86th Anniversary of the Outbreak of World War II. We Remember!

Author/Editor: Maria Anna Furman

September 1, 1939, is a date that forever changed the fate of Poland and the entire world. At dawn that day, without an official declaration of war, German troops crossed into the territory of the Republic of Poland. The first air raid, around 4:35 a.m., targeted Wieluń, a town located near the border with Nazi Germany. Shortly afterwards, the battleship Schleswig-Holstein began shelling Westerplatte, the symbol of Polish defence.

The Germans expected a quick victory – the “blitzkrieg” strategy was meant to break through Polish lines and crush the army within just a few days. The reality turned out differently. The Poles put up fierce resistance for five weeks, and historians note that the

Polish Army, fighting alone, accomplished more than the French and British forces did in 1940. Regular military operations ended only on October 6, after the Battle of Kock.

Three days after the aggression, on September 3, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. However, they did not undertake real offensive actions, leaving Poland alone against Nazi totalitarianism. On September 17, the Red Army struck from the east, sealing the fate of the Republic.

Despite the defeat of the September Campaign, the Poles did not lay down their arms. On September 27, 1939, the Service for Poland’s Victory was established, laying the foundation for the Polish Underground State – a unique resistance structure that operated throughout the occupation.

In Gdańsk, commemorations began just before 4:45 a.m. at Westerplatte, the place that symbolises the steadfastness of Polish soldiers. The Prime Minister emphasised that as war witnesses pass away, preserving historical truth becomes ever more important, and the memory of the perpetrators of crimes must not be falsified.

In Wieluń, the commemorations began just before 4:40 a.m. – at the very time German bombs fell on the city. The number of victims of the raid remains a subject of debate. Historians confirm at least 127 deaths, but other sources suggest the toll could have exceeded one thousand. These discrepancies arise from difficulties in postwar documentation, yet one fact is certain: it was an act of terror directed against civilians. Particularly shocking was the bombing of a hospital marked with a large Red Cross.

Before the war, Wieluń had about 16,000 inhabitants. Across the country, Poland lost nearly six million citizens during World War II – around 17 per cent of its population. Local commemorations were organised by residents and municipalities throughout Poland.

The Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk has prepared an exhibition titled “When the Days Are Fulfilled...”, dedicated to the defenders of Westerplatte. Personal belongings discovered during archaeological excavations were also presented. Memorial plaques were unveiled, and a scholarly lecture was held on the aggression against Poland and the Nuremberg Trials.

Eighty-six years after the outbreak of the war, direct witnesses of those events are passing away. This places the responsibility for preserving memory on future generations. We must continue to remind the world of the cruelty of aggression, the steadfastness and sacrifice of the Polish people, and of the values for which they fought: freedom, dignity, and justice.

Editorial Team, Wyspa TV