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List of Polish cities and towns damaged in World War II

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Ruined Warsaw in January 1945

As the German army retreated during the later stages of the Second World War, many of the urban areas of what is now Poland were severely damaged as a result of military action between the retreating forces of the German Wehrmacht and advancing ones of the Soviet Red Army. Other cities were deliberately destroyed by the German forces. One of the most famous of these planned destructions was the razing of Warsaw, the capital of Poland.[1] While extensively damaged by the failed Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and Warsaw Uprising, the city later underwent a planned demolition by German forces under order from Adolf Hitler and high officials within the Nazi government. On 17 October 1944, SS chief Heinrich Himmler famously stated, "The city must completely disappear from the surface of the earth and serve only as a transport station for the Wehrmacht."[2] Before they were stopped by the advancing Red Army, 85% of the city had been taken out.[3] Warsaw was far from the worst off after the Nazi retreat; 97% of Jasło[4] and 100% of Polanów were reduced to rubble.[5] Other towns such as Wałcz fared better, with only a quarter of the city being destroyed.[5] Ancient historical buildings in Polish cities were not spared; for example, Trzemeszno's Romanesque basilica of 1130-45 was burnt down in 1945.[5]

Polish name German name Pre-war location coordinates Damage Details
Bartoszyce Bartenstein Germany 54°15′N 20°49′E / 54.250°N 20.817°E / 54.250; 20.817 50%[5]
Bielsk Podlaski Bielsk Podlaski Poland — 65%[5]
Bobolice Bublitz Germany 53°57′N 16°35′E / 53.950°N 16.583°E / 53.950; 16.583 75%[5]
Bolesławiec Bunzlau Germany 51°16′N 15°34′E / 51.267°N 15.567°E / 51.267; 15.567 60%[5]
Braniewo Braunsberg Germany 54°23′N 19°49′E / 54.383°N 19.817°E / 54.383; 19.817 85%[5]
Brzeg Brieg Germany 50°52′N 17°29′E / 50.867°N 17.483°E / 50.867; 17.483 80%[5]
Dębica Dębica Poland 50°03′N 21°25′E / 50.050°N 21.417°E / 50.050; 21.417 40%[5]
Dobiegniew Woldenberg Germany 52°58′N 15°45′E / 52.967°N 15.750°E / 52.967; 15.750 85%[5]
Dobre Miasto Guttstadt Germany 53°59′N 20°24′E / 53.983°N 20.400°E / 53.983; 20.400 65%[5]
Dobrzany Jakobshagen Germany 53°21′N 15°26′E / 53.350°N 15.433°E / 53.350; 15.433 60%[5]
Dukla Dukla Poland 49°34′N 21°41′E / 49.567°N 21.683°E / 49.567; 21.683 85%[5]
Elbląg Elbing Germany 54°10′N 19°24′E / 54.167°N 19.400°E / 54.167; 19.400 60%[5]
Ełk Lyck Germany 53°50′N 22°21′E / 53.833°N 22.350°E / 53.833; 22.350 50%[6]
Frombork Frauenburg Germany 54°21′25″N 19°40′52″E / 54.357°N 19.681°E / 54.357; 19.681 80%[5]
Garwolin Garwolin Poland 51°54′N 21°37′E / 51.900°N 21.617°E / 51.900; 21.617 70%[5]
Gdańsk Danzig Danzig 54°21′N 18°40′E / 54.350°N 18.667°E / 54.350; 18.667 50% old town 80%[5]
Gdynia Gdingen Poland 54°30′N 18°33′E / 54.500°N 18.550°E / 54.500; 18.550 66% (Estimate)[7][8][9]
Głogów Glogau Germany 51°40′N 16°05′E / 51.667°N 16.083°E / 51.667; 16.083 95%[5] old town completely[5]
Goleniów Gollnow Germany 53°34′N 14°49′E / 53.567°N 14.817°E / 53.567; 14.817 60%[5]
