Eighty years after the (un)known Warsaw Uprising

In her interview, Gusc emphasized that while the Warsaw Uprising is crucial in Poland, it is less well-known in the Netherlands. It is often confused with the Jewish uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto in April 1943, an event that is more familiar here. Gusc explained that in the summer of 1944, the Polish resistance felt that the time had come to drive the German occupiers out of Warsaw, especially as the Allied forces had made significant progress against the Germans a few months earlier.

Despite their courage and determination, the Polish resistance faced a massive challenge: they were poorly armed. Hopes for Allied support dwindled, and after two months of intense fighting, the Germans retaliated harshly. This led to the near-total destruction of Warsaw and the forced evacuation of its population. "The history of the city was literally wiped out," Gusc remarked.

The reconstruction of Warsaw 

After the war, Warsaw was rebuilt under the leadership of new communist rulers, a process that was not without difficulties. The shortage of building materials forced Poland to bring in resources from other towns and villages. Despite these challenges, Warsaw today stands as a historic city, although the traces of destruction are still visible.

Commemoration and political context 

The official commemoration of the Warsaw Uprising did not take place until 1989, following the fall of the communist regime. Gusc explained that the tensions between the Polish resistance and the Soviet army had long complicated relations. For Stalin, the Polish resistance fighters were enemies, which made it difficult to honor their actions during the Soviet era.

Today, the uprising is commemorated on a grand scale in Poland. Gusc described how, in Warsaw, the entire city comes to a complete standstill at 5:00 PM for a minute of silence—a moment that evokes chills and highlights the profound emotional impact of this historic event.