Showing posts with label 1943. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1943. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 February 2019
Sunday, 3 February 2019
Saturday, 12 January 2019
Thursday, 19 April 2018
Pacification of the Warsaw Ghetto
On 17th April 1943 German troops started the liquidation of the Jewish District of Warsaw, known as the Warsaw Ghetto. However, their plan to run it smoothly had to change as the SS units met resistance shown by a group of 1000-1500 insurgents who decided to die in an armed battle rather than being executed.
The Uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto was the first organised armed resistance in urban environment on a 'mass' scale during World War II. Therefore, Warsaw is known all across the Globe as the city of two risings against Nazi German occupants: The Uprising in the Ghetto of 1943 and the Warsaw Rising of 1944.
In April 1943 about 60,000 Jews were still residing inside the ghetto, a small portion of 460,000 who were enclosed there since the closing of the gates of the ghetto in 1940. The majority had already been deported to the Treblinka death camp (mass deportations during Aktion Reinhard in summer 1942) or fallen victim to starvation or diseases.
As for the Uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto, according to Jurgen Stroop's report, 2054 german soldiers were involved in the operation (SS, Wehrmacht and Police) and "of the total of 56,065 Jews caught, about 7,000 were exterminated within the former Ghetto in the course of the large-scale action, and 6,929 by transporting them to Treblinka, which means 14,000 Jews were exterminated altogether. Beyond the number of 56,065 Jews an estimated number of 5,000 to 6,000 were killed by explosions or in fires. The number of destroyed dug-outs amounts to 631."
Stroop underlines in his report also measures taken to stop any help from the Aryan side: "during the large-scale operation the Aryan population was informed by posters that it was strictly forbidden to enter the former Jewish Ghetto and that anybody caught within the former Ghetto without valid pass would be shot. At the same time these posters informed the Aryan population again that the death penalty would be imposed on anybody who intentionally gave refuge to a Jew, especially lodged, supported, or concealed a Jew outside the Jewish residential area."
Two organisations are known as far as military resistance is concerned, namely Żydowska Organizacja Bojowa (ŻOB, Eng. Jewish Combat Organisation) with 600 fighters and Żydowski Związek Wojskowy (ŻWZ, Eng. Jewish Military Union) with 400 fighters. The Jewish leaders of the Uprising were Mordechaj Anielewicz, Marek Edelman, Paweł Frenkel, Eliezer Geller, Leon Rodal, Dawid Wdowiński.
Read more:
The book is an unbelieveable but true story of a Polish officer, Kazimierz Moczarski, who was imprisoned by Communist regime and kept in the same cell with Jorgen Stroop, the SS commander of the liquidation of the Ghetto in Warsaw.
The story tells us also a terrible truth about the stalinist era in after-war Poland, when Polish soldiers fighting the German regime during WWII were accused and persecuted in THE SAME WAY as the Germans who were the REAL CRIMINALS OF WAR.
The Uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto was the first organised armed resistance in urban environment on a 'mass' scale during World War II. Therefore, Warsaw is known all across the Globe as the city of two risings against Nazi German occupants: The Uprising in the Ghetto of 1943 and the Warsaw Rising of 1944.
Image source: Internet
As for the Uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto, according to Jurgen Stroop's report, 2054 german soldiers were involved in the operation (SS, Wehrmacht and Police) and "of the total of 56,065 Jews caught, about 7,000 were exterminated within the former Ghetto in the course of the large-scale action, and 6,929 by transporting them to Treblinka, which means 14,000 Jews were exterminated altogether. Beyond the number of 56,065 Jews an estimated number of 5,000 to 6,000 were killed by explosions or in fires. The number of destroyed dug-outs amounts to 631."
Jorgen Stroop. The posture tells the whole story...
Image source: Stroop's Report, May 1943.
