Liberation Day (Poland)
Liberation Day in Poland is observed on January 17, marking the day in 1945 when Soviet forces liberated Warsaw from Nazi occupation during World War II. The backdrop of this event includes the initial invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in September 1939, which was shortly followed by an invasion from the east by the Soviet Union. This dual invasion led to Poland being divided between the two powers. Although the Soviet Union would later join the Allies after Hitler’s invasion in 1941, the dynamics of liberation were complicated. Notably, during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, Stalin chose not to assist the Polish Resistance, allowing the Nazis to suppress the uprising before resuming his advance into Poland. By the end of March 1945, the Soviet army had completed the liberation of the country. Despite the subsequent establishment of a Soviet-backed communist regime, Liberation Day serves as a significant moment in Polish history, reflecting a complex legacy of wartime struggles and the ongoing impact of foreign influence on the nation. Today, it is a day for Poles to remember the sacrifices made during the war while acknowledging the multifaceted nature of their liberation.
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Liberation Day (Poland)
Liberation Day (Poland)
January 17 is Liberation Day in Poland, commemorating the liberation of Warsaw, the nation's capital and largest city, from the Nazis on January 17, 1945, by Soviet forces.
Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September of 1939, precipitating World War II. Although Great Britain and France had pledged assistance, none was forthcoming. The Nazis attacked from Poland's west and Adolf Hitler's ally, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, attacked from the east. The two dictators split the country between them, but Hitler later turned on Stalin and invaded Russia in June of 1941. As a result, the Soviet Union joined the Allies, who after years of struggle turned the tide of war against the Nazis and began to push the Germans back. By the summer of 1944 the Soviet armies from the eastern front in Russia were advancing on Poland. However, Stalin planned to make Poland a Soviet satellite state, and so when the Polish Resistance in Warsaw rose up against the Nazis he halted his armies and refused to support the Poles in any meaningful way. The Nazis crushed the resistance forces, effectively eliminating them for Stalin, and then Stalin resumed his armies' advance.
On January 17, 1945, the Russians entered Warsaw and liberated the rest of the country by the end of March of that year. After the war, the Russians imposed a submissive communist regime on Poland and annexed a considerable amount of Polish land to the east which became part of the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, Poles still honor the liberation of their country by the Soviets from the Germans.