PONIATOWSKI BRIDGE – III BRIDGE, THE KING OF WARSAW’S BRIDGES

The Poniatowski Bridge in Warsaw has more than 109 years of history

At the extension of Aleje Jerozolimskie, i.e. the street where KLUB DIALOGU School is located, a unique bridge takes us across the Vistula River in Warsaw – Poniatowski Bridge.

Did you know that this bridge was built over 109 years ago, in the 20th century, in the years 1904-1914. At that time, Poland was no longer on the map of Europe. Its territory was under Prussian, Austrian, and Russian rule, and Warsaw was ruled by Tsar Nicholas II Romanov of Russia.

The construction of the Poniatowski Bridge was one of the city’s largest investments at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. It was erected on eight steel pillars, and the majestic towers at the entrance to the bridge were to perform defensive functions.

The history of the Poniatowski Bridge is the history of Warsaw

The history of the Poniatowski Bridge is closely connected with the tragic history of Warsaw. Already on 5th August 1915, the Russian army that were retreating from Warsaw demolished 2 pillars of the bridge, rendering it useless.

But much to the joy of Varsovians and visitors alike, the bridge was soon rebuilt (1921–1927).

The storm of World War II saw the bridge once again victim to attack. It was destroyed by the Germans during the Warsaw Uprising on 13th September 1944 at 12.15PM due to the threat of joining the Polish army with the insurgents.

After the war, Warsaw developed rapidly, and buildings were rebuilt. The Poniatowski Bridge was one of the first investments. It was put into use on 22nd July 1946 (the Old Town was only rebuilt in 1953). This gave way for the launch of the first post-war tram across the Vistula River. The Mermaid carved in stone returned to the turret at the Polish Army Museum. And on the Praga side of the bridge, a stone commemorating the fights for the liberation of Warsaw in 1944-1945 was placed.

The Poniatowski Bridge is brimming with life

Currently, the length of the bridge itself is 506 m, and together with the viaduct and access roads, it is over 3.5 km long!

The Poniatowski Bridge is constantly in the center of attention, and its surroundings are teeming with life!

Do you know that:

Despite the construction of the metro line and other bridges, traffic on the bridge does not decrease. It has been calculated that an average of 57,000 vehicles per day cross the bridge
Attention! As many as six speed cameras were set up on the viaduct and the bridge
On the Praga side there is the popular ‘Poniatówka’ beach
Under the bridge, a complex of three beach volleyball courts with stands for 200 people and street workout equipment was built.
At the Poniatowski Bridge there is one of the stops of the Warsaw Water Tram.

Interesting fact – what is the actual name of the Bridge?

The official name of the Poniatowski Bridge is the Prince Józef Poniatowski Bridge (as of 1917). Previously, the bridge was called the Mikołajewski Bridge, the Emperor Nicholas II Bridge or the Third Bridge).

Currently, it is commonly simply referred to as the “Poniatoszczak“

Source: Wikipedia

Dorota Maszkiewicz5 May 2023 aleje jerozolimskie, Klub Dialogu, Poniatowski Bridge, Warsaw WHAT'S GOING ON, what's going on Leave a comment

PEARLS OF WARSAW. The building of KLUB DIALOGU School.

When entering the building at Al. Jerozolimskie 55, have you noticed the creaking old stairs, the spacious staircase, the high ceilings?…

Yes Yes! The tenement house where the KLUB DIALOGU Polish Language School for Foreigners is located is over 143 years old! It is one of the few buildings in the very centre of Warsaw that survived the Second World War. This tenement house, built in 1881 by Witold Lanci (an esteemed Warsaw architect), belonged to Franciszek Łapiński – an industrialist and judge of the commercial tribunal.

At the KLUB DIALOGU School, tradition is perfectly combined with modernity and multiculturalism. Thank you for being with us!

Check our group courses.

Dorota Maszkiewicz6 February 2023 franciszek lapinski, group courses, Klub Dialogu, Klub Dialogu school, polish lessons WHAT'S GOING ON Leave a comment

POLISH CHRISTMAS AND FUN AT THE END OF THE YEAR – Do you know them all?

