Thursday (September 1) marks 83 years since the outbreak of the Second World War. Official commemorations took part in early morning hours. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was in Wieluń, where first bombs had been dropped in 1939, whereas president Andrzej Duda and defence minister Mariusz Błaszczak took part in a ceremony at Westerplatte Peninsula in Gdańsk. "The defence of Westerplatte went down as a legend of heroism of Polish soldiers, a legend of heroism of all soldiers," president Duda said.
83 years ago - on September 1, 1939 - German armed forces crossed Polish border along nearly all its length without declaring war, thus launching the first military campaign of World War II.
The bombing of Polish town of Wieluń is considered the first bombing of the war, which was shortly followed by the attack on Gdańsk's Westerplatte Peninsula carried out by German battleship Schleswig-Holstein.
"This year marks the 83rd anniversary of the invasion of Poland by two powers - Germany, which started #WorldWarII on 1 September, and the USSR, which less than three weeks later fulfilled its obligations under the secret protocol to the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. #WeRemember" - Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland said in a tweet.
Morawiecki: we must remember
Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki took part in official commemorations held early morning in Wieluń.
"Today we must remember, look after the truth, reflect and ensure atonement - these should be our guiding principles nowadays when we think and remember World War II," the prime minister said.
Morawiecki added that Poland had lost over 10 million people as a result of WWII, including 5 million who had been killed. "Poland's population in 1938 is estimated at over 35 million. The first national census after the war in 1946 is less than 24 million people," he said, adding that behind each single person hid an "individual, personal tragedy and the horror of war".
Duda: irreparable losses for Poland
President Andrzej Duda spoke during the ceremony in Gdańsk. "We meet at Westerplatte also to warn the world once again, so that what was the most horrifying disaster of the 20th century never happens again," he said.
"The defence of Westerplatte went down as a legend of heroism of Polish soldiers, a legend of heroism of all soldiers," president Duda added.
"Indeed, it was absolutely one of the most horrible tragedies in our history. Not only because it took away our freedom. Not only because it took away our country - as after the Soviet attack on Poland and after Soviet and German soldiers had shaken hands, Polish state was - unfortunately once again in its history - wiped off of the map. But also because this war resulted in millions of deaths of Polish citizens as well as irreparable losses for our homeland and for our nation," Duda stressed.
The president also referred to the ongoing war in Ukraine. "Today we call upon all of our allies and the whole world, all the time continuously, to help Ukraine stop Russian imperialism," he said, adding that one should not cower away from imperialism, nor fear it.
"Never again!"
German Ambassador to Poland Thomas Bagger issued an address marking the WWII outbreak anniversary.
"For my country, Germany, remembrance of those crimes is inextricably linked with a commitment to do everything so that something like that never happens again. Never again!" Bagger said in a tweet.
"In tribute to the victims of flagitious German occupation of Poland: may they rest in peace and serve as a warning to us. Let's work for the good neighbourly relations between the Poles and the Germans!" - Bagger said in another tweet, to which he attached photos of German embassies and consulates in Poland.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: TVN24