Table of Contents

Introduction

Timeline of important events

Everyday life

Bit of comic relief

State

Development

Anniversaries

Nation with the army

Mounting tension

Local matters

Beyond the borders

About the project

Introduction

Calm before the storm is a very special moment. This is not about dead silence, but about a unique sense of anticipation. The air is almost completely still and nature remains motionless. Everyone knows that the storm is coming, but at the same time they hope that it will somehow pass them by. The closer it approaches, the stronger the wind gets. In the meantime, people are trying to prepare themselves, more and more frantically with every minute, for the inevitable disaster. And yet, they are all well-aware that they won't manage to get ready for what's coming. It tends to start with a sudden thunder...

And this is exactly what it felt like in July and August of 1939, two months before the outbreak of WWII . On 23 June, schoolchildren began their summer break. Some Poles left for “summer resorts”, as they used to be called; some remained at work, looking forward to the forthcoming leisure time. For most citizens of the Second Polish Republic not much changed: their days passed as usual, there may have been some extra work due to the approaching harvest, they would celebrate the same holidays they celebrated each year during summer months. However, not everything was the same – somewhere in the background of everyday life political pressure was building up, to find its release on 1 September 1939. But before that happened, as it usually is the case, things looked normal – well, almost normal, as the storm was on its way.

The publication you are about to read focuses on the social dimension of the last two months before the outbreak of WWII. For this reason you are not going to find here anything about organisation of military units, while the details of diplomatic manoeuvres made in the last weeks before the war received only a short mention in the timeline of important events. The exhibition mostly comprises press materials – including photos taken by the photographers from the Agency of “Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny” ["Illustrated Daily Courier"], articles and opinions of the contemporary publicists, which, in our opinion, reflect most faithfully the prevailing atmosphere of those moments. As you are probably going to notice, some of the presented materials were published after 1 September 1939. This resulted from the publishing cycle of weeklies. Hence, situations were common in which readers could read about preparations for the war while the war was already being waged...

Timeline of important events

23 June

beginning of the summer break and on the following day – the nation-wide celebration of Sea Days

2 July

Jakub Bujak, Janusz Klarner, Adam Karpiński and Stefan Bernadzikiewicz are the first climbers to reach the top of Nanda Devi (7000 m.a.s.l) in the Himalayas

3 July

Marian Chodacki, General Commissioner of Poland in the Free City of Danzig, sends his report to Warsaw, warning the authorities of mounting tension between the two nationalities

6 July

The Council of Ministers, having cut down expenditure in other sections of the budget, earmarks additional 5 million zlotys for supporting the army

10 July

Lieutenant Stanisław Koc and Edward Raczyński, Ambassador to the Court of St. James's, return to London to resume talks about British aid for Poland. In his speech delivered in the House of Commons, Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, confirms his intention to support the Second Polish Republic

11 July

The first news of strengthened relations between the Third Reich and the Soviet Union reaches Warsaw

13 July

The Third Reich puts pressure on France, demanding that it keep away from the “area of German interest”

14 July

construction work on Polish fortifications commences north of Mława (“Mława Line”)

15 July

Poles celebrate the anniversary of Polish victory in the Battle of Grunwald

16 July

Polish President Ignacy Mościcki takes part in the ceremony of beginning harvest in Spała

17 July

British Inspector-General of Overseas Forces General Edmund Ironside, visits Poland (until 21 July)

20 July

an incident at the border between Poland and the Free City of Danzig, near the town of Trzcianka: a Polish soldier was killed while trying to stop Danzig municipal guards from illegal crossing of the border

22 July

50 Renault R-35 tanks are delivered to Poland from France

23 July

a speech delivered by Albert Forster, NSDAP Gauleiter of Danzig, clearly shows that military preparations targeted against Poland are being carried out in the Free City of Danzig

25 July

Polish cryptographers Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Różycki and Henryk Zygalski pass to the Brits the results of their work and one unit of the German cipher machine Enigma

26 July

German and Soviet delegations agree on expanding the scope of their talks to also include political matters

27 July

local floods in Poland

29 July

Joachim von Ribbentrop instructs the German ambassador in Moscow to pass to the Soviet side a proposal of a treaty

30 July

negotiations are held in London on offering Poland a loan for rearmament of the Polish army; a day later, during a debate in the House of Commons, some opinions in favour of it are expressed

2 August

conclusion of the Polish-English loan agreement with the loan amount earmarked for military purposes (8 million pounds)

3 August

car of the General Commissioner of Poland in the Free City of Danzig, carrying the customs inspector named Siekierski, is assaulted with petards at border of the Free City and East Prussia

4-5 August

relations between the Second Polish Republic and the Free City of Danzig become very tense when the municipal authorities obstruct work of Polish customs officers

6 August

anniversary of marching out of the First Cadre Company from Oleandry Street in Krakow

9 August

Ambassador of the Third Reich in Poland Hans von Moltke is instructed to remain in Germany. He is forbidden to talk to the Polish side

10 August

Mirosław Arciszewski, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister, during his meeting with the German chargé d"affaires, firmly opposes German involvement in the problems between Poland and the Free City of Danzig

12 August

Talks between military delegations from Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union commence in Moscow – their topic is to be a trilateral agreement

13 August

the second partial emergency mobilisation is ordered in Poland

14 August

Marshal Kliment Voroshilov asks French and British diplomats about the possible entry of the Red Army units into the territory of the Second Polish Republic in case of German invasion of Poland

15 August

after the declaration made by von Ribbentrop on the previous day regarding his interest in making an official visit to Moscow, talks commence to facilitate it Poles celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw of 1920

16 August

French diplomats attempt to convince Poles to accept the Soviets' proposal of their intervention in case of war

17 August

Wojciech Korfanty dies. He was a politician and journalist, Polish nationalist activist in Silesia, one of the leaders of the Polish Christian Democracy Party

18 August

military attachés of Great Britain and France urge Poles to accept the Soviets' proposals of their intervention in case of war; the Polish side declines, which is officially confirmed by Minister Józef Beck on the following day

20 August

Hitler asks Stalin to meet with von Ribbentrop no later than on 23 August – Stalin agrees on the following day

21 August

German police in Silesia seals up Polish libraries and printing houses

22 August

state of alertness is proclaimed in military offices and the emergency mobilisation of border forces in Poland commences; in the meantime Hitler chooses the date of 26 August as the day of invasion

23 August

in Moscow, von Ribbentrop and Molotov sign a non-aggression pact for ten years. It is accompanied by a secret annex which stipulates the partition of Poland and delineates areas under control of the Soviet Union and the Third Reich

24 August

card-based mobilisation commences in Poland Pál Teleki, Hungarian Prime Minister, in his telegram to Hitler, in response to his question about potential Hungarian involvement in the military attack on Poland, writes that Hungary will not participate in any military operation against Poland for moral reasons

25 August

A treaty of mutual aid between the Second Polish Republic and Great Britain is signed in London The “Schleswig-Holstein” battleship arrives in Gdańsk as part of a “friendly visit” Mussolini refuses to fight Poland as a German ally; Hitler cancels his decision on the attack

26 August

Hitler orders that the attack on Poland commences on 1 September. Soviet ambassador Nikolai Sharonov meets with Minister Beck in Warsaw. The meeting is to demonstrate that despite the pact signed with the Third Reich, the Soviet Union wishes to cultivate friendly relations with Poland

27 August

Poles dig air raid trenches In response to the proposals of peace made by the French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier, Hitler firmly demands the Free City of Danzig and an extraterritorial transport corridor through Pomerania

28 August

food rationing system (food stamps) is introduced in the Third Reich without any previous warning. It is meant to be part of the war economy

30 August

President of the Second Polish Republic orders general mobilisation

31 August

at 00:30 a.m. Adolf Hitler signs the orders that determine the final date of the invasion of Poland – 1 September, at 4:45 a.m.

