Childhood under bombs: Silent victims of the Warsaw Uprising

The Warsaw Uprising, which broke out on August 1, 1944, was the largest uprising of World War II and a phenomenon on a European scale. Not only for the residents of the capital, but for all Poles, it became a symbol of immense courage and patriotism.

The insurgents had no tanks or heavy weapons at their disposal. Despite this, they heroically defended their city against the Nazi occupiers for 63 days . Initially, approximately 25,000 people took part in the fighting, only 10 percent of whom were armed.

The Warsaw Uprising through the eyes of children

The dramatic events of 1944 left a profound impact on the children. Watching their loved ones die, as well as hearing the sounds of fighting and bombing for over two months, were a daily reality for the young children.

"I was in the stairwell watching my apartment burn. Suddenly, unexpectedly, the terrifying wail of a descending Stuka's siren echoed above me, followed a moment later by the whistle of a bomb dropped on us. That minute was the longest of my life, and the strength with which I clung to the stone steps was impressive. But someone was watching over us, because the bomb didn't explode," reads an excerpt from the memoirs of 11-year-old Augustyn Dobiecki.

From the very beginning of their lives, children experienced cruelty firsthand. Many of them had to come to terms with the loss of loved ones.

" Before my eyes, my friends, whom I had known only a short time, yet so closely, were dying, torn apart by shells. Our friendships, forged by our shared will to win, were suddenly cut short by death . Each of us waited for their turn," said Lidia Markiewicz-Ziental, codename "Lidka," who was only 14 years old during the Uprising.

"And yet we are all so young, we want to live. But when the order comes, there is no discussion or hesitation. We are soldiers," she added.

The Warsaw Uprising. This is how children coped with the realities of war.

Some children were left orphaned after their parents were killed by the ruthless German occupiers. For others, this meant having to assume caregiving responsibilities at such a young age—for example, if they had younger siblings.

For many wartime orphans, the insurgent units became a kind of foster home, where they sought a substitute for a real home. Agnieszka Cubała, author of the book "Warsaw Children of '44," recounted the account of a boy known by the nickname "Tor" or "Torba." This nickname was not accidental – the teenager was never without his bag.

When asked what was so valuable inside, he explained that they were mementos left over from his family: his younger sister's doll, his mother's rosary, and his father's photograph. "I have no one left, and now I have you," the boy said of his unit.

Young children often had no idea what was really happening around them. For them, war was a completely abstract concept; they didn't understand why their daily lives had changed so dramatically, why they suddenly had to leave their homes.

To help them adjust to their new living conditions, special brochures were prepared for the youngest, explaining in simple language the meaning of the sounds and images unfolding before their eyes. Maria Kownacka , among others, authored these brochures.

Did children fight in the Warsaw Uprising?

Many myths have arisen around children's participation in the Warsaw Uprising. The uprising's hymn, "Warsaw Children, We Will Go to Battle," and the Little Insurgent Monument in Podwale Street have perpetuated stereotypes about children's participation in direct combat.

It's worth remembering that the youngest had no access to weapons . The author of the insurgent song, Stanisław Ryszard Dobrowolski, aka "Goliard," explained that he didn't literally have children in mind when writing the song.

This, however, doesn't mean that children were completely excluded from insurgent activities. Some helped in other ways. Older boys were sometimes accepted into units to help distribute food or ammunition. Some were entrusted with the role of liaisons or postmen.

It should not be forgotten that during the Warsaw Uprising, three groups of trained children and teenagers were active and assisted the insurgents. Within the Grey Ranks, the "Zawiszacy" (Share Szeregi) organized, organizing, among other things, the Scout Field Mail, which provided military information.

An 8-year-old girl is a heroine of the Warsaw Uprising

Children aged 12-14 risked their lives because if the Germans caught them with military information, it would almost certainly mean a death sentence. Two other formations, the "Combat Schools" and the "Assault Groups," included slightly older teenagers.

Commanders emphasized that although the tasks assigned to the youngest involved some risk, staying in shelters was not a guarantee of safety.

On the other hand, the commander of the Grey Ranks clearly emphasized that "there is no consent to mobilizing the youngest scouts for the "W" Hour, because they must be guaranteed safety."

When speaking of the youngest participants in the Warsaw Uprising, one cannot fail to mention 8-year-old Różyczka Goździewska. This heroic girl helped care for wounded insurgents who were taken to the field hospital on Moniuszki Street.

"Róża was always very stubborn. She desperately wanted to help in the hospital. She gave water to the wounded, chased away the flies, which were a real plague, and brought smiles to faces," recalled Jadwiga Obretenny, who also served as a medic during the Warsaw Uprising.

The Warsaw Uprising and Famine

During the Warsaw Uprising, children often experienced hunger. Jan Kobuszewski recalled in "Zwierciadło" that the uprising was initially marked by immense euphoria, which quickly changed, in part because civilians had significant problems accessing water and food.

"We had a modest supply: some sugar and groats. My father brought barley, which we ground in a coffee grinder. There was also a small supply of oil. In Pruszków, vegetable soup was cooked for the children in a large pot—water, a few potatoes, cabbage leaves. For me, it was the most delicious soup in the world," he recalled years later.

Children are silent victims of wars

Warsaw paid a terrible price for its fight for freedom. And it's not just about the destroyed cities or the failure to achieve political and military goals. The experiences of those dramatic days stayed with children for years. Especially since these were times when psychology wasn't as advanced as it is today.

Some insurgents admitted that their war experiences stayed with them forever, and they struggled with difficulties even into adulthood. Some were afraid to go down to the basement, while others had significant difficulty forming relationships.

The youngest children's accounts from the time of the Uprising are even more difficult to read because our world is being ravaged by wars – in Ukraine, in the Middle East, and their silent victims remain generations of children.

Read also: She survived the Warsaw Uprising, today she recalls: "It was the first time I left the house without my mother's consent." Read also: Lt. Col. Baranowski: Let's not forget about the civilian population of the Warsaw Uprising.