Image: A stamp released for the 70th Anniversary
of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Two organisations are known as far as military resistance is concerned, namely Żydowska Organizacja Bojowa (ŻOB, Eng. Jewish Combat Organisation) with 600 fighters and Żydowski Związek Wojskowy (ŻWZ, Eng. Jewish Military Union) with 400 fighters. The Jewish leaders of the Uprising were Mordechaj Anielewicz, Marek Edelman, Paweł Frenkel, Eliezer Geller, Leon Rodal, Dawid Wdowiński.
Jews expelled from their hide-outs/dug-outs.
Image source: Stroop report, May 1943
Read more:
- http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-stroop-report-may-1943 accessed on 19 April 2018
- Kazimierz Moczarski: "Conversations with an Executioner", 1981 ("Rozmowy z Katem", 1977)
The book is an unbelieveable but true story of a Polish officer, Kazimierz Moczarski, who was imprisoned by Communist regime and kept in the same cell with Jorgen Stroop, the SS commander of the liquidation of the Ghetto in Warsaw.
The story tells us also a terrible truth about the stalinist era in after-war Poland, when Polish soldiers fighting the German regime during WWII were accused and persecuted in THE SAME WAY as the Germans who were the REAL CRIMINALS OF WAR.
Sunday, 15 April 2018
Gestapo Prison in the Lublin's Castle
The medieval castle of Lublin hides too many dreadful stories to be told just in a few paragraphs. However, do you know that it served as one of the heaviest prisons not only during German occupation of Poland but also right away after its end under the communist rule?
Let us analyse the statistics (Germans loved numbers during WWII, didn't they?):
In between 1939-1944:
40,000 prisoners
18,600 deported to concentration camps
3,600 killed in the camps
4,500 executed on the spot
2,200 killed in the course of interrogation process/in prison
10,000 released/escaped or sent free
4,700 no data available
Just to compare let us look at the statistics going back to the period when the Lublin's Castle was under Soviet governance. Soviets did not like to be worse...
In between 1944 - 1954:
33,000 prisoners
440 transports to other prisons
10,196 deported to other prisons in Poland
7,000 deported to Siberia (e.g. Borovitche and Svierdlovsk NKVD labour camps)
515 death sentences released (333 executed).
The Lublin Cactle prison had 73 cells which normally would welcome up to 12 prisoners. During the war more that 60 would be detained in each. Also the prisoners would be kept in a 19th century donjon which had walls 3 meter wide and the detention there was a 'real medieval experience'.
One of the cruellest 'episodes' in the history of the Castle came at the final days of the existence of the Gestapo prison there. On 19 July 800 prisoners were taken to KL Majdanek and executed there. Then on 22 July German SS units executed further 300 prisoners. They would have killed 1000 other prisoners too but an order to leave the city came and they were in desperate rush to leave the city as the Soviets were almost there.
There are many photographs which depict the tragedy of the period however let us spend a few moments pondering on the depth behind the one below showing a relative of the victims after the German execution of 22 July 1944.
Original footage showing the scenes of German barbarity upon the "glorious entrance" of the Soviets to Lublin may be viewed here:
Read more:
Let us analyse the statistics (Germans loved numbers during WWII, didn't they?):
In between 1939-1944:
40,000 prisoners
18,600 deported to concentration camps
3,600 killed in the camps
4,500 executed on the spot
2,200 killed in the course of interrogation process/in prison
10,000 released/escaped or sent free
4,700 no data available
Just to compare let us look at the statistics going back to the period when the Lublin's Castle was under Soviet governance. Soviets did not like to be worse...
In between 1944 - 1954:
33,000 prisoners
440 transports to other prisons
10,196 deported to other prisons in Poland
7,000 deported to Siberia (e.g. Borovitche and Svierdlovsk NKVD labour camps)
515 death sentences released (333 executed).
The Lublin Cactle prison had 73 cells which normally would welcome up to 12 prisoners. During the war more that 60 would be detained in each. Also the prisoners would be kept in a 19th century donjon which had walls 3 meter wide and the detention there was a 'real medieval experience'.
One of the cruellest 'episodes' in the history of the Castle came at the final days of the existence of the Gestapo prison there. On 19 July 800 prisoners were taken to KL Majdanek and executed there. Then on 22 July German SS units executed further 300 prisoners. They would have killed 1000 other prisoners too but an order to leave the city came and they were in desperate rush to leave the city as the Soviets were almost there.
