Central Europe: Poland - Warsaw Uprising Museum

Warsaw Uprising is a major WWII operation by the Polish resistance Home Army to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germans. the Home Army established an extensive network of underground tunnels and sewers. This enabled them to deliver messages and move around the city. These tunnels gave the Home Army the elements of surprise when they launched an attack. However the Nazis regrouped quickly and demolished the city. The Polish resistance was defeated after fought for 63 days, from August 1st until October 2nd 1944. The Warsaw Uprising symbol was an anchor made up of a P atop of W, stands for "Polska Walczaca or "Poland Fighting".

Warsaw Uprising Museum opened in 2004 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Warsaw Rising in 1944. It is a tribute to those who fought and died for Poland's independence, the museum recreates the atmosphere during those 63 days of military struggle, and also what it was like under Nazi occupation.

Entrance fee to the museum is 14zł and we paid additional 2zł for 'The City of Ruins' 3D film. It showed a digital reconstruction of an aerial view over destroyed and abandoned Warsaw in 1945.

The museum was a little cramped but very informative. The three level museum documents information on Germany's invasions, the uprising's heroes and their stories. On the ground floor, there is an area which honours the Field Postal Service. The area looks a little like children's area. Varsovian kids played a role in the Warsaw Uprising as 'mailmen'.

Side note: It feels like the time passes faster when the day time is longer...