Christopher Ford introduces appeals from the socialist and Jewish left
This summer marks the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising, when between 1st August – 2nd October 1944 the Polish capital saw the largest action of any European resistance movement in World War Two. The underground labour movement centred round the Polish Socialist Party (PPS) was a major part of the resistance, the Polish Home Army. Against the Nazi occupation and Stalin’s imperial designs the resistance raised the banner of a democratic socialist alternative, their programme for a Democratic Polish Republic calling for “socialisation of key industries” and “participation of workers in the management of enterprises and workers control of industrial production”. Poorly armed they fought heroically for 63 days, 200,000 civilians and 16,000 fighters were killed. They were betrayed by Stalin who ordered Soviet forces to halt at Warsaw, denying aid and even air support – the Western allies impeded by Stalin in their own efforts to drop supplies. To mark the anniversary, we publish here appeals from the PPS and Jewish Bund.
WARSAW CALLING
WORKERS OF FIGHTING WARSAW TO THEIR BRITISH COMRADES
A message, from, the Executive of the Polish Socialist Party to the workers of Britain, broadcast by the Warsaw Radio Station “ Błyskawica” (Lightning) was heard in London on August 24th.
The third week of our struggle has ended. Ill-armed, we have taken and we are firmly holding a town of a million inhabitants—this despite the fact that half our fighting men have no arms. We lack machine-guns and anti-tank weapons. The armament we possess have been captured from the Germans. But could it not be supplied to us? We understand that there are transport difficulties, but should they not be overcome? What stands in the way? How is it that Polish pilots fought over London but are not allowed to fight over Warsaw?
“We know we are being accused of having started the fight without consultation with Russia. We believe that every nation who loves freedom, and wants to attain it, is fighting to-day on all fronts. We, here, do want freedom and we are fighting for it. On the barricades all hearts are united.”
On August 28th, Radio Warsaw broadcast a second message from the Executive of the Polish Socialist Party to the workers of Britain. The message concerns the granting of combatant rights to the soldiers of the Polish Home Army. The combatant status of the Home Army was at last recognized by the Governments of Great Britain and the U.S.A, after four weeks of fighting in Warsaw :
Warsaw is a heap of ruins. The population has taken to the cellars. Over the city circle German planes sowing destruction. We are not receiving arms, which we lack. Meanwhile the centres of German resistance are falling one after the other. The Central Telephone Exchange and the Police Headquarters have both fallen. The “Herrenvolk” are beginning to feel uneasy. Insurgent units from the provinces have reached Warsaw. Amidst all this we have heard the appalling news that our soldiers of the Home Army are not recognized as combatants. The Germans call them “bandits “ and kill everyone who falls into their hands. In the name of all Poland and of the workers we call upon the Allies to carry out an act of elementary justice and to stop our men who are taken prisoner from being slaughtered.”
On August 30th, a third message front the Executive of the Polish Socialist Party to the workers of Britain was received in London :
The fourth week of the rising is nearing its end. The majority of Warsaw districts lie in ruin. The population have taken shelter in the cellars. Charred ruins and debris, as soon as they cooled down, became barricades behind which our soldiers fight.
“ We had in Warsaw a beautiful medieval district—the Old Town. Narrow, winding streets, tapering houses, artistically decorated, beautiful old churches and a Cathedral. To-day there is not one building standing. Ruins litter the place where once stood the Old Town. Thousands of shells of the heaviest calibre fell on it. The mightiest guns from armoured trains fired on the ancient walls.
“ One single raid of bombers could have destroyed the railway track and made this impossible. Multi-barrelled mortars of the heaviest type “MWE” like giant beasts, screaming and spreading fire and destruction, day and night, have been ceaselessly bringing down house by house, street by street. Besides that, field artillery of all calibres has been shelling the city without pause.
“German bombers were coming every fifty minutes, dropping loads of bombs. Why is there no air protection? One single enemy plane brought down by rifle fire was our only compensation for the wholesale destruction.”
The Jewish Socialist Party “BUND” is fighting side by side with their Polish comrades in Warsaw. The following despatch has been received from the Executive Committee of the “Bund” on August 18th ;
For eighteen days the people of Warsaw, and among them the remnants of Jewish youth, have been waging an uneven struggle against the barbarous invaders. We are fighting the enemy in the common cause of Poland. Do all in your power to bring about the immediate despatch of substantial and effective help to Warsaw.”