"Warsaw, the capital, the head, the brain of this 16 or 17-million Polish nation will be destroyed. That nation stood in the way of our quest for the East for 700 years, ever since the first battle of Tannenberg. But then, historically, the Polish issue will no longer be big for our children or those who come after us, nay, it will not even be big for us.”
These words were uttered by Heinrich Himmler to Adolf Hitler, following the news about the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising. In response, the leader of the Third Reich gave the order to raze Warsaw to the ground and murder its residents, making a terrifying example for the rest of Europe. Consequently, on 5 August 1944, 76 years ago, the Wola Massacre began. One by one, the houses in the Wola district of Warsaw were emptied by the Germans, who escorted their inhabitants outside and executed them, regardless of their age and sex. More than 30,000 people were murdered within three days.
This experience was especially traumatic for children, who had to watch their loved ones die. Very few of them managed to survive. We encourage you to listen to what they have to say today, many years after these tragic events.
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