There are many photographs which depict the tragedy of the period however let us spend a few moments pondering on the depth behind the one below showing a relative of the victims after the German execution of 22 July 1944.
Author: Stefan Kiełsznia, 1944
Images source: Internet
Original footage showing the scenes of German barbarity upon the "glorious entrance" of the Soviets to Lublin may be viewed here:
Clip source: Youtube
Read more:
- http://teatrnn.pl/about-us/tourism/
- http://www.projectinposterum.org/docs/chodakiewicz1.htm accessed on 15 April 2018
Saturday, 14 April 2018
Former Gestapo Headquarters, Warsaw
Just within an eye range, two places on the map of Warsaw overlook each other. Still nowadays the two cause thrill on the back. Why? Millions of Poles suffered indirectly because of the men who resided in those buildings and more than dozens of thousands were imprisoned, interrogated, tortured and murdered there.
Former Gestapo Headquarters now housing in its ORIGINAL interiors the Museum of Struggle and Martyrdom at Szucha Avenue, 25, Warsaw is definitely a place one needs to visit. Looking at the "tramlines' where the detained waited for their interrogation, discerning names carved into the walls...still visible as witnesses of the horrifying German occupation of Poland during WWII.
The other building, at Ujazdowskie Avenue, 11 now housing the Ministry of Justice, hides in the basement a terrible testimony of the ruling period of communists in afterwar Poland. Since 1945 there used to be the Ministry of Public Security and the basement served as jail. Unfortunately, the detained were not criminals but soldiers who fought for Poland's independence when Poland was attacked in 1939 by Germans and Soviets, who continued their fight all through the WWII as welll as Warsaw insurgents and all those who did not accept that Soviet Union took over Poland in 1944.
The Museum "Cele Bezpieki" (Eng. Stalinist Jail) opened in March 2018 houses exhibition in ORIGINAL cells and interiors of the former jail which operated here after 1945 during Communist Rule in Poland after WWII. Peep into the cells, grab a torch and discern names, pictures, letters, inscriptions carved into the walls. So much suffering in one place...
Please watch a short clip which introduces us to the exposition:
https://www.facebook.com/celebezpieki/videos/468286023569505/
Images source: Internet
For a short video showing the exposition go here:
Read more:
Former Gestapo Headquarters now housing in its ORIGINAL interiors the Museum of Struggle and Martyrdom at Szucha Avenue, 25, Warsaw is definitely a place one needs to visit. Looking at the "tramlines' where the detained waited for their interrogation, discerning names carved into the walls...still visible as witnesses of the horrifying German occupation of Poland during WWII.
The other building, at Ujazdowskie Avenue, 11 now housing the Ministry of Justice, hides in the basement a terrible testimony of the ruling period of communists in afterwar Poland. Since 1945 there used to be the Ministry of Public Security and the basement served as jail. Unfortunately, the detained were not criminals but soldiers who fought for Poland's independence when Poland was attacked in 1939 by Germans and Soviets, who continued their fight all through the WWII as welll as Warsaw insurgents and all those who did not accept that Soviet Union took over Poland in 1944.
The Museum "Cele Bezpieki" (Eng. Stalinist Jail) opened in March 2018 houses exhibition in ORIGINAL cells and interiors of the former jail which operated here after 1945 during Communist Rule in Poland after WWII. Peep into the cells, grab a torch and discern names, pictures, letters, inscriptions carved into the walls. So much suffering in one place...
Please watch a short clip which introduces us to the exposition:
https://www.facebook.com/celebezpieki/videos/468286023569505/
For a short video showing the exposition go here:
Read more:
- http://www.projectinposterum.org/docs/chodakiewicz1.htm TRULY RECOMMENDED!