Józef Lipski, Polish Ambassador in Berlin, sends do the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the text of the German ultimatum that he has received from his British colleague. In the evening it is read out during a public broadcast aired by Deutschlandsender radio. At the same time the public is falsely informed that the ultimatum has been delivered to the Polish side which has rejected it. In Gliwice, a unit of Sicherheitsdienst (German intelligence agency), whose members pretend to be Silesian resistance fighters, attacks a German radio station as part of the “Himmler” operation

Everyday life

The everyday life of July and August in 1939 simple went on, as if ignoring the events of great international politics. Towards the end of June, the Days of Sea were celebrated, while during the following weeks numerous sport events took place. In the meantime, holidaymakers enjoyed the beautiful summer in seaside and mountain resorts. Those that could not leave eagerly frequented municipal swimming pools and other places of recreation.

During the hot summer some local floods and hailstorms took place. Newspapers, desperate to find any topic that could hit a headline in those uneventful months, covered them in detail. Not to be missed were the annual holidays and celebrations – sacrosanct dates in the summer calendar: the anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw in 1920, of the Battle of Grunwald (which gained whole new significance due to the tension between Poland and the Third Reich), country fairs, harvest festivals, etc.

A major success of that time was the climb of Polish travellers to the top of the 7,000 m high Nanda Devi in the Himalayas, which brought the death of two of the climbers. Because of that, much was written about “the curse of goddess Kali-Nanda”, which was part of the contemporary obsession with studying paranormal phenomena. In fact, the pages of Polish newspapers were filled with adverts of all sorts of fortune tellers, palm readers, clairvoyants and all kinds of mediums. Were any of them actually able to foretell what was to happen in two months?

EMPTY SOPOT

Sopot is witnessing total stagnation. There are fewer than 2,000 health resort visitors in the city, while in the same period last year there were 32,000 of them.

“Dobry Wieczór! Kurjer Czerwony” afternoon daily ["Good Evening! Red Courier"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 5 July.

Cover of “Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 28 of 9 July 1939

Caption under the photo: “Life's beautiful”

collection of the Warsaw University Library

Article entitled “Let's go to the seaside!” published in “Gazeta Lwowska” biweekly [Lviv Gazette], no. 160 of 19 July 1939

collection of the State Archive in Przemyśl

Warsaw. Swimming pool in Łazienkowska Street, July 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Advertisement of Palmolive cream with the slogan “Sport beauty cream”

“HEIL HITLER” ON DANISH EGGS

London, 3.8. “One of the English egg companies has found a few eggs marked with a swastika and ‘Heil Hilter’ caption in a box of Danish eggs delivered by the Chrystensen company. The Danish company suspects that the box was opened at some point during its transport by train.

“Kurjer Polski” afternoon daily ["Polish Courier"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 4 August.

Harvest in the area of Stalowa Wola

collection of the National Digital Archives

Cover of “Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 34 of 20 July 1939

The caption under the photo says “Harvest festival”

collection of the Warsaw University Library

President Ignacy Mościcki visits the harvest festival in Spała, “Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly [Illustrated Weekly],

no. 30 of 23 July 1939

collection of the Digital Library of the University of Lodz

Advertisement of Sfinks “a coffee substitute”

CHILDREN ARE NOT ENTITLED TO DISCOUNTS ON LUXTORPEDAS AND EXPRESS TRAINS

In light of recent events, namely parents requesting 75% discounts for their children's tickets during the promotional week, the management of PKP has explained that such discounts do not apply to express trains and the so-called luxtorpedas [first-class only railcars].

“Nasz Przegląd” daily ["Our Review"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 18 July.

Head-on collision of two trains of the Wilanów Railway, 17 July 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

“Shocking disaster on the Wilanów Railways: 7 people killed, 200 injured”

“Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 27 of 2 July 1939, a photo report showing the consequence

of a hailstorm that passed over Silesia

collection of the Warsaw University Library

“Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 32 of 6 August 1939, global and domestic news page

Among them – photos from the areas affected by summer floods

collection of the Warsaw University Library

Bogumin. Residents are watching a car driving along a flooded street, 27 July 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

STAMPS STOLEN FROM POST OFFICE

Post stamps worth 700 zlotys were stolen from the Warsaw 13 post office (Leszno 5). The crime was committed by two ruffians who have not been identified yet. One of them managed to catch sight of the mail clerk that was sitting behind the counter. He went out and called her from somewhere in the city, claiming that he was her brother. Once she left the counter, the partner of the man who made the phone call went behind the counter. From a steel security box he took out a folder containing stamps worth 700 zlotys. He did that s. quickly and with such dexterity that other clerks did not notice a thing. Only when the woman returned to her desk did she become aware of the theft. Alarm was raised, but the thief was not caught.

“Wieczór Warszawski” daily ["Warsaw Evening"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 25 July.

A photo report from the funeral ceremony and a memorial article about Wojciech Korfanty

“Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 34 of 20 July 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

Articles about the Polish expedition to the top of the Nanda Devi:

“Ilustracja Polska”, ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 31 of 30 July 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

“Ilustracja Polska”, ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 32 of 6 August of 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

CAB COMPETITION

In mid-September the Association of Car Cabs Owners is to organise a very interesting event titled: “The first competitive ride” for car cabs. Competition rules have already been developed. It will include driving along a circular route over the distance of 50 km within greater Warsaw, tests of driving competence based on familiarity with traffic regulations valid in cities, test of parking accuracy, tests of sensing the expected speed of driving through the city, etc. The cars will be divided into three classes: cabs licensed to transport two passengers, three passengers and five passengers.

“Gazeta Polska” daily ["Polish Newspaper"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 15 August.

Waiters proving their dexterity during a race, Warsaw, July 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

A photo report from the Polish Athletics Championships in Poznań,

“Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 29 of 16 July 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

A photo report from the rowing regattas on Gopło Lake,

“Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 30 of 23 July 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

Advertisement of Cherys teeth soap of “exquisite taste”

CONSTRUCTION BOOM IN THE CAPITAL CITY

110 new residential houses are being built.

In June, the Construction Supervision Department of the Municipal Authority approved 227 construction designs of which 110 were for residential houses, 36 – for car garages; while the remaining ones – extensions or modifications of existing buildings, construction of shops, commercial kiosks, fuel pipes, etc.

“Gazeta Polska” daily ["Polish Newspaper"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 15 July

“Tour of Poland” Bicycle Race, “Ilustracja Polska” ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 1 of 30 July 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

International Tennis Championship in Poland, Toruń, August, 1939

On the court – Milan Konjović from Yugoslavia

collection of the National Digital Archives

A photo report from the Polish Championship Regatta in Poznań, in the bottom right corner a photo from a tennis match

“Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 34 of 20 August 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

Advertisement of the Chevrolet car – winner of the 12th International Rally Race organised by the Polish Automobile Association

OF ART OF WALKING IN THE TIMES OF MOTORISATION

Statistics showing that our life is more and more saturated with mechanical means of transport puts a human being – equipped with only his legs to move – in a very difficult position. He is probably happy to see the numbers going up: news of exceeding the number of 60,000 cars and motorcycles on our roads, but at the same time, he feels disadvantaged as in the capital city he is one in 100 residents (meaning: 100 pedestrians per one car). Such a contrast, proving enormous social inequality, puts him in a mean mood. A person that occasionally has to enter the road is likely to attribute all the dangers and threats that await him there to annoying drivers exceeding the permissible speed, or to other antics of bikers and people behind wheels. In the great modern city one can almost sense pedestrians' hostility towards drivers.

Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly ["Illustrated Weekly"], no. 31, 30 July 1939, p. 604.

