At the symbolic "W Hour" (Godzina W), air-raid sirens will sound across the capital as church bells ring out. For one minute, pedestrians, drivers, public transportation, and even the Warsaw Metro will pause in tribute to the thousands of soldiers and civilians who fought and died during the uprising.
As every year, thousands of residents are expected to gather at Dmowski Roundabout before taking part in the Warsaw Uprising March. At Castle Square, participants will form a giant symbol of Polska Walcząca (Fighting Poland); a famous anchor-shaped symbol—combining the letters 'P' and 'W'—widely known as the Kotwica (or the Anchor symbol), while candles will be lit at the Little Insurgent Monument in memory of the youngest participants in the resistance.
One of the day's most distinctive commemorative events will take place in the skies above Warsaw. Organized by the Polish Aero Club and the Warsaw Aero Club, pilots will draw the Fighting Poland emblem using white smoke trails. A separate aircraft will fly over the city towing a banner reading "We Remember 1944."
The aerial display will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will be visible along Aleje Jerozolimskie (Jerusalem Avenue)3, roughly between Warsaw Central Station and Charles de Gaulle Roundabout. Pilots will also recreate the symbol near the Świętokrzyski Bridge.
For another consecutive year, the display will be performed by the "Dwójka AW" aerobatic team, with pilots Hubert Massalski, Radosław Izdebski, and Michał Rogalski flying Polish-built AT-3 aircraft.
At the same hour, a ceremonial wreath will be laid on the Vistula River near Poniatowski Bridge, marking the symbolic location where the vessel Bajka was sunk during the war. Beginning at 3:30 p.m., a flotilla of dozens of boats will sail upstream from the Karski Boulevard and the Rusałka Beach/Aquatica Marina area.
Following the minute of silence, the Warsaw Uprising March will depart from Dmowski Roundabout and proceed toward Krasiński Square.
The evening commemorations will continue at 8:30 p.m. at Piłsudski Square with the concert Varsovians Sing the (Un)Forbidden Songs, during which residents will perform some of the best-known songs associated with the uprising.
The Warsaw Uprising began on August 1, 1944, when approximately 40,000 to 50,000 members of the Polish Home Army launched an armed struggle against the German occupation. Although originally planned to last only a few days, the fighting continued for more than two months.
Around 18,000 insurgents were killed and another 25,000 wounded during the battle. Approximately 3,500 soldiers from the Polish 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division also lost their lives after crossing the Vistula River in September 1944 to support the embattled city.
The civilian toll was devastating, with an estimated 180,000 people killed. Nearly half a million surviving residents were expelled from Warsaw after the uprising, and the city was subsequently almost destroyed by German forces.
Each year, the anniversary serves as a powerful reminder of the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those who fought for Poland's freedom.
(aj)
SOURCE: PAP; IAR