- https://www.facebook.com/celebezpieki/
- http://www.muzeum-niepodleglosci.pl/mauzoleum_szucha/
Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Intelligenzaktion - Extermination of the Polish elite
Hitler's plan to annihilate Polish nation was started by operations within the scope of Intelligenzaktion which aimed at the extermination of Polish elite members (teachers, academics, doctors, lawyers, priests, clerks, public functionaries etc.).
The operation was launched right after German troops took over Poland in September 1939 and continued till 1943.
It is estimated that 100,000 Poles were victims to the German "purification" policy with 50,000 executed on the spot and further 50,000 sent to concentration camps.
Please note chosen statistics as for the numbers of the executed as for different areas of occupied Polish territory:
Read more:
It is estimated that 100,000 Poles were victims to the German "purification" policy with 50,000 executed on the spot and further 50,000 sent to concentration camps.
Please note chosen statistics as for the numbers of the executed as for different areas of occupied Polish territory:
- Pomerania (Northern Poland) - 30,000 killed
- Greater Poland (Wielkopolska, Western Poland) - 2,000 killed
- Mazovia District - 6,700 killed
- Silesia - 2,000 killed
- Łódź area - 1,500 killed
- AB Aktion (Ausserordentliche Befriedungsaktion) with Cracow as one of the main 'targets' - 3,500 killed.
Read more:
- http://www.berlin-1945.com/horrors-of-war/german-ab-aktion-in-poland/ accessed on 15 March 2018
Sunday, 4 March 2018
Ethnic cleansing of Zamojszczyzna
Also known as Aktion Zamość, an operation which aimed at mass expulsions from Zamojszczyzna region (Zamość region) of ethnic Polish population led by Germans during World War II between November 1942 and March 1943.
Zamojszczyzna fell victim to this German policy with 116,000 Poles expelled to concentration camps or forced labour in the 3rd Reich. 30,000 children lost their homes, taken away from their parents, killed, sent to the camps or germanised.
It is estimated by historians that 200,000 Polish children were germanised in total during WWII. Only 30,000 got back home after war. If one may say that there was still any home standing, not to mention lost home and exterminated relatives.
Child abduction was claimed to be genocide by International War Tribunal in Nurnberg. UNESCO conference in Trogen, Switzerland in 1948 confirmed the action of child abduction and extermination as a crime against humanity.
Heinrich Himmler, whom Zamość „the Rennaissance Pearl” was offered by Hitler as a ‘gift’ conducted the whole action together with notorious Odilo Globocnik who resided in Lublin. This was planned as a first ‘act’ of ethnic cleansic before the entire General Goverment terrirory was to be emptied of indigenous Polish population. Germans dreamt of Drang nach Osten, wanted to create Lebesraum (Life span) for their people on the fertile lands located in south eastern Europe.
„The camp in Zamość , located on S. Okrzei street, served as the transit point for selections and further deportations. In the first month of Action Zamość the camp processed 7,055 Polish inhabitants of 62 villages.
People were divided into four main categories with the following code letters:
- "WE" (re-Germanization),
- "AA" (transport to the Reich),
- "RD" (farm-work for the settlers),
- "KI" (Kindertransport),
- "AG" (work in the General Government),
- "KL" (concentration camp).
Those expelled from Zamojszczyzna to perform slave labour in Germany were loaded onto trains departing for temporary displacement camps governed by main resettlement HQ in Łodź. People from the last group were sent to the German Nazi concentration camps at Auschwitz and Majdanek.
The camp in Zamość processed 31,536 Poles according to Germany's own records, or 41,000 based on postwar estimates.
I have seen with my own eyes how the Germans took children away from their mothers. The act of their forcible separation shook me terribly... The Germans beat them with whips until the blood flew in case of slightest opposition, mothers and children alike. One could hear moaning and crying throughout the entire camp on those occasions... I have also seen small children being killed by the Germans. – Leonard Szpuga, farmer expelled from Topólcza related.
Children suffered the most in those camps.