Photos from the country fair in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska (15 August 1939):

Ben-Karin's Circus

collection of the National Digital Archives

Fortune-telling device

collection of the National Digital Archives

Pilgrims on the paths in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska

collection of the National Digital Archives

Cover of the “Światowid” weekly, no. 35 of 27 August 1939

collection of Książnica Pomorska

End of summer celebration by the Polish sea, “Światowid” weekly no. 36 of 3 September 1939

collection of the Jagiellonian Library

Bit of comic relief

AUTHENTIC STORY

It almost makes me feel ashamed – the way people keep complaining about the Social Insurance Company. It is not really that bad as everyone says...

They accuse the Insurance company of performing sloppy medical examinations, of prescribing the cheapest medicine, of refusing to send people for treatments at holiday resorts... But here's a real story proving that the situation is not all that bad:

A patient comes to one of the Insurance company's doctors. The doctor is awfully polite. Although the patient looks healthy as a donkey, or maybe a horse, he is asked to undress. The doctor examines him as meticulously as he can. Taps his body, asks him to demonstrate the tongue... He diligently examines the heart, lungs, spleen, cecum, etc. But that's not enough! He calls in a panel of doctors for consultation.

The whole team mollycoddles the patient; they literately kowtow to him. They test, tap, look at the tongue, prescribe tonnes of medications. But not the plain old aspirin, iodine or castor oil. We are talking about the fanciest and most expensive medications. In the end, the doctors unanimously deicide to send the patient to some mountain resort in Zakopane or maybe to Jastarnia by the sea – whichever he chooses, all costs covered by the Company!

The treatment works like a charm. He recovers in no time. After six weeks of health leave he feels great and is ready to go back to work. Healthy, energetic and greatly relaxed he can now resume his duties – that of Vice-President of the Social Insurance Company.

FELIX

“Wróble Na Dachu” weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 32, 7 August 1939, p. 7.

A satirical cartoon and a tongue-in-cheek story commenting on the visit made in mid-June 1939 by Joseph Goebbels, Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, to the Free City of Danzig.

“Wróble Na Dachu” weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 27, 2 July 1939

(caption under the drawing: “Minister Goebbels – look... look... this one's a saw, too.” In Polish the word “piła” means both the tool and the act of drinking – frequently alcohol.)

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

A cartoon that comments of reputedly “tourist” visits of Germans in the Free City of Danzig

Cover of “Wróble Na Dachu” weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 28, 9 July 1939

(caption under the cartoon: “Gdansk Cabinet”)

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

The Third Reich and the Polish-British relations

Cover of “Wróble Na Dachu” weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 30, 23 July 1939

(caption under the cartoon: “Storks are flying to Poland from England” – Listen up, Hans! There are two more storks coming to Poland – shoot them down on sight and take the carcasses to the cook...’)

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

Joseph Goebbels – mocked by the cartoon

“Wróble Na Dachu” weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 31, 30 July 1939

(caption under the cartoon: “The voice of its master. Is that true that all the radio speeches of the Minister of Propaganda are delivered by his parrot?

– Not all, only the best ones!)

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

SLOGANS INSTEAD OF BUTTER!

You hear all sorts of

slogans in the Reich...

Some of the most popular are:

“Cannons instead of butter!”

Perhaps one should add

a few more:

“Tanks instead of cheese!”

“Bombs instead of bread!”

“Mines instead of wines!”

“Poisonous gases instead of coffee!”

“Petrol instead of sugar!”

“Bullets instead of meatballs!”

“Pellets instead of caviar!”

“Raider ships instead of sausages!”

“Greases instead of animal fat!”

“Instead of Gdańsk – nothing!!!”

FELIX ZANDLER.

“Wróble Na Dachu” weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 35, 27 August 1939, p. 2.

“Tour of Poland” Bicycle Race in the eyes of the cartoonist of the “Wróble Na Dachu"weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"]

"Wróble Na Dachu" weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 32, 6 August 1939

(caption: Hey, Driver – I bet you I'll win this stage of race)

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

About the negotiations between the western powers and the Soviet Union

“Wróble Na Dachu” weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 34, 20 August 1939

(caption: “Direct” Aggression, “Indirect” Aggression, As we know, the people in Moscow have been racking their brains trying to find the right definitions of these two terms, hence negotiations have been delayed.)

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

Hitler is being pushed to attack Poland

“Wróble Na Dachu” weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 35, 27 August 1939

(caption: “Keep going and hit hard!”)

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

Comment on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

Cover of “Wróble Na Dachu” weekly ["Sparrows on the Roof"], no. 36, 3 September 1939

(caption: Friendly German-Soviet relations And one more uniform for “comrade Goering”)

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

State

The functioning of the Second Polish Republic in the last months of its existence did not merely boil down to diplomatic attempts to ensure international safety to Poland and to avert the catastrophic deterioration of its relations with the Third Reich. Work was in progress on the investments commended in the second half of 1936 as part of the project of creating the Central Industrial Region. Newspapers enthused about electrification and extending the radio coverage in the state, referring to the bold visions presented in “15-year Plan of Poland's Development” assumed for 1939–1954.

Much attention was paid to uniting the nation around the notion of Polish sovereignty. In practical terms, this goal was achieved by highlighting the importance of state holidays and anniversaries that were somehow linked to Poland's rebirth. Of no lesser importance was the idea of “people for the army, army for the people”, which was reflected in the fund-raising activity of the National Defence Fund, Maritime Defence Fund and Air Force Loan. It helped secure financial means and purchase equipment for the Polish Army. In addition, attempts were made to present the army as the sole protector, in fact a guarantor of independence. Was not military effort, supported with political activity, the driving force behind the creation of the Second Polish Republic?

Building of social confidence (brutally shuttered in September 1939) in the development and vigour of the young state was meant to nullify the fear of approaching war.

Development

MAGNIFICENT TRANSPORT ROUTE IS BEING BUILT ALONG WYBRZEŻE GDAŃSKIE AND WYBRZEŻE GDYŃSKIE

(sections of the Vistula River banks in Warsaw)

In August 1935, the Warsaw municipality began construction of a massive transport route along Wybrzeże Gdańskie and Gdyńskie which would link Żoliborz district with Nowy Zjazd. Fieldstone was used during work which ended in 1936. Due to a very large size of embankments created in the course of construction and settlement of soils, it was impossible to deliver even surface right away. After two years of operation, namely last year, when the settlement process ended, asphalt was laid over the total distance of 3,100 m.

“Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly ["Illustrated Weekly"], no. 31, 30 July 1939, p. 604.

Gdynia needs industrialisation, economic supplement to “Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny”,

Illustrated Daily Courier’, no. 199 of 21 July 1939

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

A poster showing the objectives of the 15-year Plan of Poland's Development

collection of the Museum of Independence

The ceremony of blessing the motorbikes of the State Police Privates' Club on the Marshal Józef Pilsudski Square in Warsaw,

20 August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Construction of Stalowa Wola Steelworks, 25 August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Advertisement: “Travel with LOT Polish Airlines”

POLISH RADIO PROGRAMME

Thursday – 31 August

6.30: Morning programme

8.20: Sport news

12.03: Afternoon programme

14.45: “The Residence in Zagórze” – a programme for teenagers

15.00: Popular music from Wilno.

16.20: Folk dance songs – a music programme.

16.45: “Witnesses of the former glory” – a documentary about museums.

17.00: Dance music.

18.00: Beethoven's Quartet in E-flat major – playback from records.

19.00: “Great sea voyages”: “Tremolino” – a chapter from “The Mirror of the Sea” by J. Conrad.

19.20: At supper – a leisure concert.

20.25: Programme for rural listeners.

21.00: Violin miniature concerts by W. Niemczyk.

21.30: “Alarm in the camp” – a radio play.

22.00: English songs and arias – by Ewa Bandrowska-Turska.

22.30: Concert by the New York Philharmonic (records).

23.15: Polish chamber music concert.

Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly ["Illustrated Weekly"], no. 35, 27 August 1939.