Gołdap Goldap Germany 54°18′58″N 22°18′34″E / 54.31611°N 22.30944°E / 54.31611; 22.30944 90%
Goniądz Gonionds Poland 53°29′N 22°44′E / 53.483°N 22.733°E / 53.483; 22.733 80%[5]
Gryfice Greifenberg Germany 53°54′53″N 15°11′55″E / 53.91472°N 15.19861°E / 53.91472; 15.19861 40%[5]
Gryfino Greifenhagen Germany 53°15′N 14°29′E / 53.250°N 14.483°E / 53.250; 14.483 70%[5]
Gubin Guben Germany 51°57′N 14°43′E / 51.950°N 14.717°E / 51.950; 14.717 90%[5]
Iłża Iłża Poland 51°10′0″N 21°15′0″E / 51.16667°N 21.25000°E / 51.16667; 21.25000 —
Inowrocław Hohensalza Poland 52°48′N 18°16′E / 52.800°N 18.267°E / 52.800; 18.267 50%[5]
Jasło Jassel Poland 49°45′N 21°28′E / 49.750°N 21.467°E / 49.750; 21.467 97%[4]
Kałuszyn Kałuszyn Poland 52°12′30″N 21°48′42″E / 52.20833°N 21.81167°E / 52.20833; 21.81167 85%[5]
Kamień Pomorski Cammin Germany 53°58′N 14°46′E / 53.967°N 14.767°E / 53.967; 14.767 65%[5]
Kańczuga Kańczuga Poland 49°59′02″N 22°24′31″E / 49.98389°N 22.40861°E / 49.98389; 22.40861 50%[5]
Kazimierz Dolny Kazimierz Dolny Poland 51°19′N 21°57′E / 51.317°N 21.950°E / 51.317; 21.950 —
Kętrzyn Rastenburg Germany 54°05′N 21°23′E / 54.083°N 21.383°E / 54.083; 21.383 50%[5]
Knyszyn Knyszyn Poland 53°19′N 22°55′E / 53.317°N 22.917°E / 53.317; 22.917 80%[5]
Kolbuszowa Kolbuszowa Poland 50°15′N 21°46′E / 50.250°N 21.767°E / 50.250; 21.767 —
Kołobrzeg Kolberg Germany 54°11′N 15°35′E / 54.183°N 15.583°E / 54.183; 15.583 90%[5]
Kostrzyn nad Odrą Küstrin Germany 52°35′18″N 14°39′00″E / 52.58833°N 14.65000°E / 52.58833; 14.65000 90%[5]
Koszalin Köslin Germany 54°12′N 16°11′E / 54.200°N 16.183°E / 54.200; 16.183 40%[5]
Kożuchów Freystadt in Schlesien Germany 51°45′N 15°36′E / 51.750°N 15.600°E / 51.750; 15.600 70%[5]
Krosno Odrzańskie Crossen an der Oder Germany 52°03′N 15°05′E / 52.050°N 15.083°E / 52.050; 15.083 65%[5]
Krzepice Kschepitz Poland — 50%[5]
Kuźnia Raciborska Ratiborhammer Germany 50°13′N 18°18′E / 50.217°N 18.300°E / 50.217; 18.300 50%[5]
Kwidzyn Marienwerder Germany 53°44′N 18°55′E / 53.733°N 18.917°E / 53.733; 18.917 50%[5]
Legnica Liegnitz Germany 51°13′N 16°10′E / 51.217°N 16.167°E / 51.217; 16.167 60%[5]
Leśna Marklissa Germany 51°01′25″N 15°16′00″E / 51.02361°N 15.26667°E / 51.02361; 15.26667 —
Lubań Lauban Germany 51°07′N 15°18′E / 51.117°N 15.300°E / 51.117; 15.300 60%[5]
Lubin Lüben Germany 51°24′N 16°12′E / 51.400°N 16.200°E / 51.400; 16.200 70%[5]
Lublin Lublin Poland 51°24′N 22°57′E / 51.400°N 22.950°E / 51.400; 22.950 —
Łomża Lomscha Poland 53°11′N 22°05′E / 53.183°N 22.083°E / 53.183; 22.083 70%[5]
Malbork Marienburg in Westpreußen Germany 54°02′N 19°03′E / 54.033°N 19.050°E / 54.033; 19.050 45%
Nidzica Neidenburg Germany 53°22′N 20°26′E / 53.367°N 20.433°E / 53.367; 20.433 40%[5]
Opole Oppeln Germany 50°40′N 17°56′E / 50.667°N 17.933°E / 50.667; 17.933 60%[5]
Ostrołęka Ostrołęka Poland 53°05′N 21°35′E / 53.083°N 21.583°E / 53.083; 21.583 —
Ostróda Osterode in Ostpreußen Germany 53°42′N 19°59′E / 53.700°N 19.983°E / 53.700; 19.983 60% (Estimate)[5]
Piła Schneidemühl Germany 53°09′N 16°44′E / 53.150°N 16.733°E / 53.150; 16.733 75%[5]
Polanów Pollnow Germany 54°06′N 16°42′E / 54.100°N 16.700°E / 54.100; 16.700 100%[5]
Poznań Posen Poland 49°47′10″N 22°46′26″E / 49.78611°N 22.77389°E / 49.78611; 22.77389 55% (Estimate)[5]
Przemyśl Premissel Poland 54°15′N 20°49′E / 54.250°N 20.817°E / 54.250; 20.817 —