From reverie to celebration. Have you already experienced Polish holidays and parties celebrated in November and December?

November is behind us, which is considered by many Poles to be the bluest month. While it begins with reflection and memories (Day of the Dead), it ends mysteriously, magically, and joyfully.

‘Andrzejki’ – Polish fun for unmarried women

Andrzejki is a very popular holiday among Poles. In the past, on the night of November 29-30, on the eve of Saint Andrew the Apostle, unmarried girls did fortune-telling in the hope of finding or winning their beloved man. Today, anyone can do fortune-telling, and thanks to good fun, the tradition remains very much alive. Fortune telling can be made from cast wax into a bowl through a keyhole, shoes, cards, or everyday objects placed in a row.

The KLUB DIALOGU Polish School for Foreigners hosted a fantastic St. Andrew’s Day event for our students. The teachers in the role of fairies were just as great as during Polish language lessons. And some of the predictions came true 100%.

‘Barbórka’ – Polish feast of miners and steelworkers

Another important day in the Polish calendar is December 4. It is the day of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners. Barbórka is the feast of Saint Barbara, very grandly celebrated primarily in Silesia, where the largest number of mines are located.

Do you know the animated Polish fairy tale for children ‘Bolek and Lolek among the miners’? It’s a cult fairy tale, so it’s worth watching, although it doesn’t use Polish. We can deduce from it how important mining was to the Polish economy in the 1950s – 1980s, and the term “black gold” for coal remains to this day.

Motorsports enthusiasts probably know the ‘Barbórka Rally’, which ends the rally season. This year, the rally will be held for the 60th time! The schedule of the Warsaw races can be found HERE.

‘Mikołajki’ – this Polish holiday is awaited by both the young and old

Throughout the year, both the young and old wait for the arrival of Santa Claus during Christmas. In Poland, we have great news for all impatient people! On December 6th, we celebrate ‘mikołajki’! The custom itself has been known on Polish lands for a long time, and until the 19th century, December 6 was even a day off from work. Now, ‘mikołajki’ is most often celebrated in schools for children, community centres, but also in the KLUB DIALOGU Polish School for Foreigners. We give each other small gifts. This is great Polish fun, bringing a lot of joy.

New Year’s Eve (‘Sylwester’) is the inevitable end of the year

The year ends with ‘sylwester’! The last night of December took its name from the name day of New Year’s Eve and the liturgical memory of Pope Sylwester I. On this holiday in Poland, we want to close the calendar year without disputes and debts. How else can we bring happiness to the coming year? One way is not cleaning on December 31st. The reason is very simple – by sweeping dust, we can also sweep happiness! Air bubbles in a glass of champagne can also have a symbolic meaning – large, irregular, and chaotic ones mean many changes, small bubbles mean balance in personal life and good health. Certainly, each bubble is a representation of success in learning Polish ?!

Language trivia – check if you know

Did you know that the names of Polish games, customs, and rituals are written with a small letter: andrzejki, mikołajki, sylwester (even if they come from the name – Andrzej, Mikołaj or Sylwester). Barbórka is a Polish holiday, which is why we write it with a capital letter.

Dorota Maszkiewicz30 November 2022 Barbórka, fun, holidays, Klub Dialogu, mikołajki, New Year's Eve, Poland, Poles, polish for foreigners, Polish games, Polish holidays, Polish language, Polish language school, St. Andrew's Day WHAT'S GOING ON, what's going on Leave a comment

POLISH GRAMMAR: ACCUSATIVE (BIERNIK) – HOW TO GET THE HANG OF IT?

Polish language grammar is largely associated with suffixes – should I be afraid?

For a large group of students, one of the most difficult aspects of Polish grammar is declension, that is – the changing endings of nouns and adjectives. Why does one word have multiple versions? There are languages – for example, the most popular language in the world – English, in which we can use one word in many ways, e.g. ‘coffee’ – I like coffee. I don’t like coffee. I dream about coffee. With a coffee in hand across the world. So in any sentence construction a given word is used in the same form.