Construction of the water dam on the Dunajec River in Rożnowo, August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Construction of the water dam on the Dunajec River in Rożnowo, August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

The achievements of the Polish industry are applauded in the USA,

“Ilustrowany Kuryer Codzienny” ["Illustrated Daily Courier"], no. 206 of 28 July 1939

collection of the Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

University students from Legia Akademicka [Academic Legion] during physical labour at the camp in Grandzicze,

August 1939

In the photo you can see editorial markings on the frame as well as light and dark lines increasing contrast between its components

collection of the National Digital Archives

A propaganda drawing: “Gdynia and Gdańsk are Silesia's lungs, while Polish warships are its shield.”

Anniversaries

PREPARATIONS FOR GRUNWALD

The Polish Army marching towards Grunwald crossed this very bridge. The infamous “Drang nach Osten” was stopped. However, “pushing eastward” revives again and again on the pages of history. We are now witnessing a new wave of Germanic imperialism. In the ideological sense, it does not differ much from the medieval Crusades. Klaipeda is already in the German hands. Lithuania once again gets on well with the Crown [of the Kingdom of Poland]. The expansion of Poland as a powerful country thwarts all imperialist plans in the Baltic area. The heirs of the Teutonic Order should better remember the bold words of Józef Piłsudzki: “Our rebirth will completely break into pieces and annihilate Prussia.”

“Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly ["Illustrated Weekly"], no. 30, 23 July 1939, p. 570.

Celebration of the Days of the Sea in Gdynia. Representatives of the state authorities on the platform.

Among them: Deputy Prime Minister Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski (releasing a dove into the air),

Rear Admiral Joseph Unrug (3rd from the left),

Bishop of Chełm Stanisław Okoniewski (4th from the left),

auxiliary bishop of Chełm Konstanty Dominik (2nd from the left).

In the photo you can see editorial markings on the frame as well as light and dark lines increasing contrast between its components.

collection of the National Digital Archives

A commemorative article about the anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald,

“Ilustrowany Kuryer Codzienny” ["Illustrated Daily Courier"], no. 194 of 16 July 1939

zbiory Biblioteki Publicznej m. st. Warszawy

Nowy Bogumin, 20 August 1939, one of the teams crosses the finish line of the march

organised to commemorate the anniversary of the beginning of the Second Silesian Uprising

collection of the National Digital Archives

Beer advertisement

WARNING

In his recent interview for an American newspaper, Marshal Śmigły-Rydz declared that if an attempt was made to take over Gdańsk, Poland would fight – even if it had to fight alone, with no allies on its side. This statement clearly proves how determined Poles are and how eager they are to fight; however, it does not mean that any dissonance appeared in the relations between Warsaw, Paris and London or that solidarity of the three nations has been breached – which would give Germany tremendous satisfaction. If the decision-makers in Berlin had any hopes in this respect, they must have felt disappointed when, on 6 August, the Marshal clearly stated:

“It is my duty – and I dare say, a very pleasurable one – to say, feeling overwhelmed with emotions and esprit de corps, that Poland has some good friends among the nations of the world who understand its condition and have expressed their will to help us”.

“Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly ["Illustrated Weekly"], no. 33, 13 August 1939, p. 631.

Legionnaires' Reunion in Krakow, 6 August 1939

Ceremony in Oleandry Street. Arrival of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły

(in the front, second from the right)

In the background: Monument of Legionnaires' War Effort

collection of the National Digital Archives

Legionnaires' Reunion in Krakow, 6 August 1939

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lieutenant Józef Beck among the legionnaires that have congregated in the Błonia Park in Krakow

collection of the National Digital Archives

Cover of “Tygodnik Ilustrowany” ["Ilustrated Weekly"], no. 33 of 13 August 1939

The photo on the cover is a photo montage. In reality, the rostrum was located at a far greater distance from the audience

(which is proved by, amongst others, distorted perspective)

collection of the Digital Library of the University of Lodz

Anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw – ceremony of the Soldier's Day in Poznań

National Defence Battalion during the parade in front of the Emperor's Castle

collection of the National Digital Archives

Advertisement of cognac

Nation with the army

ALL MEN UP TO 50 YEARS OF AGE MUST CLARIFY THEIR MILITARY STATUS

The Army Department at the City Office in Warsaw sets up additional draft commissions to which all men born in 1918 or older, up to 50 years of age, will report, who have yet not settled their military status. Such persons will receive calls by name from the army department (10 Floriańska Street).

“Gazeta Polska” daily ["Polish Newspaper"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, July 12.

Krakow, handover of silver trumpets to the army, funded by the “Batory” steelworks, August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Cover of “Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 27 of 2 July 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

A photo-story: The same spirit in the army and the nation!(celebration of the Polish Army Day)

“Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 34 of 20 August 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

A propaganda picture: We want a strong navy and colonies!

RADIO AS A LINK BETWEEN THE ARMY AND THE NATION

During the merry days of Army"s national holidays, or handover of military equipment, crowds of people enthusiastically cheering the Army connect with it spiritually. Numerous groups of visitors from different parts of the country join the celebrations. But there are hundreds of thousands or even millions of people living in the most remote parts of the country who can only rely on the radio to listen to the rhythm of marching divisions, to lively march melodies and who experience ceremonial moments only when listening to the words of the reporter. And in such cases, a soldier melody or broadcast coverage of the celebration evoke colourful images of remote yet dear moments. In moments like that, the radio becomes a link which combines all the listeners into one huge Army. But these are festive days.

Everyday work in the Army calls for calm and concentration. Therefore it is difficult for the society to get closer to the army life. And this normal life of the Army, which is especially attractive for a civilian, has been brought to the attention of the general public thanks to a microphone. The microphone – installed in common rooms, theatre rooms, or even barracks – tells a story of everyday military life. It"s a hard life but an attractive one, and at times full of military humour. Think of all the joyful moments that our broadcast has brought not only to army cadets but to a wide group of radio listeners as well. Programmes from the Officer Cadet Schools which were aired for the first time on the Polish Radio last year, as well as programmes about soldiers and programmes for recruits hosted by the Wojskowy Instytut Naukowo-Oświatowy help civilians learn more about the atmosphere of military life; while for those who have not been in the Army yet, they have huge pedagogical and propaganda significance.

“Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly ["Illustrated Weekly"], no. 36, 3 September 1939.

Consecration of bicycles for the army, funded by the workers of M. Ciurzyński works in Poraj near Częstochowa, July 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Handover of the RWD-8 planes to the army, Szczuczyn in Nowygród Province, July 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Cover of the “Światowid” weekly no. 36 of 3 September 1939

At the bottom of the cover a caption: “We swear to you, our Commander in Chief, to do our duty till the very end”

collection of the Jagiellonian Library

Caption: “Are you a member of the Air and Anti-gas Defence League?”

Mounting tension

The political situation in the summer of 1939 resulted from the German policy realised practically since the 1920s targeted against the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles and countries of Eastern Europe; it also resulted from the Third Reich's expansion to the East, as outlined by Adolf Hitler in “Mein Kampf”. Claims related to the Free City of Danzig, formation of an ex-territorial motorway and a railway route via Poland's Pomerania and Poland's accession to the Anti-Comintern Pact were presented on 24 October 1938 by Joachim von Ribbentrop during his conversation with Poland's ambassador in Berlin – Józef Lipski.

On 15 March 1939, Hitler forced the President of Czechoslovakia Emil Hách, who was at that time in Berlin, to turn Czech, Moravia and Czech Silesia (which has not been incorporated into the Third Reich as a result of the Munich Agreement) into an autonomic administrative unit, dependant on Germany, called the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia; on 21 March 1939, Hitler sent an official memorandum to the Polish government in which he once again tackled the issues of the transit road and the Free City of Danzig. Until that moment, the fact that such pressure had been exerted on the Second Republic and that the talks on the matter had been held was unknown to the Polish and international public opinion – not even to the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces. Poland's reply to these actions was a secret and partial mobilisation on 23 March, as well as an official dismissal of the German memorandum three days later.

