Commemorating Polish Underground State’s Day: Honoring Poland’s Resistance and Resilience Against Occupation Since 1939
Polish Underground State’s Day is observed every year on September 27th to commemorate one of the most extraordinary resistance movements in history. This day celebrates the creation of the Polish Underground State during World War II, a clandestine government and military organization that functioned under Nazi German and Soviet occupation. The Polish Underground State played a crucial role in maintaining Poland’s national identity, coordinating resistance efforts, and preparing the nation for eventual liberation. Through its underground army, government, education system, and social services, it became a symbol of Polish resilience, bravery, and defiance in the face of occupation.
Historical Context: The Outbreak of World War II
To understand the significance of the Polish Underground State, it is essential to examine the events that led to its formation. On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, triggering the start of World War II. Shortly after, on September 17, 1939, the Soviet Union also invaded Poland from the east as part of a secret clause in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression treaty between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The rapid dual invasion overwhelmed Poland’s defenses, and by early October, Poland had been partitioned between the two occupiers.
The collapse of the Polish government and military did not mark the end of Polish resistance. Even before the final military defeat, Polish political leaders, military officers, and civilian groups began to organize resistance efforts. On September 27, 1939, the same day Warsaw fell to the Germans, a secret organization known as the Service for the Victory of Poland (Służba Zwycięstwu Polski, SZP) was established. This organization would later evolve into the Polish Underground State. Its aim was to continue the fight for Poland’s independence through clandestine military and political activities.
The Formation of the Polish Underground State
The Polish Underground State developed over several stages, transforming from an initial military-focused organization into a comprehensive state structure operating in secret. The first step was the creation of a military resistance network. After the establishment of the SZP in September 1939, it was replaced by the Union of Armed Struggle (Związek Walki Zbrojnej, ZWZ) in 1940, and later became the Home Army (Armia Krajowa, AK), the most prominent and effective underground military force in Nazi-occupied Europe.
The Home Army was a key component of the Polish Underground State, as it coordinated military actions, sabotage operations, intelligence gathering, and preparations for a nationwide uprising. It was estimated to have around 400,000 members at its peak, making it one of the largest resistance movements in occupied Europe.
In parallel to the development of the military resistance, a political leadership emerged. On the civilian side, the underground movement sought to preserve the pre-war Polish government’s authority and maintain continuity with legal institutions. The Government Delegate’s Office at Home (Delegatura Rządu na Kraj) was established to represent the Polish government-in-exile (which had been formed in France and later moved to London) within occupied Poland. This office coordinated various aspects of underground civilian administration, including education, judiciary, social welfare, and media.
By 1942, the structure of the Polish Underground State was fully developed. It functioned as a shadow state with its own government, legal system, educational network, media, and military. Its aim was twofold: to resist the German and Soviet occupation and to prepare Poland for a post-war future in which sovereignty and democratic governance could be restored.
The Role of the Polish Government-in-Exile
The Polish government-in-exile played a critical role in the creation and functioning of the Polish Underground State. After the fall of Poland, several Polish political and military leaders fled to France, where they established a government-in-exile led by Władysław Raczkiewicz as president and General Władysław Sikorski as prime minister. When France fell to Nazi Germany in 1940, the government relocated to London.
Despite being physically removed from the occupied homeland, the government-in-exile maintained close communication with the resistance movements in Poland. The government-in-exile’s Delegates inside Poland ensured coordination between the underground state and the political leadership abroad. They also acted as liaisons between Polish resistance fighters and the Allies. The government-in-exile's role in sustaining the Underground State was essential in legitimizing the underground’s activities and maintaining the hope of eventual liberation.
Military Operations of the Home Army
The Home Army (Armia Krajowa, AK), the military arm of the Polish Underground State, conducted various military and intelligence operations during World War II. Its primary objectives were to sabotage the German occupation, conduct guerilla warfare, and gather intelligence for the Allies.
One of the most significant actions carried out by the Home Army was Operation Tempest (Akcja Burza), launched in 1944. This nationwide series of uprisings was intended to liberate major cities and territories from German occupation as the Red Army advanced westward. The most well-known part of this operation was the Warsaw Uprising, which began on August 1, 1944, and lasted for 63 days.
The Warsaw Uprising was one of the most tragic and heroic chapters in the history of the Polish resistance. Initially intended to last only a few days, the uprising turned into a prolonged and bloody battle between the Home Army and the German forces, who responded with brutal reprisals. The insurgents hoped that the Soviet army, which was stationed just across the Vistula River, would come to their aid. However, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin deliberately delayed his forces, allowing the Germans to crush the uprising and destroy much of the city. The failure of the Warsaw Uprising dealt a severe blow to the Home Army and the Polish Underground State.
Despite these setbacks, the Home Army continued to conduct operations throughout the war, contributing significantly to the Allied war effort through sabotage, intelligence, and guerilla warfare. The Polish resistance gathered crucial intelligence on German military installations, including information on the V-1 and V-2 rocket testing at Peenemünde, which was shared with the Allies.
