Monument to the Defenders of the Coast, Westerplatte, Poland
On September 1, 1939, at 4:47 a.m., the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein began shell
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Monument to the Defenders of the Coast, Westerplatte, Poland
On September 1, 1939, at 4:47 a.m., the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein began shelling the Military Transit Depot at Westerplatte, a strategic military outpost on a peninsula at the entrance to the port of the Free City of Danzig. The Germans expected a quick capture of the outpost, possessing a decisive advantage: over 3,000 soldiers, 65 cannons, over 100 machine guns, and nearly 50 aircraft. Consequently, the Polish crew, numbering 182-225 trained soldiers according to various sources, was expected to withstand the attack for approximately six hours until reinforcements arrived.
The resistance of the Polish defenders proved much stronger than anticipated. Despite bombardment, artillery fire, and mortar fire, the garrison, under the command of Major Henryk Sucharski, managed to repel the attacks, utilizing numerous defensive positions and prepared bunkers. Despite constant air raids and shelling, the soldiers maintained high morale and determination. The fighting ended only on September 7th, when surrender became inevitable due to exhaustion of men, ammunition, and supplies.
The defense of Westerplatte became a symbol of the struggle for freedom and sovereignty, and its story is forever etched in Polish national memory as an example of courage and steadfastness in the face of overwhelming enemy odds.
The monument, unveiled on October 9, 1966, is one of the most important symbols of Polish history and the memory of the heroic defense of Westerplatte in September 1939.
More info:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pT-64R1cgQ
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