In Polish grammar, however, the situation looks different. In Polish the word ‘kawa’ (coffee) – in those same constructions like above in English is like this: ‘Lubię kawę’ (accusative – I like coffee). ‘Nie lubię kawy’ (genitive – I don’t like coffee). ‘Z kawą przez świat’ (instrumental – with a coffee in hand across the world).

This is all the fault of declension, meaning the variation by 7 ‘cases’: Nominative, Genitive, Accusative, Dative, Instrumental, Locative, and Vocative, in Polish: Mianownik, Dopełniacz, Biernik, Celownik, Narzędnik, Miejscownik, and Wołacz.

Polish grammar: Accusative – it isn’t so bad after all!

Today we’ll focus on one of the ‘cases’ – the one we use when saying: I like coffee, I have coffee, coffee please, I drink coffee (lubię kawę, mam kawę, proszę kawę, piję kawę).

We use the accusative form after verbs such as: to have, like, eat, drink, buy, read, know, watch, ask, order, visit, want, prefer, adore (mieć, lubić, jeść, pić, kupować, czytać, znać, oglądać, prosić, zamawiać, zwiedzać, mieć ochotę na, preferować, uwielbiać).

In Polish language grammar, the feminine forms in the accusative take the following forms: Lubię czarną kawę. Mam czerwoną toyotę. Piję zieloną herbatę. Jem zupę pomidorową. (I like black coffee. I have a red Toyota. I drink green tea. I eat tomato soup). So the noun ends in “-Ę” and the adjective with “-Ą”.

In masculine and neutral form, the noun and adjective remain in their infinitive form. For example: ‘duży dom’ (big house – masculine form) – kupuję duży dom (I’m buying a big house); ‘nowy samochód’ (new car – masculine) – on ogląda nowy samochód (he’s looking at a new car); ‘zimne piwo’ (cold beer – neutral form) – oni zamawiają zimne piwo (they’re ordering a cold beer); ‘małe radio’ (small radio – neutral) – mam małe radio (I have a small radio). Ah! It’s not complicated!

But in Polish grammar, the exceptions are the most important…

A small problem arises when our friend says: ‘Mam ochotę na hamburgera!’ (I fancy a hamburger), ‘Preferuję pomidora niż ogórka!’ (I prefer tomato over cucumber)’. How?? Wait a moment! Hamburger, tomato, cucumber are all in the masculine form in Polish! So why don’t we say: ‘Mam ochotę na hamburger’, ‘Preferuję pomidor niż ogórek’?!? We’ll explain! ? In Polish grammar, there is a group of inanimate masculine nouns (things, not people) that take the ending “-a” in the accusative. Most of them are borrowings from other languages.

The exceptions are:

Food, e.g.:– ‘hamburger’ – Mam ochotę na hamburgera.
Fruits and vegetables, e.g.: ‘banan’, ‘ananas’, ‘arbuz’ (banana, pineapple, watermelon)– Na śniadanie zawsze jem banana. Uwielbiam ananasa i arbuza. (For breakfast I always eat banana. I adore pineapple and watermelon).
Car brands, e.g.: ‘mercedes’, ‘ford’ – Mój kolega kupił mercedesa. Marek ma forda. (My friend bought a Mercedes. Marek has a Ford).
Currencies, e.g.: ‘dolar’, ‘funt’ (dollar, pound)– Mam tylko dolara. Pożycz mi jednego funta. (I only have a dollar. Lend me a pound).
Dances, e.g.: ‘walc’ (Waltz) – Oni pięknie tańczą walca angielskiego. (They dance the English Waltz beautifully).
Games, e.g.: ‘squash’, ‘golf’ – Czy lubisz grać w squasha? Często gram w golfa. (Do you like playing squash? I often play golf).
Substances, e.g. ‘papieros’, ‘szampan’(cigarette, champagne) – Palę papierosa. On pije szampana. (I’m smoking a cigarette. He’s drinking champagne).

Conclusion: Polish language grammar is not that scary, and the Polish language course at KLUB DIALOGU School is a great place to practice.

