August 1, 1944, 5:00 p.m. - W-Hour ("Godzina W"). Eighty-two years ago, one of the most desperate and tragic struggles for freedom in European history began.
The Warsaw Uprising lasted for 63 days despite the fact that the Polish resistance was significantly under-armed. Some volunteers were as young as nine years old.
While it is still heavily debated whether the Uprising was necessary or ultimately the right decision, there is no doubt that the Polish people had had enough of the German occupation and wanted to fight for their freedom. We can only try to imagine what it must have been like to make such a decision.
During the Uprising, over 80% of Warsaw was destroyed. Much of the destruction was carried out deliberately by Nazi Germany as an act of retaliation.
After the war, the City was rebuilt through an extraordinary collective effort. Today, Warsaw is one of the fastest-growing, safest, and most beautiful capitals in the European Union.
Niech żyje Warszawa!



