The Civilian Efforts of the Polish Underground State
While the Home Army is often the most recognized aspect of the Polish Underground State, the civilian side of the underground was equally impressive. The Government Delegate’s Office at Home oversaw a broad range of social, educational, and administrative services designed to maintain a semblance of normal life under occupation.
One of the most important functions of the civilian underground was the maintenance of an underground education system. Under Nazi occupation, formal Polish education was systematically dismantled. Universities were closed, and primary and secondary education was heavily restricted, with an emphasis on vocational training for Poles to serve as laborers for the Germans. In response, the underground movement established secret schools and universities. Teachers and professors risked their lives to provide instruction in Polish history, literature, science, and the arts, ensuring that future generations would be equipped with the knowledge necessary to rebuild Poland after the war.
Another critical function of the underground state was the establishment of an underground press. Newspapers and journals were printed in secret and distributed to keep the population informed about the war, resistance efforts, and political developments. The underground press provided an alternative to Nazi propaganda, bolstering morale and unity among Poles. It also served as a tool for political resistance, promoting the idea of a free and democratic Poland after the war.
The underground judiciary system was also established, with clandestine courts that tried and punished collaborators, traitors, and criminals. This system aimed to maintain law and order and ensure justice within the resistance movement, as well as prepare for the post-war restoration of a legal system based on the rule of law.
In addition to education and the press, the underground state provided social services to support the population during the hardships of war. Welfare programs were established to assist families of resistance fighters, prisoners of war, and victims of the occupation. These efforts were crucial in maintaining the morale and cohesion of the population during the long years of occupation.
The Role of Women in the Polish Underground State
Women played a vital role in the Polish Underground State, both in military and civilian capacities. While men typically served in combat roles within the Home Army, women were indispensable in providing logistical support, intelligence, and communication.
Women served as couriers, carrying messages and documents between different underground cells, often at great personal risk. They also worked as nurses, doctors, and medics, caring for the wounded in secret hospitals. In addition, women were involved in the production and distribution of underground newspapers, as well as the organization of secret schools.
One of the most famous women involved in the Polish resistance was Wanda Krahelska-Filipowicz, a key figure in the underground press. She was instrumental in organizing resistance activities and coordinating communication between the underground movement and the government-in-exile.
The role of women in the Polish Underground State highlights the inclusive nature of the resistance movement, in which all segments of society, regardless of gender, were mobilized in the struggle for national survival and freedom.
Relations with the Allies
Throughout the war, the Polish Underground State maintained close ties with the Allied powers, particularly Great Britain and the United States. The government-in-exile, based in London, acted as a bridge between the underground resistance and the Allies, sharing intelligence, coordinating military support, and advocating for Polish interests.
The Polish resistance contributed valuable intelligence to the Allies, particularly on German military operations and technology. The Home Army also conducted sabotage operations to disrupt German supply lines and infrastructure, aiding the broader Allied war effort.
However, relations between the Polish Underground State and the Allies became increasingly strained as the war progressed, particularly with regard to Soviet ambitions in Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union, having occupied eastern Poland in 1939, sought to re-establish control over the region after the war. Joseph Stalin had little interest in supporting the Polish resistance, which he saw as a threat to Soviet plans for post-war domination of Poland. The Tehran Conference in 1943 and the Yalta Conference in 1945 revealed the Western Allies’ willingness to compromise with Stalin, effectively abandoning Poland to Soviet influence despite the Polish Underground State’s efforts.
The End of the Polish Underground State
The end of World War II in 1945 did not bring the freedom and independence that the Polish Underground State had fought for. Instead, Poland found itself under Soviet domination, with the establishment of a communist government that was loyal to Moscow rather than the Polish people.
In the aftermath of the war, the Home Army and the civilian leadership of the Polish Underground State were targeted by Soviet authorities. Many members of the resistance were arrested, executed, or sent to Gulag labor camps in the Soviet Union. The government-in-exile, now effectively sidelined, continued to advocate for Polish independence but had little influence on the post-war political landscape.
Despite the tragic end of the Polish Underground State, its legacy remains a powerful symbol of Polish patriotism, bravery, and resistance to oppression. The underground movement preserved the spirit of a free Poland during the darkest days of occupation and laid the groundwork for future generations to continue the fight for national sovereignty.
The Significance of Polish Underground State’s Day
Polish Underground State’s Day was established to honor the courage and sacrifices of those who participated in the underground resistance during World War II. Every year on September 27th, Poles remember the formation of the Service for the Victory of Poland in 1939, the precursor to the Polish Underground State. The day serves as a reminder of the resilience of the Polish nation and the importance of preserving national identity and freedom, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.
In modern Poland, the legacy of the Polish Underground State is celebrated as an example of national unity and defiance against tyranny. The underground movement demonstrated that, despite the collapse of formal institutions, the will of the Polish people to resist foreign domination and maintain their cultural identity could not be extinguished.
The story of the Polish Underground State is not just a chapter in Polish history; it is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the belief in the fundamental right to freedom and self-determination. As Poland continues to move forward as an independent nation in the 21st century, the memory of the Polish Underground State remains an enduring source of inspiration and pride for all Poles.
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