Part of The KB41 Collection On This Day Series
KB41 Collections reflects and remembers with this double photograph grouping showing Warsaw, Poland during the Occupation on 28th September 1939. 83 years ago, On This Day.
These Two rare photographs are part of the KB41 Remembers Series
(See our other Poland 1939 Posts in the Series)
The photographs here show two scenes both taken by a photographer in Warsaw, Poland during the Occupation, which took place on the 28th September 1939. The photograph is suggested to be part of the occupying German forces. The two photographs are linked by not only the reverses with the singular word of "Warschau" (Warsaw). The Capital of Poland which was heavily shelled by artillery and bombed by the Luftwaffe. Junkers JU 87 Stukas raised hell on the Country and Capital, facing resistance of anti aircraft guns of the Polish Army. With this Wolfram Frieherr Von Richthofen, a German flying ace of World War One and now Major of a Luftwaffe squadron formed an attack at 8 am dropping 560 tonnes of high explosive bombs and 72 tons of incendiary bombs. This became the largest air raid ever seen at this time. This attack was coordinated with heavy artillery, it is estimated that some 1,150 sorties were flown by a variation of aircraft. This later led to 10% of Warsaw's buildings destroyed by late 1939.
The first photograph shows the devastation that the Siege of Warsaw endured. Buildings in ruins as debris from the bombardments litter the street. Rubble lies in piles, burn and scorch marks scar the ruins of what was grand buildings adorned with balconies. Possibly business of shops and trade would have once inhabited theses streets, with a vibrant atmosphere of people walking and talking passing their day is now reduced to depressed and haunted street. A shell of what was a street inhabited by houses of families now sees these civilian's stranded in the street. The civilians are gathering and appear to be wondering lost trying to keep their morale high as they come to a realisation that their country has fallen to the Wehrmacht and sadly to be come the first of many during the Second World War. The young boy walking shows how young people were also affected and that they were equally as lost in this situation as the adults. The buildings seen in the first photograph are suggested to be seen in the background of the second photograph.
The second photograph shows part of the destroyed buildings as seen in the first, suggested to be photographed by the same photographer showing the newly occupied capital. The roofs and windows destroyed, roofs collapsed and burns and scorch marks on the buildings set the background. The streets here different to the first. The First shows civilians walking down war torn and rubble streets where this photographs show civilians organised and separated down a main street of the capital. The middle shows tram lines with broken wires and cables of what was once a busy street that would have seen people going about their day, traveling across the city.
The rows of civilians on the left are mixed with captured polish prisoners of war (POWs). This is seen by some of the soldiers seen wearing uniforms and equipment in the crowd.
Seen on the left are people who are to be sorted and prosecuted by the occupying forces. This includes Prisoners of War as mentioned but also civilians likely suspected of being or are in fact Jews. As seen these people are segregated and guarded by "Blue Police". As seen on the right the "Blue Police" are Polish of Poland seen wearing dark blue greatcoats and kepis. The "Blue Police" or "Granatowa policja" . 21 battalions of police were enforced in Poland in 1939, these included German police units re enforced with local Polish units and the Einsatzgruppen. Due to the early age of this photograph and pre organisation of the capital it is suggested that the organisation of the population is taking place here. This is seen by the police standing on the right hand side as they confront and inspect the moving population. Looking for hidden Prisoners of War who might be hiding to form later resistance or partisan forces and also Jews hiding within the population who now is walking the streets looking for shelter as many buildings now lay in ruins.
Some vehicles can be seen down the middle of the road, possibly transporting occupying German forces. Or subsequently moving POWs or Jews to camps or holding cells.
The death toll from the siege and later occupation became within the region of 6-7,000 civilians were killed. The Warsaw Ghetto was later formed in October 1940 under the collaboration of the Jewish Council (Judenrat) and the German officials in Poland. The Jewish Population on Warsaw was the largest in Poland and Europe respectfully. The organisation, persecution and later murder of the Jewish population would now begin and finish when Poland was liberated on 2nd October 1944.
These photographs are rare examples of moments photographed during the occupation of Poland in 1939. Showing the lives of civilians and brave Polish Soldiers who have surrendered as their home country has been taken by the attacking German forces. The Polish spirit crushed by Germany attacking from the west and the Soviet forces from the East. This due to the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. A mutual agreement with the NSDAP of Germany making a military agreement with their ideological opposition of Communist Soviet Russia. The Eastern regions of Poland would later be occupied as a result of the pact being broken and Operation Barbarossa being implemented on the 22nd June 1941. These photographs being a poignant reminder and the start of some of the worst events in modern human history. Murder and War crimes had only just began in the country and would continue until liberation. Some of the worst Konzentrationslager (Concentration Camps) and later death camps were set up with Poland. These photographs are shared to show the combat and aftermath of the occupation. These rare photographs are shared in respect and reflection of those who suffered and ultimately lost their lives in the conflict. So that their history is not forgotten, and the survivors of persecution and who stood in defiance will be remembered.