Rzepin Reppen Germany 52°21′N 14°50′E / 52.350°N 14.833°E / 52.350; 14.833 85%[5]
Stargard Szczeciński Stargard in Pommern Germany 53°20′N 15°03′E / 53.333°N 15.050°E / 53.333; 15.050 70%[5]
Suwałki Sudauen Poland 54°5′N 22°56′E / 54.083°N 22.933°E / 54.083; 22.933 30-35%[5] about 20% was caused by Soviet forces, remaining 10-15% by German occupation of Suwałki[5][10]
Szczecin Stettin Germany 53°25′N 14°35′E / 53.417°N 14.583°E / 53.417; 14.583 65%[5] port and industry 95%[5]
Trzemeszno Tremessen Poland 52°33′31″N 17°49′09″E / 52.55861°N 17.81917°E / 52.55861; 17.81917 — Romanesque basilica of 1130-45 burnt down in 1945[5]
Świnoujście Swinemünde Germany 53°55′N 14°15′E / 53.917°N 14.250°E / 53.917; 14.250 55%[5]
Wałcz Deutsch Krone Germany 53°16′N 16°28′E / 53.267°N 16.467°E / 53.267; 16.467 25%[5]
Warszawa Warschau Poland 52°13′48″N 21°00′39″E / 52.23000°N 21.01083°E / 52.23000; 21.01083 85%[3] See: destruction of Warsaw
Węgorzewo Angerburg Germany 54°13′N 21°45′E / 54.217°N 21.750°E / 54.217; 21.750 80%[5]
Wodzisław Śląski Loslau Poland 50°00′N 18°27′E / 50.000°N 18.450°E / 50.000; 18.450 80%
Wolin Wollin Germany 53°55′N 14°30′E / 53.917°N 14.500°E / 53.917; 14.500 70%[5]
Wolsztyn Wollstein Poland 52°07′N 16°07′E / 52.117°N 16.117°E / 52.117; 16.117 — Classicist castle of 1845 burnt down in 1945[5]
Wrocław Breslau Germany 51°07′N 17°02′E / 51.117°N 17.033°E / 51.117; 17.033 70%[5]
Zabłudów Zabłudów Poland 53°01′N 23°21′E / 53.017°N 23.350°E / 53.017; 23.350 85% (Estimate)[5]
Żagań Sagan Germany 51°37′N 15°19′E / 51.617°N 15.317°E / 51.617; 15.317 60%[5]
Zakroczym Zakroczym Poland 52°26′16″N 20°36′43″E / 52.43778°N 20.61194°E / 52.43778; 20.61194 80%[5]
Złoczew Złoczew Poland 51°25′N 18°36′E / 51.417°N 18.600°E / 51.417; 18.600 80%[5]
Żary Sorau Germany 51°38′N 15°08′E / 51.633°N 15.133°E / 51.633; 15.133 60%[5]
Żelechów Żelechów Poland 51°48′N 21°54′E / 51.800°N 21.900°E / 51.800; 21.900 —
Żory Sohrau Poland 50°03′N 18°42′E / 50.050°N 18.700°E / 50.050; 18.700 80%[5]
Żychlin Żychlin Poland 52°14′43″N 19°37′25″E / 52.24528°N 19.62361°E / 52.24528; 19.62361 40% (Estimate)[5]

See also

[edit]

References

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Notes
  1. ^ Anthony M. Tung (2001). Preserving the world's great cities:The Destruction and Renewal of the Historic Metropolis (2001 ed.). Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-517-70148-0.
  2. ^ Wituska, Tomaszewski 2006, p. xxii.
  3. ^ a b Free Europe Committee 1970, p. 10.
  4. ^ a b Lisa Chapman (July 7, 2009). "Polish town at odds over Hitler's oak". Austrian Times. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq "На карте Польши", библиотечка "Польши" (2)
  6. ^ Terence Neiland (July 23, 1995). "Q and A". The New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
  7. ^ Nowak 1989, p. 214.
  8. ^ "Zabytki i historia Pomorza - Gdańsk 1945 - "wyzwolenie" i zniszczenia". zdsk.pl. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  9. ^ "Historia Gdańska". Gdańsk - oficjalny portal miasta (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  10. ^ "HISTORIA WOJSKOWEJ KOMENDY UZUPEŁNIEŃ W SUWAŁKACH". WKU Suwałki. 27 December 2021.
Bibliography
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