In July and August, one could observe in Poland increased activity aiming at raising fitness of the whole society. Air and anti-gas defence training was intensified along with the training of the Polish Red Cross; at recreational camps of Polish factory workers much attention was paid to keep-fit exercises. It was a sign of awareness that another war would engage civilians to a much greater extent that WWI. Cases of speculation with basic necessity items were severely punished.

The holiday months of 1939 became a climax period for the tension on the international arena – on the one hand, it was affected by signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (governments of Western allies of Poland were aware of the existence of a secret annex to it), while on the other hand – by the mutual agreement and guarantees between the governments of Poland, Great Britain and France. It was a peak of what Polish and foreign press called “white war” – a war of nerves in which both sides showed only some of their cards to force the opponent to change his position. As 17 September 1939 showed, one of the main Third Reich's cards remained covered for Poland until the very end.

ON GAS SAFETY

Due to the political situation, the society takes keen interest in the possibility of enemy"s air raids, and in particular – in the possibility of using toxic gases during attacks. People also wish to know how to defend themselves against the results of gas bombs attacks.

This interest is accompanied by certain distress, as the post-war literature and other publications which discuss air and gas attacks are filled with numerous inaccuracies and harmful exaggerations. In addition, many people with insufficient knowledge of the topic create waves of panic and distrust in one's own strength and prudence of the authorities that organised air defences, acting in line with the orders of the Inspector of National Air Defence ... .

As far as the use of military gases is concerned, during air raids over the most important cities and housing developments, one can be sure that such attacks carried out with the sole goal of mass extermination of their inhabitants, are improbable and unreal, while all the stories of such attacks should be treated as symptoms of people"s wild imagination.

Gas bombs – if they ever get to be used during a raid – will comprise only a small part of the load carried by bombarding planes. They will be dropped over cities only to make it more difficult for air defence units to conduct rescue operations, to increase the percent of casualties and material damage, to increase the sense of fear of bombarding among civilians and to make it more difficult to move within a bombarded city or facility.

“Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly ["Illustrated Weekly"], no. 30, 23 July 1939, p. 582.

We will not be pushed away from the Baltic, “Światowid”, no. 27 of 2 July 1939

collection of Książnica Pomorska

Female members of the Military Training for Women exercise putting on R.S.C. gas masks, 18 August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

A propaganda picture: Maritime and Colonial League thanks to Maritime Defense Fund fights for the colonies and raw materials for Poland, and protects communication routes to the colonies

Sanitary training of rescue teams of the Polish Red Cross, supervised by an instructor of the Military Training for Women,

Szczuczyn, 18 August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

ANNOUNCEMENT

It is announced that taking photos or filming – without a prior consent of the Province Office – of any communication devices or facilities is forbidden until further notice. Those that defy this ban are subject to penal liability stipulated in the regulation of the President of Poland of 24 October 1934 on some crimes against State safety (Dz. U.R.P. – Official Journal of the Republic of Poland No. 94 item 851).

Consents are not required in the case of taking photos of people present in the harbour or aboard ships docked in the harbour.

Warsaw, 9 August 1939

(-) Jerzy Paciorkowski

Warsaw province governor.

After: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 9 August.

Front page of “Gazeta Lwowska” ["Lviv Gazette"] of 18 August 1939

collection of the State Archive in Przemyśl

A photo and a map showing the range of Vickers Wellington bombers

“Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 30 of 23 July 1939

Articles of this sort were meant to demonstrate to the society strength of the allied forces, thus convincing them that Poland is safe

collection of the Warsaw University Library

A closed shop of H. Manchajmer, suspected of profiteering on food in Warsaw, August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Queues in front of shops in Warsaw, August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Advertisement: “A grass widower can handle the household on his own thanks to the electric cooker purchased in instalments at Salon Elektrowni Miejskiej”

GERMAN PROPAGANDA HAS SHOWN ITS HANDS

So far only Gdańsk has been mentioned. Berlin has used the argument of Gdańsk being German and willing to be returned to the Reich. However, Germans do not look convincing playing the role of defenders of the oppressed (since there have been no “oppressed” here); also, it was extremely funny to hear the occupants of the Czech refer to the principle of self-determination of nations (but also it showed their unprecedented cynicism). But this is nothing. Germans stuck to their arguments. What is more, they resented “insinuations” of those people who claimed that their intentions were aggressive. All of this was supposed to be “Jewish work”, intrigues of “peace destroyers”, justifying with their false words the hostile policies of the enemies surrounding the innocent Germany... While they, Germans, only want Gdańsk, and some colonies. Nothing else.

The German propaganda has obliged to present this “moderate” position from the moment a claim was made to return Gdańsk to the Third Reich; it was supposed to facilitate the new success. And suddenly, in the recent days, the “meek lamb” roared like a lion. The many arguments concerning Gdańsk did not attract many supports of the German thesis abroad – they only provided humorists with bountiful of materials. Whether being a laughing stock turned out to be too painful for Germans, or their nerves, strained by the “white war”, could not bear it any more, Germans showed their true colours, laying bare the real goals of their campaign.

And so, German newspapers started to write very frankly not only about Gdańsk or Pomerania which constitute a “ridiculous” barrier between Germany and East Prussia, but also about Silesia that suddenly became “an ancient Germanic land”... Wait, there's more! Demands are made to “restore the borders from 1914”! Germans are very open about their plans to conquer the whole of Eastern Europe and they have the gall to “order” France not to get involved in the matters of that part of the continent, as it is only up to Germans to make any decisions in this respect... The final word came from Minister Goebbels, who made an unambiguous statement in the article for the Nazi paper “Angriff”.

He wrote that all the borders in Eastern Europe, demarcated in the times of the Treaty of Versailles had to be revised if lasting peace was to reign in Europe. And there you have it – plain as day. Now we know the German definition of the word “peace”; no one can have any doubts now as to what this country is really trying to achieve...

“Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly ["Illustrated Weekly"], no. 20 August 1939, no. 34, cover.

Advertisement: The perils of war will not affect you if you buy a private family bunker “Bastion”

People of Krakow are busy digging air-raid trenches in the Planty Park, August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Members of the Polish Association of Female Homeland Defenders, headed by Aleksandra Piłsudska, on their way to the area where they will take part in digging air raid trenches, August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

8 August 1939. Funeral of the SS-man Joseph Wessel shot dead by Poles during an incident on the border between Poland and the Free City of Danzig

Film recordings made during the ceremony were later used in the German newsreel “Wochenshau” on 7 September 1939 as an example of Pole's hostile actions against the Third Reich. These actions, together with the “occupation of Danzig” by Poles and their “crimes” against German civilians living in the border area, were presented as the reasons for starting the War by the Third Reich.

collection of the National Digital Archives

“SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN” SHOWED SOME GOOD MANNERS

Yesterday, at 8.00 a.m., the training ship of the German Navy “Schleswig Holstein” arrived at the roadsted of the port of Gdańsk.

As required by the protocol, the ship captain met with the President of Senate, League of Nations High Commissioner, General Commissioner of Poland, the president of Port Council, and with gauleiter Forster. Later the aforementioned persons made a return visit to meet with the captain aboard the ship.

“Kurjer Polski” afternoon daily ["Polish Courier"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 26 August.

INCREASING POLAND'S MILITARY ALERTNESS

Starting from 31 September, all of the following persons that have received white mobilisation cards without the red belt have been called to active military service – regardless of their age, health category and type of weapons (service): reserve forces officers of mass levy and retired soldiers, officer cadets, non-commissioned officers, lance corporals and privates of reserve forces and mass levy, retired non-commissioned officers and those assigned to military service aid. In addition, the following persons that have received neither mobilisations cards nor blue mobilisation certificates have been called to active military service: officers, officer cadets, non-commissioned officers, privates first class and reserve forces privates until 40 years of age.

