On the 79th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, German diplomatic missions in Poland lowered their flags to half-mast in mourning and shame. In 1944, about 40,000 to 50,000 insurgents bravely fought in the capital, intending a short uprising that instead endured over two months.
The uprising took a harrowing toll, resulting in the loss of approximately 18,000 insurgents and leaving 25,000 wounded. The civilian population suffered immensely, with an estimated 180,000 lives lost. The remaining 500,000 inhabitants were expelled from the nearly razed city, a grim aftermath of the German response.