1.3 -- The Defense of Warsaw

September 7th, 1939

On that day a close friend of my parents, Col. Roman UMIASTOWSKI from Lwow, broadcast on radio as Propaganda Chief on the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, calling on the population to participate en masse in building barricades and various city fortifications. At the same time he called upon all men capable of bearing arms and not yet called up for the army to leave the Capital immediately and proceed to the eastern boundary where they would be inducted into the ranks.

Also on that day the population of Warsaw learned by radio that Marshal Rydz-Smigly had left for Brzesc-on-the-Bug. 

The news about the threat to the city, the departure of the Government and the call to the remaining men to go to the eastern border caused panic among the population. Thus everyone who could left the city with their families - most going in an easterly direction via the district of Praga.  Some refugees left our building also.

Air raids were taking place with increasing frequency and enemy planes
bombed not only military targets or those strategically important, but
also indiscriminately.  Mama therefore decided that we must also leave
the Capital. However, we were going in a completely different
direction. We were to try to get through to the city centre, then to
Mokotow, and from there to Sluzewiec in order to get to Pyry, near
Warsaw.

However, it was not easy to get out of Pawia Street because
communications had broken down completely. Taxis had been commandeered
by the army, streets were barricaded and any open roads were overloaded
with the military and the attacking army.

In addition, President Starzynski had announced on radio for general
information that evacuation of the civilian population was indicated for
persons not involved in any work in Warsaw who had the means to travel
and somewhere to go.

And so Mama and I left on foot with Maryla. (Housekeeper Freda would
not entrust the apartment to anyone else; Mary the cook had gone to her
family; while Mama's maid, Liza, had left with others for the east,
explaining that she had relatives in that direction.)  We were making
for the city centre to try to get through to Mokotow and then continue
on.

We took various side-streets, negotiating craters and jumping over
anti-tank ditches.   

We passed through gaps in barricades already damaged
by the enemy and hid in gateways and cellars during air raids. Until,
luckily, we reached Mokotow. There we found crowds of men, women and
children (mostly of my age or a little older) who had started building
massive barricades, blocking off entire streets.

The defence sector on Plawska St. is commanded by Major Mieczyslaw DUCH
and that on Belwederska Street by Major Jozef ROSIAK.  We know them both
through Papa. So we join them and immediately go into action. First
to build barricades and later - as civilians but with the necessary
knowledge of first aid and already with some experience - to work
wherever needed. Mostly, though, in attending to the first of the
wounded - military as well as civilian. That is my first encounter with
war as such.

There is no way to bypass this sector. Therefore, Major M. Duch tells
us to remain with him for the time being. When the onslaught passes he
will let us go on.

I don't feel any fear although bullets whistle, machine-guns rattle and
enemy bombs fall almost on our heads. I run from place to place,
wherever help is needed, remembering Papa's words. I dress the wounded,
comfort those in pain and even the first of those who are dying.

Major Mieczyslaw Duch even uses me as a runner to Major Rosiak with a
very important report. Nanny wants to go with me. We explain to her
with difficulty that it will be better for me to slip through alone and
she should remain with Mama.

On the return trip, having luckily reached Major Rosiak, I survived an
enemy attack on the barricade. What a terrible experience for me! They
hit the barricade with incredible power. Even the German air force
bombed and machine-gunned it from low-flying planes. The numerous
bodies of the fallen were a terrible sight. I did not think I would get
back to Mjr. Duch.  I was worried about Mama and Nanny. At last things
quietened down a little, so I managed to get through the enemy fire by
crawling and, lucky once more, reached Mjr. Duch. I thought Mama and
Nanny would strangle me with their embraces. Both were crying with
happiness because, seeing that terrible aerial bombardment of the
barricade on Belwederska, they had already "buried" me. Perhaps that
was why I survived? However, I was very tired.

Mjr. Duch could not praise me highly enough - I was so brave, I had
carried out such an important task. He told me to sit down in a quiet
corner and rest. He praised my courage and accomplishment. It was very
pleasant to be told this. I felt like a real soldier then - more
mature. I was happy to have performed this first duty. At the same
time I was sorry that my Papa had not seen what I did. I was sure he
would have been glad that his Halik had proved equal to the task and
carried it out nobly despite the fear which now began to manifest
itself. But at least I had contributed something to the defence of the
Capital.

Personally, I was very attracted to the battle itself, but Mama and
Maryla considered that it would be better for us to get away from the
bombing of the city. Especially as the Germans intensified their attack
even more.

And so, at daybreak the following morning, under a hail of bullets and
bombs, we managed, with luck, to get through to our summer residence at
Pyry.

However, because the intensity of the enemy advance and attack grew ever
greater, our army was forced sometimes to retreat to defensive
positions. Automatically, a great many people were again passing
through our property.

Soon after our arrival so many wounded began to come in that our
beautiful villa was organised into a military hospital. And we three
again became involved in active nursing duties.

When, however, it began to get "too hot" even here, the wounded were
evacuated and we moved on to the next property, Golkow, by-passing our
villa in Zalesie which was situated too close to major through-roads and
major railway line. We did not stay long at Golkow, but went on again
to the next estate. Our gardener from Pyry, together with his family
and our Gran, had already gone there. It was more wooded here and so a
better chance of survival despite the fact that, here also crowds of
soldiers and civilians passed through the district and our house.
 