“Gazeta Polska” daily ["Polish Newspaper"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 31 August.

Cover of “Tygodnik Ilustrowany” ["Ilustrated Weekly"], no. 36 of 3 September 1939

(caption under the photo: Steadfast guard keeps Poland's border safe)

collection of the Digital Library of the University of Lodz

Propaganda slogan: “Rearm Poland at the sea!”

The so-called 16 points – the German ultimatum passed to western ambassadors with the information that Poles have reputedly rejected it. In fact, Polish side only learnt about it via the British ambassador in Berlin:

The situation between the German Reich and Poland is now such that any further incident may provoke rage among the soldiers that hold positions on both sides. Any peaceful solution must be so arranged that the circumstances giving rise to the next situation like the present one could not be repeated. Its goal should be to prevent the occurrence of the current tension in the future – in Eastern Europe, but also in other parts of the world. The reasons for the present situation are:

I Unacceptable demarcation of borders under the Treaty of Versailles.

II Unacceptable treatment of minorities in the areas that were taken from us.

For this reason, by offering the following proposals, the Government of the German Reich believes that a final solution needs to be found that would improve the unacceptable situation resulting from the demarcation of borders, which would provide both parties with crucial transport routes and which would solve the problem of minorities – if it is at all possible – by eliminating it, and if it is not, by providing tolerable life conditions to minorities by respecting their full rights.

The German Government is convinced that it is also necessary to detect and fully compensate for the economic and physical damage that has been suffered since 1918. Of course, that obligation shall be binding for both parties.

The aforementioned consideration results in the following practical proposals:

1. The Free City of Danzig, due to its purely German nature and by the unanimous will of its population, shall immediately return to the German Reich.

2. The area of the so-called Corridor, from the Baltic Sea to the line Kwidzyn - Grudziądz - Chełmno - Bydgoszcz (including those cities), and then to the west from approx. Trzcianka, will decide whether it wishes to belong to Germany or Poland.

3. To facilitate that, voting shall take place in this area. Legitimate voters will be all the Germans who lived in the area on 1 January 1918, or were born there before that date, as well as Poles and Kashubians, etc., that live there or were born the before that date. Germans who were deported from this area will return to vote. To ensure fair voting and to facilitate performance of extensive preparatory work needed to accomplish that, the area referred to above, as well as the Saar Basin, will be subjected to the power of an immediately set up Commission of four powers: Italy, the Soviet Union, France and Great Britain. This Commission shall have all the sovereign rights in the area. For this purpose, the Polish armed forces, Polish police and Polish officials must be removed from this area as soon as possible.

4. The Polish port of Gdynia shall be excluded from the area in question. It shall basically remain part of the Polish territory, being a Polish settlement. Detailed borders of that Polish port city should be determined between Germany and Poland; if necessary, the matter shall be settled by international arbitration.

5. To ensure adequate time for extensive preparatory work necessary to ensure fair voting, the vote will not take place until after the expiry of 12 months.

6. To ensure that in this period Germany has an unlimited transport link to East Prussia while Poland to the sea, roads and railways shall be determined to allow free transit. It shall be permitted to collect only such charges that are necessary to maintain transport links or to carry out transport services.

7. The simple majority of votes cast shall determine which country the area will belong to.

8. In order to provide Germany with unrestrained transport services with its province of East Prussia, and Poland – with the sea, after the vote – regardless of its result – if the area becomes part of Poland, an extraterritorial communication zone shall be established for Germany, more or less towards Bytów - Gdańsk or Tczew, suitable for the construction of motorways and four-track railway. Construction of motorways and railways shall be carried out in such a way that the Polish communication lines shall not be affected by this, namely that the construction would be implemented either over or under them. The width of this zone is to be 1 km, while its area will become part of German territory. Should the vote result in the victory of Germany, Poland – to have free and unrestrained connection with its port of Gdynia – shall receive the same right to an extraterritorial road or railway routes as Germany would have.

9. Should the corridor fall back to Germany, the Reich states its willingness to carry out population exchange proportionally to the size of the Corridor.

10. If Poland wishes to retain some special rights in Gdańsk, they shall be granted if Germany receives analogous rights in Gdynia.

11. To remove any sense of danger in that area, Gdańsk and Gdynia will become purely trade cities, namely no military equipment and fortifications will be located there.

12. The Hel Peninsula, which will fall either to Poland or Germany according to the results of the vote, will be in any case likewise demilitarized.

13. Since the German government has every right to make the most serious accusations against the severe treatment of its ethnic minority, while the Polish government for its part believes that Germans should be persecuted on the same grounds, both parties agree to submit their complaints to the international Investigation Committee the aim of which would be to look into any complaints regarding the economic damage and physical harm and other acts of terrorism. Germany and Poland shall compensate for all economic loss and other damage suffered by both minorities from 1918 or it shall cancel any expropriation they have been subjected to, or it shall pay compensation to the victims of any other violations of economic activity.

14. To ensure that Germans remaining in Poland and Poles remaining in Germany feel protected under international law and, above all, to give them confidence that they will not be forced to perform activities or assume duties inconsistent with their sense of nationality, Germany and Poland agree that the mutual rights of minorities shall be guaranteed under an extensive and binding agreement so that those minorities can appreciate freedom of life, development and activity of their nationality, in particular by giving them the right to organize themselves especially for this purpose. Both parties undertake not to call members of the minorities they supervise to military service.

15. If an agreement is reached on the basis of these proposals, Germany and Poland express their willingness to order and perform immediate demobilization of their armed forces.

16. Further steps necessary to carry out these activities will be jointly agreed upon by Germany and Poland.

Krakow, men reading the announcement of general mobilization

collection of the National Digital Archives

German tanks, cars and motorcycles, ready for invasion of Poland, have been amassed near the border

collection of the National Digital Archives

Local matters

The moods in the regions are best represented by an interview with a resident of Rzeszów, carried out by a chronicler of that days, Franciszek Kotula:

When in late September [1939] political tension was at its worst, when s. many people still hoped that the conflict would be resolved amicably, I visited a lawyer, Józef Liwa, Ph.D., a former MPs, councillor and county chairman of the National Party. I was curious what he would say. He told me the war was inevitable and that it would be a hard one, but Germany is bound to lose it. He explained to me that the Polish policies towards Germany were disastrous, that Poland had itself to blame for letting Germany grow s. strong, that Poland was only reaping the fruits of its own political actions, that Minister Beck should face a court trial. A the same time, he added:

– My son is already in the army, in Przemyśl. I went to see him yesterday (on Sunday). There are lots of them there, all of them young lads, well brought-up. You should see the excellent mood they are in. Sir, they are full of joy. His mother thought he'd be depressed, but he was happy; she returned home much calmer. Generally speaking, soldiers are in excellent spirits. I felt s. proud looking at them. They are good Polish boys, you know. If there's a war, I'm volunteering for the army. I don't see myself doing anything else but that. If you spent s. many years bring in up the youth, you just have to set an example today!

Franciszek Kotula, “Times and people”, manuscript in preparation.

In the Second Polish Republic, the area of today's Rzeszów region was part of Lviv Province, and the city itself was an urban district since 1939. Before the war it numbered 40,000 residents. This resulted from the implementation of the project of building the Central Industrial Region (Centralny Okręg Przemysłowy – COP). As part of the project, a latches and artillery equipment factory was built in Rzeszów (branch of Cegielski Works from Poznan – presently the Zelmer company) and a PZL's aircraft engine factory (currently WSK PZL Rzeszów).

