Aquila Polonica - Poland WW2

09/10/2026

"A new exhibition at Kraków’s Aviation Museum celebrates the 100th anniversary of the groundbreaking Warsaw to Tokyo flight.

"In 1926, the capitals of Poland and Japan may as well have been on different planets. But, at a time when long-distance flight remained a complete lunge into the unknown, the government-backed expedition was designed to demonstrate Poland’s international relevance and technological prowess.

"'The flight came less than eight years after Poland had regained its independence,' Jarosław Dobrzyński of the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków tells TVP World. 'The Polish Air Force was still being developed and aviation successes carried great symbolic importance.'"

The incredible journey that connected Poland and Japan! Full story at TVP World:

A new exhibition at Kraków’s Aviation Museum celebrates the 100th anniversary of the groundbreaking Warsaw to Tokyo flight.

09/09/2026

September 9, 1939: The Hel Peninsula is surrounded and besieged by German forces. Three thousand Polish defenders of the Hel Fortified Area fight off repeated German attacks for 23 days.

The Hel Peninsula became isolated in the opening days of World War 2, after the Polish Army was defeated in the Danzig Corridor. During the Battle of Hel Peninsula, the Poles shot down between 46 and 53 Luftwaffe aircraft that were bombing their positions. A German destroyer and the battleship Schleswig-Holstein were also both struck by Polish artillery fire. Despite the overwhelming numerical superiority of German forces in the area, their progress was slow and costly. On September 25, Polish engineers completely separated the Hel from the mainland with explosives, further frustrating German commanders.

However, by the end of September, the overall war in Poland had been lost. Besides rapid German gains on the western front, the Soviet Union had invaded Poland from the east. With no hope of further supplies or reinforcements, Polish forces on the Hel Peninsula had no choice but to surrender on October 2, 1939.

09/06/2026

September 6, 1944: Polish 1st Armored Division liberates the Belgian towns of Ypres and Tielt.

Though General Maczek and his troops had won a desperate battle two weeks earlier at Falaise Gap, they were already on the move to liberate more of German-occupied Europe. They covered 250 miles in just nine days, and arrived at the border of Belgium. Once they had breached the border and driven the Germans out of Ypres and Tielt, they linked up with newly liberated Belgian resistance fighters.

Unfortunately, while the Poles of the 1st Armored Division were liberating Western Europe, their countrymen in Poland were undergoing a desperate battle in the Warsaw Uprising.

09/04/2026

"Second-century remnants of a warrior’s shield have been discovered at a scrapyard in southeastern Poland — with burnt human bones preserved inside."

"Local resident Włodzimierz Starykiewicz had been looking through the scrapyard in the town of Hrubieszów for old motorcycle and car parts when he came across an object that seemed out of place."

Almost 2 millennia old, what an incredible find! Full story at TVP World:

Burnt human bones were discovered inside the object, which may be of Vandal origin.

09/03/2026

September 3, 1939: Great Britain and France declare war on Germany due to its invasion of Poland, the outbreak of World War II

Warsaw resident Rulka Langer hopes for Allied troops to attack soon, but worries as the war continues. Her account in our book "The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt", available here:
https://www.polandww2.com/books/mermaid/about-the-book/

09/02/2026

"An exhibition highlighting Polish artworks looted by N**i Germany during World War II has opened at the European Parliament in Brussels.

"The exhibition, titled Plundered by the Germans in 1939-1945 and Never Returned, opened on Tuesday, coinciding with the 87th anniversary of Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939."

87 years on and much of Poland's culture remains missing. Full story at Polskie Radio:

An exhibition highlighting Polish artworks looted by N**i Germany during World War II has opened at the European Parliament in Brussels.

09/01/2026

On this day 87 years ago Germany invaded Poland, starting a conflict that would consume the globe: World War II.

The moment recorded by working professional Rulka Langer as she arrived for work at her bank in the Polish capital city of Warsaw. Excerpt from the account in her book "The Mermaid and the Messerschmitt", which you can learn more about here:
https://www.polandww2.com/books/mermaid/about-the-book/

08/31/2026

"A variety of events were set to be held in Poland on Monday to mark 46 years since the signing of the country's milestone 1980 August Agreements, which led to the emergence of the Solidarity trade union and freedom movement."

An important step towards the Poland we have today! Story at Polskie Radio:

A variety of events were set to be held in Poland on Monday to mark 46 years since the signing of the country's milestone 1980 August Agreements, which led to the emergence of the Solidarity trade union and freedom movement.

08/28/2026

A great read at TVP World in honor of International Dog Day, some of Poland's most famous and historically beloved canine companions! Included are 305 Bomber Squadron's Ciapek and Szarik from the postwar TV series "Four Tankmen and a Dog." Lots of great stories here:

TVP World looks at the dogs every Pole needs to know.

08/27/2026

August 27, 1896: Warsaw Uprising commander Jan Mazurkiewicz, codename “Radoslaw,” was born in Lwow (modern day Lviv).

Mazurkiewicz was a World War I combat veteran and Polish counter-intelligence officer before World War II. By the time of the Warsaw Uprising, Mazurkiewicz was in command of the Radoslaw Group: one of the largest, well-trained and best-equipped Polish forces during the battle. He commanded his troops throughout the 63 day battle, and was still fighting with the Parasol battalion when Polish forces finally surrendered. Mazurkiewicz was wounded in combat, but managed to escape captivity by disguising himself as a civilian.

After WWII, Mazurkiewicz attempted to live in a new Poland behind the Iron Curtain. However, in 1949, he complained about the persecution against Armia Krajowa veterans in the communist regime. He was arrested, tortured and locked in prison until the 1956 amnesty. After his release, he was active in Armia Krajowa veteran associations in Communist Poland, and was promoted to the rank of General.

He died in 1988, and his remains are buried at Powazki Military Cemetery.