Nevertheless, we hoped to be able to survive here to the end. 


Gloskow, nr. Warsaw, end of Sept., 1939 

Summing up recent events, I do not think that I worried. I was too

young for that, too inexperienced. Others did it for me. All the same,

I matured mentally although I had not experienced hunger, poverty or

fear as yet.    

But our hearts were breaking at the sight of fires glowing

over our beloved city, bombs being dropped on it.   

Day and night we could hear the uneven sounds of firing for it was so close. Lying on

the ground we could even hear the thunder of tanks, Warsaw being only

some 30km distant.

The lack of any news whatsoever from Papa worried all of us greatly.   I
asked every soldier who entered our home about him. Of course, they did
not all know him. There were some who did, but they did not know what
had happened to him.  Shattered themselves, barely alive, managing
somehow to get here after having been ordered to withdraw. Our concern
about Papa was felt by all of us together with the other, perhaps even
greater concern, about the situation in our city, which the Germans were
attacking with ever greater power.  

I cried, too, unable to comprehend why another country, another nation, 

should dare attack us?  

Although I had studied history at college and had some idea about invasions, I now
saw in real life - not in imagination - this cruel battle of Polish
soldiers.  What courage they possessed; how they fell at the
barricades; their dying and their suffering from wounds inflicted on
them. I could not comprehend or understand why such things happen
between people that they are capable of attacking each other, murdering,
destroying everything beautiful created by human hand. 

And so my question: "What for? Why"

And still no news from Papa. The last to reach us was that along with
salvaged portions of the already destroyed Hospital of Infant Jesus
which was so obstinately defended - and with the remaining patients -
everyone had been evacuated somewhere.  No one knew where.

Mama, although she seldom broke down, now said that perhaps our Papa had fallen somewhere and that was why there was silence.

In the end, brutally beaten, our beloved Warsaw fell. The enemy
occupied the whole country very quickly. Everyone on our property cried
bitter tears like children. I cried too for I could not imagine anyone
remaining alive in the city.

When we saw the first heavily armed Germans approaching from Zalesie in
motor vehicles everyone hid where they could as though they had seen a
ghost.  However, the Germans were looking for a suitable route to
Grojec.

Our villa was a little off the main street but everyone was very
frightened nonetheless. Children were totally forbidden to go out. 

Our house was fenced with wire netting, heavily overgrown with pines and
bushes, forming a hedge. Hidden here I was able to observe the moving
columns of German troops despite our gate being locked. The hair rose
on the back of my neck as I saw so much steel (armoured cars and tanks)
and how heavily armed the German soldiers were.  A good thing that Papa
had not taken his field glasses. Here also I was able to use them to
see things as they really were.  Now I understood. 

How could Warsaw have defended itself against such power?

The ruins of Warsaw, October, 1939

Following the enemy invasion and occupation of the whole of our country,

when word came that all inhabitants of the Capital could return we were

at a loss to know what to do - go back or stay put.  However, the three

of us - Mama, Nanny and I - took the decision to return to the Capital,

find out what had happened to Freda, to Dr. Frenkiel's wife and to our

houses.  Perhaps we may even meet Papa somewhere - or at least find some

news of him waiting for us there.

And so we left Granny there in good hands and early the next morning set
out on the return trip the same way as we came - on foot. It was not
an easy journey for women.  A whole lot worse than the first time
because then we had the good will and the assistance of the Polish
fighting soldier. This time we moved mostly across country to avoid
direct contact with the hostile occupants. However, because we had
previously become accustomed to marching in tough conditions and how to
overcome difficulties, none of us complained. But upon seeing the
terrible destruction everywhere we could not control ourselves and cried
bitterly.

When we reached the outskirts of Mokotowe we nearly lost all hope that
we would find our houses undamaged.  Once in the City centre we directed
our steps first to Wilcza St.  We found the house three-quarters
destroyed, with access impossible. So much rubble, so many corpses and
in addition barbed wire entanglements. There was nothing there for us. 

Mama turned white. I tried to comfort her but broke down myself and
could not stop the tears. On Hoza St. we found the whole house ruined,
burnt out, with only the walls still standing. Yet here restoration
might be possible. Just reconstruct the roof, put in floors, ceilings,
then plaster and paint - and the house would be as good as new and
returning tenants could move in.

At last we reached Pawia St. Here, too, the enemy had not spared his
bombs. The side annex had been hit and the front was seriously
damaged. After a direct hit only one wall remained - the rest were
knocked down. We found the housekeeper, Freda, and Mrs. Frenkiel among
this destruction.  Luckily they survived in the cellar below the front
building.  Mrs. Frenkiel had a shrapnel wound in her hand but it was so
good to see that she and Mr. Duszak had survived. Unfortunately Mr.
Duszak's wife had been killed by a bomb on the annex. Our reunion can
be imagined. On the one hand joy and happiness for those who were saved
- on the other tears at the loss of the worthy Mrs. Duszak. Mutual
recounting of all the tragedies was endless. 

There was no word from Papa.