National Remembrance

The Institute of National Remembrance has appealed for a nationwide observance of the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising in the same manner as has been practiced for decades in the Polish capital.

It is the custom in the capital that on August 1st at 17 hours all traffic comes to a halt and sirens are sounded to recall the heroic revolt of the people of Warsaw against the Nazis in 1944, in the final stages of World War Two. T

he bloody two month struggle went down in history as an act of unprecedented heroism of underground Home Army soldiers and civilians to fight for freedom. The uneven battle had been watched from across the Vistula river by advancing Soviets ordered to stand idle till January next year by Joseph Stalin.

This was to make sure the Poles do not have a chance to set up a democratic government in their capital before the Red Army enters it as a liberating force and establishing pro-Communist authorities.