Accusative isn’t so bad after all ?. Sometimes, we simply have to organise and consolidate our knowledge. The Polish language course at KLUB DIALOGU School is the right place to not only repeat and systematise this knowledge, but also practice and polish the grammatical structures of the Polish language. You can find out more about accusative (biernik) HERE.

Dorota Maszkiewicz9 May 2022 accusative, grammar, klubdialogu, klubdialoguschool, polishcourse, polishgrammar, polishlanguage, polishlanguagecourse, polishlanguagegrammar, polishlanguagelearning, polishlearning, Warsaw WHAT'S GOING ON, what's going on Leave a comment

‘NO’ to WAR in UKRAINE! – We help as much as we can!

2 years of the pandemic did not put us in such shock, disorientation, and anger as 2 weeks of the war in Ukraine caused by Putin’s Russia has ….

WE SAY ‘NO’ TO WAR! And we are not passively standing by watching. I am very proud of and thankful for the incredible commitment shown by the entire team of our Polish Language School for Foreigners KLUB DIALOGU. We talk a lot about how to help meaningfully. And our conversations result in action:

# We have launched a fundraiser that goes directly to a proven foundation run by people from Ukraine. This foundation directs appropriate help at a given moment directly to people in need;

# We invited Ukrainian families to our homes, providing them with shelter and support;

# Our teacher of Polish, as a coordinator and translator, travels with truck convoys to the Polish-Ukrainian border to coordinate the reloading of parcels with gifts;

# Our office coordinator organises collections and transports of military, medical, and humanitarian items. These deliveries have already reached Kharkiv and Suma!

# We bought food and hygiene products for infants and children from the funds raised by the team of KLUB DIALOGU School – the delivery has already reached the needy;

# We make food for Ukrainians who come to the Central Station, who are tired and hungry after a very long journey;

# We organised a free Polish language course called ‘Necessary in Poland’ for refugees, led free of charge by our teachers;

# To show another small gesture of support for people from Ukraine living in Poland, we also made decorations that welcome our students to the school.

# We go to demonstrations expressing: ‘NO to WAR’.

I would also like to thank our students who have committed themselves to helping. Contributions to the aid fund for Ukraine have exceeded PLN 7,300! Thank you very much, let’s keep raising more! www.pomagam.pl/klubdialogu

Dear Students! If you feel able to help – let us know. We will organise it together! For example, we can make food for those waiting at the Central Station together. We also count on your ideas.

Dear Ukrainians! There are no words to describe the tragedy that befell you. The whole world is with you, the whole of Poland is with you, the whole KLUB DIALOGU School is with you!

Слава Украиние!

Wioletta and Piotr Kajczuk, owners of the KD School

Dorota Maszkiewicz, Managing Director

KLUB DIALOGU team

Dorota Maszkiewicz18 March 2022 klubdialogu, klubdialoguschool, learningpolish, polishlanguage, polishlanguageforforeigners, stopwar, Ukraine NEWS & SALE, WHAT'S GOING ON, what's going on Leave a comment

SOLIDARITY WITH REFUGEES – WHAT HAPPENED?

SOLIDARITY WITH REFUGEES – WHAT HAPPENED?

We, the employees of the KLUB DIALOGU Polish Language School, are not indifferent to the tragedy of people who, due to the difficult situation in their country, come to Poland to start a safe life in their new homeland.

As you know, in November 2021 we participated in the March of Solidarity with Refugees. Walking through the streets of Warsaw, we wanted to show that the fate of suffering people is important. We believe that you should always protest when someone is hurt, when a person has no chance for a normal life just because they were born in a country affected by war or other humanitarian crisis.

In December 2021 KLUB DIALOGU organised the Workshop of Writing Letters to Refugees “Solidarni w Cierpieniu” (‘Solidarity in Suffering’), to symbolically show our care and understanding for those in need.

We thank our students who were with us. It is thanks to you and other students that we can learn tolerance and openness!

Currently, as part of the ‘Solidarni w Edukacji’ (‘Solidarity in Education’) campaign, KLUB DIALOGU school funded a scholarship to learn Polish for a refugee who recently came to our country with his family.

