles from the crowd to add to the base of the monument.

We walked past the monument to the little insurgent, remembering all the children who partook in the Warsaw Uprising. Today the monument was surrounded by candles, flowers, and paintings.

After dinner we briefly stopped by the concert where they were celebrating the Warsaw Uprising. This large square was completely packed with people, many waving flags, either of Poland or the uprising.

Warsaw City

In this post I also wanted to share some photos I took in my most recent trips to Warsaw. I didn't spend much time here so I don't have anything incredible but these are some of my favourites.

I was glad to see Warsaw again and to have the opportunity to be present for the 80th Warsaw Uprising anniversary. Even without the familial connections, I find the history of Warsaw fascinating. I am especially inspired by how the city has flourished despite the adversity it has faced.

Thanks for reading – Edward

Written 9th of August 2024