Today marks the  65th anniversary of the Warsaw Rising against Nazi Germany.

Click on the audio icon to listen to the report by Joanna Najfeld

Sirens will wail and church bells will toll across Poland on the stroke of 5:00 pm., the exact time when the Polish Home Army started the rising. In line with long-established tradition, private vehicles and pedestrians are to stand still for a minute of silence.

The president and prime minister laid wreaths at the monument to the Warsaw Rising at the Powązki cemetery, which on August 1 is visited by tens of thousands of people. At noon there was a ceremonial changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A wide range of commemorative events has been planned also in other Polish cities. 

The Warsaw Rising lasted sixty three days. It resulted in the death of some 18, 000 insurgents and 200, 000 civilians. Around 3, 500 veterans of the fighting are still alive. The goal of the Rising was also to prevent the installation of a pro-Soviet administration after the liberation of Warsaw. (mk)