77 years ago, on October 2, 1944, after 63 days of heroic and lonely battle between the insurgents and the German army, because of the lack of prospects for further struggle, representatives of the Home Army Headquarters signed in Ożarów an agreement to cease hostilities in Warsaw.
The Warsaw Uprising was the largest underground military operation in German-occupied Europe. Planned for several days, it lasted over two months.
Its military goal was to liberate the capital from the extremely brutal German occupation, under which it was since September 1939.
The command of the Home Army assumed that the Red Army would care for a quick occupation of Warsaw for strategic reasons. It was predicted that the several days of fighting would end before the Soviet forces entered the city. Help from the Allies was also expected.
Taking control over the city by the Home Army before the arrival of the Soviets and acting as the host by the authorities of the Polish Underground State on behalf of the Polish government in exile was to be an asset in the fight for independence from the USSR.
On August 1, 1944, 40-50 thousand insurgents joined the fight in the capital. However, only one in four of them could count on starting it with a gun in hand.
On the news of the uprising in Warsaw, SS Reichsfuehrer Heinrich Himmler issued an order in which he stated: “Every inhabitant should be killed, no prisoners may be taken, Warsaw is to be razed to the ground and thus an intimidating example for the whole of Europe is to be created.”
For 63 days, the insurgents waged a heroic and lonely battle with the German army. Ultimately, due to the lack of prospects for further combat, on October 2, 1944, representatives of the Home Army Headquarters signed in Ożarów an agreement to cease hostilities in Warsaw.