Dynamic development along with establishment of COP affected also other cities in the region: near Rozwadów steel works were built as well as a weapon factory (Southern Plant) and a new city – Stalowa Wola. In Dębica – paint and synthetic rubber factory, in Mielec – State Aviation Works (PZL), in Dębno – Ammunition Factory no. 3. There was too little time to start production in Chemical Works in Nowa Sarzyna or to complete the Metallurgical Plant in Tarnobrzeg.

Let me start with August [1939] when very many men were called to service, when everything suggested that the war was imminent. What did common people think? They were neither terrified nor enthusiastic. The general population, and in particular those that were interested the most, namely the conscripts, saw the whole affair as an adventure of sorts and, as I have already mentioned, they did not look by any means afraid. But neither were they too eager. Men considered military service to be their duty that needed to be fulfilled with diligence and to the best of one's abilities. Life went on, everybody worked hard, many things were getting built, huge amounts were invested.

The wiser people who had a better understanding of the situation and knew more about modern warfare (there was but a handful of those) looked into the future with fear and dread; they prayed to God for a peaceful solution. The calmness of the general population can be also attributed to the typically Polish disregard for anything that may happen in the more distant future. There were also some weird adventure seekers, obsessed with games and dangers, who literally asked God for the war as they found peaceful, repetitive everyday life too tedious.

Even in early August newspapers started to hint that it would be a good idea to get some food provisions. Most people just ignored it; those who didn't were laughed at. Nobody thought the war would happen, they did believe the official propaganda claiming that Germans would not dare start the war.

Franciszek Kotula, “Times and people”, manuscript in preparation.

Presenting a heavy machine gun to the army. It was founded by the Association of War Veterans in Sanok county, August 1939

collection of the National Digital Archives

Excerpt from the minutes of the proceeding of the Rzeszów City Council of July and August 1939

collection of the State Archive in Rzeszów

Excerpt from the minutes of the proceeding of the Rzeszów City Council of July and August 1939

collection of the State Archive in Rzeszów

Excerpt from the minutes of the proceeding of the Rzeszów City Council of July and August 1939

collection of the State Archive in Rzeszów

A photo report from the visit of President Mościcki in Stalowa Wola. “Światowid” weekly, no. 26 of 25 June 1939

zbiory Biblioteki Sejmowej

A photocopy of the proclamation to farmers

collection of the State Archive in Rzeszów

Advertisement of the SHL motorcycle

In late August [1939] the tension got even worse. You could almost smell gun powder in the air. Everyone hurried to banks, but restrictions on withdrawals were imposed. Finally, in the last days of September, shopping frenzy started, with food being in the greatest demand. Again, malicious hysteria. Not s. long ago, they could not care less and now they were in panic. It was s. obsessive that, on the one hand, the authorities had to reassure them again and again that there would be no shortages, but on the other hand, they had to impose severe penalties for spreading panic.

During the last days of August, people were ordered to dig shelters in case of an attack. One has to admit that the society did that willingly rather than because of the order, perhaps in fear of losing their lives; mostly it was done by the Jews who dug those trenches in no time. Both boys and girls dug, which provided an excellent opportunity to flirt. The trenches were then covered with logs bought on credit from Jewish warehouses by the city authorities. There was lots of those logs all around the city. When Germans came [to the city], one day people stole all that wood within a few hours.

Franciszek Kotula, “Times and people”, manuscript in preparation.

A photocopy of the proclamation to the workers of Cegielski Works

collection of the State Archive in Rzeszów

A Warning against food hiding and speculation

collection of the State Archive in Rzeszów

A poster calling upon the public to dig air raid trenches

collection of the State Archive in Rzeszów

An instructional poster – What to do in case an air raid

collection of the State Archive in Rzeszów

Beyond the borders

The “White War” in Eastern Europe became a topic of articles published in Western European and American newspapers. The former usually focused on anxiety experienced by their own societies that nervously followed the latest developments and changes in relations between Poland and Germany. The American press, on the other hand, tried to explain to Americans the intricacies of European politics, presenting opinions on what may potentially happen next. An open question was – what is the USA going to do if it comes to war?

Such materials reached Poland and excerpts from them were often reprinted in Polish periodicals, or sometimes Polish journalists would make reference to the opinions of foreign colleagues. Favourable articles were used to create an image of Poland that had strong allies ready to defend it (which was exemplified with articles and photo reports about military preparations in Western Europe), while critical articles (mostly German) were used to demonstrate the hypocrisy and hostility of enemy propagandists, as well as the methods German newspapers resorted to in order to give Poland a bad name.

ILL-ADVISED TACTICS...

When one observes the German operation against Poland, it is easy to find out how the whole thing has been planned. On the one hand, Germany strives to provoke various incidents and spread alarmist news to annoy Poles as much as they can, to wear them down psychologically, to make them more eager to make concessions by constantly threatening them with the war. On the outside, however, the German propaganda tries to prove our reputed belligerence; they claim that Poland is the provocative factor which thwarts any attempts to solve the matter amicably. By "exposing" Poland's "rouge plans", German propagandists wish to create a distrust between Paris, London and Warsaw which may result in hindering the cooperation between the three capital cities.

However, Poland's valour is sincerely admired in the West. A very good example is the famous speech made by Mr. Dalton MP in the House of Commons who asked British Prime Minister: Would Her Majesty's Government be willing to express the admiration felt in Britain for the calm, courage and self-control demonstrated by our Polish allies in the face of the current situation?" And then Prime Minister Chamberlain said, which was loudly applauded by the whole House of Commons: "The British government thinks very highly of the position taken by the Polish government." Does this require any comments?

“Tygodnik Ilustrowany” weekly ["Illustrated Weekly"], no. 28, 9 July 1939, p. 536.

EXCELLENT CONDITION OF THE POLISH ARMY – SAY FRENCH NEWSPAPERS

Paris (ATE). R. Cartier, in a series of articles written from Poland, describes on the pages of “Epoque” with great enthusiasm the Polish Army. He believes that every Polish division is equal to best of European divisions. When evaluating Polish soldiers whose barracks he visited, the French journalist lists their good morale, peak physical form and great combat skills.

“Nasz Przegląd” daily ["Our Review"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 21 July.

Cover of “Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"], no. 35 of 27 August 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

CRISIS NO. 7: DANZIG

The whole world suddenly thought it knew the answer last week to the great question of which way Hitler is going to jump next The world's answer was Poland. The pretext was the Free City of Danzig, a ward of the league of Nations whose finances and customs are legally controlled by Poland and whose citizens are unequivocally German. Germany would benefit scarcely at all by the addition of the 754 square miles and 407,000 people of Danzig. Poland would not particularly suffer by their loss, having a much better port in Gdynia, right next door to Danzig. Hut the Poles feel certain that Danzig would be only the first step in the gobbling of the whole Polish Corridor to the Baltic Sea.

Last week's case of nerves was based on relatively small facts. It was Polish Navy Week and at Gdynia Poland's President Moscicki said, “The Baltic Coast, Pomorze, Danzig and Gdynia are our air and sun.” Poland's fleet steamed through the Gulf of Danzig past Gdynia and 80,000 Poles swore to defend it to the death.

In Danzig too it was Navy Week and a German rear admiral and marines without arms came to honor Danzigers killed for the German Navy during the World War. About 2,400 snappy young Germans arrived from East Prussia, supposedly to man a Danzig Heimwehr to fight off the Poles. Twenty light guns were mounted on Danzig's Bischof Mountain, protecting the city. An extraordinary series of rumors swept the world. There was a story that a German plane had flown over Gdynia's naval base on the Hela Peninsula and been shot down on the second round by Polish antiaircraft. It was denied. There was a story that Hitler and Mussolini had met at the Italian border. It was denied.

Inside Germany, 3,000,000 men were in arms. Rabble-rousers cried, “We want no war, but we want our rights.” In a Potsdam pageant run by Propaganda Minister Goebbels, there was a scene of shadowy Uhlans riding off to war in August 1914. But at week's end there was a new rumor that Hitler planned to visit Danzig toward the end of July and that nothing would happen before then. This too the world accepted.