Hear his story. This is just one of many thousands …

‘My name is Javid Khan (the name has been changed for the safety of the person). I’m 36 years old. I come from Afghanistan. I am the father of four children, boys – 14, 12, 8, and 2 years old. We currently live in a Refugee Centre near Warsaw.

After the fall of the previous government in Afghanistan, life in Afghanistan became unbearable after the Taliban took power. The terror affected practically everyone who disagreed with the new policy, especially women and those who had supported NATO and the US government for the past 20 years. I was one of those who worked for the Polish NATO troops. I dealt with logistics and purchases for the army.

The evacuation of people whose lives were particularly at risk from the Taliban lasted from August 15-30 2021. Hundreds of thousands of people and families with children have been evacuated from Afghanistan, but just as many are still waiting to leave the country…

Me and my family managed to contact the Polish government. Our escape route was through Pakistan. Unfortunately, during this trip I had a heart attack. The attack was very severe, so I had a coronary graft implanted in the hospital. After a short recovery, we happily reached Poland. Thanks to the help of wonderful people, we managed to escape the Taliban and receive a second life in peace.

We have been living in Poland for a month. We haven’t seen many places yet, but we’d love to get to know our new homeland. Poland is a beautiful country and we met many friends here and experienced amazing hospitality. Now I am very optimistic about our future. We are happy here, and now I have the opportunity to learn Polish at KLUB DIALOGU. My dream is for my children to receive education and become useful citizens and members of the Polish community.’

There are so many tragedies in the world. Let’s not be afraid to help. If it is possible, the KLUB DIALOGU Polish Language School would like to support a few more people in learning Polish. However, for this action we need you and – our students. For this purpose, we have prepared CEGIEŁKI (bricks) ‘Solidarni w Edukacji’ (Solidarity in Education’). Each of you can buy one for any amount or set up a standing order. Our commitment: The total income from the payments will be allocated to learning Polish for the next Refugee! And we will do the rest!

Dorota Maszkiewicz16 February 2022 education, klubdialogu, klubdialoguschool, polishlanguage, solidarity WHAT'S GOING ON Leave a comment

THE 3T’s – WE SUGGEST HOW TO LEARN POLISH EFFECTIVELY

THE 3T’s – WE SUGGEST HOW TO LEARN POLISH EFFECTIVELY

Today is January 2022 – you’ve probably heard this question: ‘Do you have a New Year’s resolution?’ Although on the one hand, you say to yourself: ‘Enough of these resolutions, of which nothing comes from’, you subconsciously wonder, what will be your priority this year? Therefore, if learning Polish is an important goal for you that you would like to focus on in 2022, here are our suggestions on how to effectively achieve it!

THE 3 T’s: TARGET, TIME, THANKS

TARGET

Research shows that a target should be defined, realistic and measurable, which means that when learning Polish, it is worth to first clarify your current knowledge of the language, and then determine the level that you would like to achieve in the given time. It is essential for the success of this target that the level you want to achieve is reasonable. There is nothing more frustrating about learning a foreign language than imagining yourself as a participant in a lively conversation once you have only just started your Beginner Polish course. Setting a high goal for yourself causes unnecessary stress and troubles.

So what to do? Verify your current level, which you can check by taking a test or come to the Polish Language School KLUB DIALOGU and talk to the teacher. At the beginning, take up small challenges. Depending on your needs, try to define your progress at the level of 2-3 modules, so that you always have the opportunity to adjust these achievements and set new goals. You will not pass the State B1 Certificate Exam immediately, but by taking small steps, you have a great chance to do so in the future!

TIME

Time is a very important element in achieving our targets, as it allows us to concentrate on the task at hand and prevents postponing it ‘for an eternal tomorrow’. As in the case of the target, time must be realistic, i.e. give us space to complete the full cycle of the process: learning, practice, and feedback. Properly defined time forces us to be specific and organised. Remember, however, that too short a time frame will not allow you to complete the process, and too long a time frame will blur its possibilities, and after some time you will not remember your priorities.

