On the 81st anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, Sławomir Mentzen, leader of the Confederacy and MP of New Hope, organized a loud campaign in Berlin to commemorate the victims of this tragic event. Before the Brandenburg Gate, one of the most recognizable symbols of Germany, Mentzen and a group of Polish parliamentarians developed a large banner with the inscription: "In 1944, Germany murdered 200,000 Poles and completely destroyed Warsaw. We'll never let them forget it.”.
The action had a strong, symbolic dimension – the event took place exactly at the time of the "W hour", i.e. at 5 p.m., which further emphasized the importance of the message addressed to both Poles and Germans. Mentzen emphasized in his speeches that the memory of the crimes and the great suffering of the Polish nation during the war, especially in 1944, cannot be forgotten or silenced.
The politician also pointed out that actions in Berlin aimed at strengthening historical awareness on the international stage – a reminder of the scale of the destruction and tragedy of Warsaw and the responsibility of Germany for those events.
On 1 August 2025, we celebrate the 81st anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising – a heroic revolt of the inhabitants of the capital against the German occupation. Every year we return to those moments, because the memory of the Insurgents is a lesson to us of courage, sacrifice and concern for freedom.
During the Warsaw Uprising, Germany murdered 200 thousand Poles and completely destroyed Warsaw. We'll never let them forget it! Therefore, on the 81st anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, together with the New Hope MPs, we celebrated the memory of the insurgents at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin – Sławomir Mentzen
During the Warsaw Uprising, Germany murdered 200 thousand Poles and completely destroyed Warsaw.
We'll never let them forget it!
Therefore, on the 81st anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, together with the New Hope MPs, we celebrated the memory of the insurgents at the Gate...pic.twitter.com/6g807W8ZcQ
At 5:00 p.m., sirens sounded in the symbolic "W Hour", throughout Warsaw and many other cities. The movement stopped, the inhabitants in silence paid tribute to the fallen.
The uprising that changed Warsaw
The Warsaw Uprising broke out on 1 August 1944 and lasted 63 days – becoming the largest underground military action in occupied Europe. According to various sources, as many as 200,000 inhabitants of Warsaw died during the fighting, most of which were civilians. The city was razed to the ground – nearly 80% of the construction of left-wing Warsaw was demolished.
Heroes never die in vain. In 1944 our pain was real, so was our dream of freedom. 🔹Share the memory let it fades away🔹
— Warsaw Rising Museum (@WarsawRising44)July 31, 2025
Loss and damage scale
Number of victims
Urban Destruction Scale
approx. 16,000 fallen insurgents
approx. 80% of the construction of left-wing Warsaw
Up to 200,000 murdered civilians
hundreds of priceless monuments destroyed
The slaughter of Wola, mass executions, expulsion of over half a million inhabitants are tragedies that Poles do not forget.
On 1 August 1944, at 5:00 p.m., the Uprising began, lasting 63 days.
Up to 200,000 people died and the city was almost completely destroyed.
"W hour" or singing "forbidden songs" together is today an integral part of Polish identity and memory.
Memory is our common duty
The commemoration of the Warsaw Uprising is not only a routine gesture – it is a reflection on the value of freedom and the enormous price paid by our ancestors. Thanks to them, we can live in a free country, and let their history inspire us on a daily basis to civic activity and mutual respect.
