1939: Beginn des Zweiten Weltkrieges

Summary

On September 1, 1939, World War II began with Germany's invasion of Poland, marked by air raids and the shelling of Westerplatte. Hitler's ambitions extended beyond reclaiming lost territories to the annihilation of Poland, initiating the war with a lie about Polish aggression. Despite being vastly outmatched, Polish soldiers fought valiantly, even charging with cavalry against machine guns. Within weeks, Warsaw was declared a fortress, enduring bombings, and eventually capitulated to the German Wehrmacht. The Soviet Union, in a non-aggression pact with Hitler, invaded from the east, leading to the war against civilians, the arrest, and execution of Jews and intellectuals. The capitulation of Warsaw signaled a defeated Poland, unaware of the horrors of occupation that lay ahead.

Takeaways

• 🗓️ World War II began on September 1, 1939, with Germany launching air attacks on Poland and the shelling of the Westerplatte by the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein.
• 📜 The script describes the immediate impact of the war on the narrator's life, with the shaking of mailboxes and the clarity of windowpanes signaling the outbreak of war.
• 🎥 Nazi propaganda played a role in shaping the narrative of the war, with extensive efforts to place Germany in a favorable light in the media.
• 🇵🇱 Despite the British and French declaration of war on Germany in support of Poland, military aid to Poland was lacking, leading to a swift German advance.
• 🚀 Germany's military superiority with tanks and aircraft was overwhelming, allowing the Wehrmacht to quickly break through Polish defenses.
• 🏰 The Polish soldiers fought with desperate courage, even charging with cavalry against machine gun positions, which ultimately proved futile against the German forces.
• 💣 Warsaw was declared a fortress and was heavily bombed by the German Luftwaffe, leading to its eventual capitulation after two weeks of fighting.
• 🤝 Prior to the war, Hitler and Soviet dictator Stalin had agreed not to attack each other and to divide Poland between them, leading to the war against the civilian population behind the front lines.
• 🕊️ The war against civilians included the persecution of Jews, the Polish intelligentsia, and other perceived enemies, who were arrested, deported, and executed.
• 🏳️ Warsaw's capitulation marked a turning point, with 120,000 Polish defenders surrendering the city to German General von Blaskowitz.
• 😔 The narrator and other Poles were left feeling defeated and uncertain about their future, with families destroyed and the fear of not knowing if they would ever return to Poland.

Q & A

What significant historical event is described at the beginning of the script?

The script describes the beginning of World War II on September 1, 1939, with German air attacks on Poland.

What was the significance of the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein's actions?

The German battleship Schleswig-Holstein fired on the Westerplatte in Danzig, marking a significant military action at the start of the war.

How did the narrator describe the immediate reaction to the outbreak of war?

The narrator describes a sense of shock and realization that war had begun, with someone screaming from a nearby house and the sound of windows rattling.

What was the role of the German propaganda machine during the initial stages of the war?

The German propaganda machine, as mentioned in the script, was heavily involved in shaping the narrative of the war, including staging scenes for the cameras.

What was Hitler's ultimate goal regarding Poland, according to the script?

Hitler's ultimate goal was not just the reconnection of territories separated from Germany after World War I but also the annihilation of Poland.

How did the German military strategy during the invasion of Poland manifest?

The German military strategy involved two army groups with around 1.5 million men, using their superiority in tanks and aircraft to quickly break through Polish defenses.

What was the situation of the Polish soldiers during the conflict as described in the script?

The Polish soldiers fought with desperate courage, sometimes even charging machine gun positions with cavalry columns, leading to tragic outcomes when encountering tanks.

What did the Germans do to Warsaw on September 17, as mentioned in the script?

On September 17, the German Luftwaffe began bombing Warsaw, turning the city into a fortress where the Polish continued to fight.

What agreement did Hitler and Stalin make prior to the invasion of Poland?

Hitler and Stalin had agreed not to attack each other and to divide Poland between them, as per the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

What actions were taken against the Polish civilians and specific groups during the war?

The script mentions that Jews, the Polish intelligentsia, and other perceived enemies were arrested, deported, and executed behind the front lines.

How did the Polish defenders of Warsaw eventually fare, and what did they do?

After several weeks of fighting, Warsaw capitulated, with 120,000 Polish defenders surrendering the city to the German Wehrmacht General von Blaskowitz.

What was the emotional state of the narrator and other Poles after the capitulation of Warsaw?

The narrator and other Poles felt defeated and uncertain about their future, with families destroyed and people being taken away, not knowing if they would ever return to Poland.

What did the German commander announce on the day of the ceasefire, and what did the narrator and other Poles not anticipate?

The German commander announced that the war was over and they had won. However, the narrator and other Poles did not anticipate the true scale of the war and the crimes of the occupation that would befall millions of Poles, especially Jews.