THANKS

Don’t ignore the powerful influence of another person on your Polish language learning process. We instinctively hide our ‘resolutions’ from others because it protects us from embarrassment if something goes wrong. The involvement of other people, however, in our learning has a huge impact on its effectiveness. The support and feedback of people you can rely on can be very useful and can strengthen relationships, and thanks to this your learning will become more regular and consistent. It’s like losing weight, where positive support – from anguish – can turn into a healthy habit. Thanks to others, we can often achieve our goals!

Additionally, it is best to use qualified assistance. This is where the Polish Language School for Foreigners KLUB DIALOGU comes in handy, which offers a wide range of courses at various levels and intensity.

Dorota Maszkiewicz11 January 2022 klubdialogu, learnpolish, polishclasses, polishcourse, polishlanguage, polishschool WHAT'S GOING ON Leave a comment

CHRISTMAS IN POLAND

Christmas in Poland is preceded by a long period of preparations and events that begin four weeks before Christmas itself. The period of spiritual preparation for Christmas is called ‘Advent’. Advent is an important time in the Christian church in anticipation of the birth of Jesus and his coming at the end of the world. This year, this began on 28th November. On 6th December, we celebrate ‘Mikołajki’ in Poland. This is the only day of this kind, especially for children who expect little gifts left in their slippers by Santa Claus when they wake up in the morning. In addition, in December, children in schools and kindergartens take part in ‘Jasełka’, or nativity play performances, and the cities shine with the light of a thousand beautiful Christmas lights.

Three weeks later, it’s Christmas time.

This is a special time for many Poles. Christmas traditions are very important in Poland. These customs are nurtured and passed down from generation to generation so that they can still give the holidays a solemn and family feel.

The most important family event is the evening of 24th December, when Christmas Eve is celebrated. The whole family sits down to the Christmas Eve dinner, which does not start before the first star shines in the sky. An extra plate is always served with supper for an unexpected guest, and there is hay under the tablecloth – a reference to the birth of Jesus in the stable. Before eating, family members share a wafer, expressing their best wishes to each other. This custom emphasises the special bond that binds loved ones together, as well as the readiness to forgive and reconcile with each other. During the dinner, 12 meatless dishes are served, and depending on the region of Poland, these are: borscht with dumplings, fried carp, cabbage with mushrooms, vegetable salad, potatoes, carp in jelly, dried fruit compote, kutia, poppy seed cake and cheesecake. After supper, all well-behaved people are visited by Santa Claus (in Warsaw), Aniołek – a little angel (in Krakow), or by Gwiazdor (in Poznań) ?. One of these 3 people can also leave gifts under the tree that’s lavishingly decorated with ornaments (baubles, tinsel, a star, gingerbread, etc.). At midnight begins Midnight Mass, a very solemn mass in the church, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
Christmas in Poland is, next to Easter, the most important religious holidays. Celebrating these special days in December culminated a warm, joyful, and family atmosphere. Cultivating Polish Christmas customs is conducive to strengthening the bonds between family members and emphasising national identity, but also gives the celebration of Christmas a unique beauty that can be longed for many months.

Dorota Maszkiewicz15 December 2021 christmas, christmasinpoland, klubdialogu, polishlanguage, polishschool WHAT'S GOING ON, what's going on Leave a comment

HOW WE CHANGE FOR YOU!

The arrival of the 2020 pandemic was a shock for many of us. In March 2020, our school closed for what we all thought would be only a little while. However, the following days showed that the situation was not improving, and it was in fact getting worse. And although we were very worried, we managed to switch to online lessons within a week. It was not an easy task for us at all. The lack of more appropriate equipment and materials turned out to be a big challenge, and we soon found out that this was just the beginning of our complicated adventure with remote learning…

The new teaching conditions required new investments. Purchasing computers, video cameras and microphones, adjusting our program and new internet applications required time, special commitment and intensive work of the entire KLUB DIALOGU team. We asked our students questions about the quality of online learning and, thanks to their creative and constructive responses, we decided to make further investments.

Currently, Polish language courses at KLUB DIALOGU school, as well as group and individual online lessons are conducted at the highest level, which is greatly appreciated by our students. The purchase of interactive boards for each classroom and the acoustic soundproofing of the rooms has adjusted our school to allow for hybrid classes. It is convenient for those students who, due to business trips or illness, cannot attend their course in person and do not want to miss their lessons.

