Warsaw remembers 1944 uprising against Nazi occupiers

Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz (left) and President Komorowski (fourth from right) join veterans for warsaw Rising celebrations; photo - PAP/Leszek Szymanski

On Monday, the anniversary itself, in line with a long-standing tradition, sirens will wail across the city, buses and private cars will draw to a halt and pedestrians will stand still for a minute’s silence on the stroke of 5 pm, the exact time chosen by the Home Army to launch the uprising.

The main ceremony, attended by top-ranking politicians, will be held hour at the Powązki Military Cemetery.

Events began on Friday in the Żolibórz district of Warsaw, where the Rising began in the early afternoon hours of 1 August 1944.

On Sunday, President Bronisław Komorowski hosted a meeting with former insurgents who arrived in Warsaw for the occasion from various parts of the world.

Around 1700 veterans were at the Museum of the Warsaw Rising alongside Warsaw city mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz.

"They come from the United States, the Republic of South Africa, even Australia," Gronkiewicz-Waltz said.

"I think this is an opportunity for them to meet other survivors. It an opportunity for them to exchange memories and share information," she added.

Sunday's celebrations wrapped up with a commemorative mass celebrated in front of the monument of Warsaw Rising, which was followed by a multimedia performance called “63 Days of Anger” directed by Jarosław Minkowicz. (mk/di/pg)