The story of Poland is a river to the sea—the Vistula. For 950 years its port has been Danzig. The Poles have finessed Danzig's strangle hold on Poland by building the port of Gdynia. Danzig is now largely a symbol of whether Hitler can have what he asks for.

“Life” 10 July 1939

GERMANY UNCOVERS ITS HEAVIEST ARTILLERY TO COW NATIONALIST POLES

Last week in Europe ten million men slept on their rifles, ready for the possible outbreak of a Second World War. This was over twice the number of men mobilized after the actual outbreak of the First World War. Without bothering to announce formal mobilization, Germany had more men under arms – 2,500,000—by the end of the week than any civilized country has ever before had in peacetime. For the second time in a year Adolf Hitler had all Europe squirming in a titanic “war of nerves.” For the fourth time ill his brief career lie was trying to pick the fruits of victory without having to fight for them. This time it was Poland that was being subjected to the same kind of pressure which eventually obliterated Czechoslovakia and this time the prize Hitler demanded was the unconditional return of Danzig and the Polish Corridor to the Reich.

In Germany the press churned itself up into a frenzy over “atrocities . . . provocations . . . waves of terror” committed by Poles against Germans. It told lurid tales of German “refugees” fleeing across the German-Polish border. It warned that only a “German solution” would satisfy Germany and that the time for negotiation was past. As a deadline for that solution, press reports named Sept. 2 when the Nazi Congress opens at Nürnberg. Hut Hitler makes a speech in which he may announce war or peace on Aug. 27 at Tannenberg, scene of the great German victory in 1914 close to the present Polish frontier.

This propaganda campaign was followed up by vast military preparations as part of the “White War” which Hitler is waging to frighten the Poles. To the west he moved crack fortress troops into the Siegfried Line, facing France and England, should they come to Poland's aid. To the east, he massed war supplies, guns, and troops with cloth tabs sewn over the regimental numbers on their uniforms to hide their identity. These dispositions placed Hitler's army on Poland's northern and western borders. To squeeze Poland from the south, he next sent his troops headlong into the German protectorate of Slovakia, thus ending in five months its independence which lie had guaranteed for “25 years.” This maneuver also increased Germany's ability to tighten the screws on its recalcitrant ally, Hungary.

“Life” 10 August 1939

NATIONALISM AND “GENERAL MUD” ARE ON POLISH SIDE

[Poland] It is one of Europe's most nationalistic states. When Pilsudski died in 1935 he passed his power along to two younger legionnaires—Edward Smigly-Rydz, Inspector General of the Army, and Jozef Beck, the Foreign Minister. True Poles, they are more concerned with nationhood than with democracy. Democracy means little to a government which stabbed the Czech democracy in the back a year ago by joining Nazi Germany in its partition.

Typically. Smigly-Rydz addressing Legion veterans at Cracow on August 6 said: “Poland will resist with all her means any attempt to violate the interests, rights or dignity of our State.”

Faced with Hitler's desire to expand at Polish expense, Poland has mobilized 1,000,000 men. If war comes, its army would probably fight a retreating act ion, trying to hold off the Germans pressing upon it from north, south and west. It would seek to make Germany's invasion as costly as possible, until its allies, Britain and France, could pester Germany from the West.

For such a defense Poland's army is well adapted. It relies chiefly on infantry, cavalry and horse-drawn light and medium artillery. This is logical for a land of 34,000,000 people with bad roads, few concrete bridges but 4,000,000 trained reserves and 4.000.000 horses.

Poland can also count on help from “General Mud,” a natural ally which would seriously hinder the march of any invader. The country's countless dirt roads become muddy ruts after rainstorms and Poland normally has 175 days of bad weather each year.

“Life” 10 August 1939

Photos from the German newsreel “Wochenschau” of 23 August 1939

Gdańsk town hall with a banner “Our Mother's name is Germany”

collection of the Internet Archive: www.archive.org

Photos from the German newsreel “Wochenschau” of 23 August 1939

Members of the local SA secure the border in case of “Polish invasion”

The newsreel also showed a number of scenes and opinion of Germans “fleeing Poland and the Free City of Danzig to escape from Polish savagery”

collection of the Internet Archive: www.archive.org

GERMANS FEAR WAR

“The German nation has never been as distressed as it is today”

Paris (PAT). For several days Paris newspapers have been publishing information from Berlin correspondents all of whom confirmed the increasing anxiety among Germans caused by the current international situation and the fear of war. The Berlin correspondent of “Le Journal” covering the topic says that the German government tries to improve the morale of its own nation. This is the real objective of all the attacks in the German press against Poland, Great Britain or France as well as numerous assurances that the Third Reich is perfectly calm and under control. However – writes the correspondent – never has the German nation been as distressed as it is today. Never has it been so reluctant to get involved in a war. Today, the German nation is full of internal anxiety – he concludes.

“Nasz Przegląd” daily ["Our Review"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 29 July.

INFORMATION

On 7 August 1939 Lieutenant Gerstenberg ... told me: on 5 and 6 August I was in Berlin. Recently a decision has been made. The war against Poland will start even this year. I know from a very reliable source that Hitler has decided so. Wohlthat's visit to London made Hitler confident that Great Britain would remain neutral if the conflict starts. The negotiations between western powers and Moscow have taken a course that is very disadvantageous for us. That too is an argument for Hitler for precipitating the invasion of Poland.

A note from the conversation between a German journalist and military and air force attaché of the German Reich in Warsaw A. Gerstenberg, after “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 7 August.

TUESDAY IS THE DECISIVE DAY

London, 28 August, in “Wieczór Warszawski” daily ["Warsaw Evening"] The morning London press observes that Germans show enormous cynicism in demanding freedom to do as they please in the east s. that they could have their “Lebensraum” there. Why wouldn't they if they badly need corn, raw materials and land for settlement in Central and South-Eastern Europe. The whole Britain is aware, as all the English media claim, that Germany wants nothing less than winning hegemony over the whole world.

“Wieczór Warszawski” daily ["Warsaw Evening"], after: “Almanach 1939”, Warsaw 2008, 28 August.

England is ready for war, “Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"],

no. 35 of 27 August 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

Our allies, “Światowid” weekly, no. 36 of 3 September 1939

collection of the Jagiellonian Library

England is ready for war, “Ilustracja Polska” weekly ["Poland's Illustrated"],

no. 36 of 3 September 1939

collection of the Warsaw University Library

About the project

Everything began in 2012 with a classic exhibition telling about two last months of the Second Republic of Poland, but seen not from the perspective of grand politics, but from the perspective of what an average citizen encountered on a regular basis in pre-war Poland.

More than once, while reading books and historic papers one can have an impression than in July and August 1939, the whole country did nothing but wait for the war to come. It is worth realizing that the General commanders-in-chief of the Nazi Germany did not know until the very last moment what day and time they would attack Poland. The citizens did not even know whether the storm, whose angry sounds were to be heard over the horizon, would eventually come, or just pass.

We hope that thanks to the use of new communication techniques, we will be able to reach as big group of recipients as possible who are interested in the topic and that we will encourage them to search for themselves the signs of the great history.

Texts:

Jakub Izdebski

dr Marcin Krzanicki

Graphic layout and technical matters:

dr Marcin Krzanicki

Institute of National Remembrance Branch Office in Rzeszow would like to thank all people and institutions, which in any way participate in exhibition and its electronic version:

Digital Library of the University of Lodz

Jagiellonian Library

Książnica Pomorska

Library of the Polish Parliament

National Digital Archives

Public Library of the Capital City of Warsaw

State Archive in Przemysl

State Archive in Rzeszow

Warsaw University Library

ISBN 978-83-7629-644-9

© Instytut Pamięci Narodowej Oddział w Rzeszowie 2014