The average stay lasted several months. Starvation, cold, disease were fatal for them a lot more often than for adults. Separated from their parents, children were transported in cattle car (100 up to 150 children in one car) to other destinations. Many of them were sent to the concentration camp for children run side-by-side with the Łódź Ghetto. Kinder KZ processed up to 13,000 children. News about enormous drama of children from Zamojszczyzna quickly spread through entire country. Polish railwayman were forwarding messages about transports to inhabitants of the cities where transports were stopping by. There were several stations where ordinary people took a chance and risked rescuing the children, like in Sobolew, Żelechów, Siedlce, Garwolin, Pilawa and Warsaw.
Another deportation action, called Operation Werwolf, was conducted during the summer of 1944 ahead of the Soviet advance. Many of the inhabitants were forced to evacuate after being previously transferred into these areas by Germany as early as 1939. Entire families ended up in concentration camps at Majdanek (up to 15,000 prisoners of Action Zamość) and Oświęcim, before deportation to forced labour in the Reich. At Majdanek, due to severe overcrowding, entire train-loads were kept in open fields numbered from III to V.
There was also a portion of children designated for germanisation. Those, in which German anthropologists confirmed the presence of desirable racial traits, were supposed to go through transition by being placed in German families or German orphanages. Out of several thousand of children taken to Germany only 800 were successfully reclaimed.
The children were placed in special temporary camps of the health department, or Lebensborn e.V., called in German Kindererziehungslager("children's education camps"). Afterwards they went through special "quality selection" or "racial selection" — a detailed racial examination, combined with psychological tests and medical exams made by experts from RuSHA or doctors from Gesundheitsamt (health department). A child's "racial value" would determine to which of 11 racial types it was assigned, including 62 points assessing body proportions, eye color, hair color, and the shape of the skull.
During this testing process, children were divided into three groups (in English translation):
1. "desired population growth" (erwünschter Bevölkerungszuwachs);
2. "acceptable population growth" (tragbarer Bevölkerungszuwachs); and
3. "undesired population growth" (unerwünschter Bevölkerungszuwachs).
The failures that could result in a child, otherwise fitting all racial criteria, into the second group included such traits as "round-headed" referring to the skull shape. Children could be declared the third group for tuberculosis, "degenerate" skull shape, or for "Gypsy characteristics".
These racial exams determined the fate of children: whether they would be killed, or sent to concentration camps, or experience other consequences.
After the World War II this crime was investigated in Nuremberg. From Polish side statements came from Zygmunt Klukowski – a doctor from Szczebrzeszyn, who knew well conditions of camps in Zwierzyniec and Biłgoraj, and from three of the returned children.” (1)
Read more:
- „Nie było czasu płakać”: https://sklep.roztocze.com/regionalia/1102-nie-bylo-kiedy-plakac-zestaw-tom-1-i-2.html
- "Zwierzyniec", Matławska, H.
Sunday, 25 February 2018
Pacification of Sochy, Lublin region
On 1st June 1943 at 5 a.m. German troops and aircrafts came into Sochy village (Lublin region) in order to leave no one alive. 88 houses are reported to be burnt and 183 persons executed.
Numbers may be much higher as there were left very few people to count the exact numer of the victims. Only one house was left standing. Mostly kids survived, whose eyes seem to explain the whole terror of what was done to them. It would have been great if they had received some good explanation why their families were shattered by the turmoils of the war. Why their little worlds got anihilated...
A precise and moving account of the events is given in the book by Anna Janko "Mała Zagłada" (not translated yet (eng. "An Unknown Anihilation"), whose mother (9 at the time) was one of the surviving kids.
Sochy are one of the four most affected villages in terms of German extermination policy. The other three are: Oradour-sur-Glane (Francja), Mazinote (Włochy) i Lidice (Czechy).
- Anna Janko "Mała Zagłada", Wydawnictwo Literackie, 2015
- https://dorzeczy.pl/kraj/5371/Jas-nie-wybaczyl.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacification_actions_in_German-occupied_Poland
- https://www.polskieradio.pl/39/156/Artykul/871267,Niemcy-nie-mieli-litosci-podczas-pacyfikacji-Zamojszczyzny
Image Source: Internet
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