Destruction of Warsaw in the context of "Warsaw Uprising"

Play Trivia Questions online!

or

Skip to study material about Destruction of Warsaw in the context of "Warsaw Uprising"

Ad spacer

⭐ Core Definition: Destruction of Warsaw

The destruction of Warsaw was Nazi Germany's razing of the city in late 1944, after the 1944 Warsaw Uprising of the Polish resistance. The uprising infuriated German leaders, who decided to destroy the city in retaliation.

The razing of the city had long been planned. Warsaw had been selected for destruction and major reconstruction as part of the Nazis' planned Germanization of Central Europe, under the Nazi Generalplan Ost. However, by late 1944, with the war clearly lost, the Germans had abandoned their plans of colonizing the East. Thus, the destruction of Warsaw did not serve any military or colonial purpose; it was carried out solely as an act of reprisal.

↓ Menu

>>>PUT SHARE BUTTONS HERE<<<
In this Dossier

Destruction of Warsaw in the context of Warsaw

Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at 1.86 million residents within a greater metropolitan area of 3.27 million residents, which makes Warsaw the 6th most-populous city in the European Union. The city area measures 517 km (200 sq mi) and comprises 18 districts, while the metropolitan area covers 6,100 km (2,355 sq mi). Warsaw is classified as an alpha global city, a major political, economic and cultural hub, and the country's seat of government. It is also the capital of the Masovian Voivodeship.

Warsaw traces its origins to a small fishing town in Masovia. The city rose to prominence in the late 16th century, when Sigismund III decided to move the Polish capital and his royal court from Kraków. Warsaw surpassed Gdańsk as Poland's most populous city by the 18th century. It served as the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1795, and subsequently as the seat of Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. The 19th century and its Industrial Revolution brought a demographic boom, which made it one of the largest and most densely populated cities in Europe. Known then for its elegant architecture and boulevards, Warsaw was bombed and besieged at the start of World War II in 1939. Much of the historic city was destroyed and its diverse population decimated by the Ghetto Uprising in 1943, the general Warsaw Uprising in 1944, and systematic razing.

↑ Return to Menu

Destruction of Warsaw in the context of Hotel Bristol, Warsaw

Hotel Bristol, Warsaw is a historic five-star luxury hotel built in the Neo-Renaissance style and opened in 1901 in Warsaw, Poland. It is located in the city centre on Krakowskie Przedmieście next to the Presidential Palace.

The hotel is one of the most notable historic monuments of the Royal Route (Polish: Trakt Królewski) and remains among the few landmarks of Warsaw which emerged relatively unscathed from the city's near total destruction during World War II. It is considered as one of Warsaw's oldest and one of the country's most luxurious hotels.

↑ Return to Menu

Destruction of Warsaw in the context of Old Town, Warsaw

Warsaw Old Town, also known as Old Town, and historically known as Old Warsaw, is a neighbourhood, and an area of the City Information System, in the city of Warsaw, Poland, located within the district of Śródmieście. It is the oldest portion of the city, and contains numerous historic buildings, mostly from 17th and 18th centuries, such as the Royal Castle, city walls, St. John's Cathedral, and the Barbican, the Old Town Market Square and the Warsaw Mermaid Statue. The settlement itself dates back to between the 13th and 14th centuries, and was granted town privileges c. 1300.

During World War II, the Old Town was nearly totally destroyed, and subsequently reconstructed. The project was the world's first attempt to resurrect an entire historic city core and was included on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1980. The reconstruction efforts were again recognized in 2011 when all its documents and records were added by UNESCO to its Memory of the World international register.

↑ Return to Menu

Destruction of Warsaw in the context of Bombing of Warsaw in World War II

The bombing of Warsaw in World War II started with the aerial bombing campaign of Warsaw by the German Luftwaffe during the siege of Warsaw in the invasion of Poland in 1939. It also included German bombing raids during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. During the course of the war, approximately 85% of the city was destroyed due to German mass bombings, heavy artillery fire, and a planned demolition campaign.

↑ Return to Menu