Additionally, modern interactive boards make learning Polish at school and online faster and more attractive. On these boards you can not only write, but also use it to display multimedia presentations, movies, websites, or exercises and interactive applications. After the lesson is over, the teacher can send the lesson notes online to all students. Interactive boards are an excellent teaching aid, thanks to which students are more interested in the lesson and can focus on a specific topic.

Come and see for yourself how the Polish Language School for Foreigners KLUB DIALOGU has changed for the better, for you!

Dorota Maszkiewicz31 August 2021 group courses, individual course, Klub Dialogu, online lessons, onlinelesson, Polish language school WHAT'S GOING ON, what's going on Leave a comment

TIME ‘W’ – we won`t forget

On 1st August every year there is a special event. This time is called Godzina ,,W”. What is this exactly? Godzina ,,W” was the codename for the date and time that began Operation Tempest in German-occupied Warsaw, and so the Warsaw Uprising. The time exactly was 5pm, 1st August 1944. This is why, on 1st August at 5pm one can expect to hear sirens, with many people gathered on the streets and even people and cars coming to a complete standstill.

Of course, the history of World War II in Poland is rich, it’s deep and it’s very sad. It’s impossible to explain anything in detail in a short article, but we’ll begin with a short explanation about what happened before the Warsaw Uprising.

On 31st July in 1944, during a briefing of Home Army’s general staff at 67 Pańska Street, General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, commander of the Home Army, received a report from General Antoni Chruściel, commander of the Warsaw district, regarding a supposed successful Soviet breach of German defenses just outside of the Praga suburb in Warsaw. The information was actually false, but on its basis,at 5:45 PM, Bór-Komorowski gave Chruściel an oral order to begin Operation Tempest on 1 August 1944 at 5:00 PM.

Why was 1st August at 5pm the chosen date and time? Well, it was initially decided that the Uprising would take place in the early morning, but in July 1944, Chruściel decided that it would infact take place at 5pm. This is due to the fact that at that time, there was a lot of street traffic, meaning that the soldiers could could much more easily blend into the crowd and get to the meeting points safely, whilst in the meantime also transporting guns and ammunition. At 5pm there was also enough sunlight left for the operation to go as smoothly and accurately as possible. The exact day, however, was to be decided the day before the fighting were to begin.

The order was issued by Chruściel at around 7:00 PM – just an hour before military curfew. As a result, it was delivered between 7:00 and 9:00 AM the next morning to district commanders. Group commanders received it between 9:00 and 13:30 PM. In the afternoon the total number of messengers delivering the order reached 6000. There were posters on the streets with the simple title ‘Polacy!’, as an appeal to the Polish people, to tell them that the long-awaited fight-back was to shortly commence.

Not all units managed to keep the mobilisation a secret until 5:00 PM… First shots were fired at a German patrol at 13:35 PM on Krasiński Street in Żoliborz. The Germans quickly brought a tank and a few armored vehicles with machine guns. While sweeping the area, at 5:30 PM on Suzina Street, the German patrol surprised a Polish unit who were taking weapons from a stash. Fights started before 5pm in reportedly at least 8 different instances across Warsaw.

Ultimately, the Germans were not able to stop the Uprising from happening. This is the general history from this mind-blowing, brave fight and difficult time for not only Warsaw, but the whole of Poland.

Now, there are many things to commemorate 1st August 1944. For example, a memory plaque was placed on the building at 68 Filtrowa Street, where Antoni Chruściel signed the original order that lead to this incredible event. There’s also a street in Warsaw called Al. Godziny ,,W”.

One of the most noticable signs of honour and respect we have for this in Warsaw is that every year on 1st August at 5pm, almost everything comes to a standstill, and with sirens blazing, Polish flags flying in the breeze, we stop to think about and remember this miraculous event in history.

Dorota Maszkiewicz30 July 2021 august1, Klub Dialogu, polishlanguage, time W, W hour, Warsaw, Warsaw Uprising, warsawuprising WHAT'S GOING ON Leave a comment

WHAT’S GOING ON