Siege of Warsaw (1939) : Ask Biography

Volunteer fire-fighters watching an air duel over Warsaw. Propaganda poster reads "To Arms - United, we will defeat the enemy"

Military Conflict

Conflict

Siege of Warsaw

Date

September 8 � 28, 1939

Location

Warsaw, Poland

Result

Decisive German Victory

Germany

Poland

Johannes Blaskowitz
Georg von Küchler
Walter Petzel
Werner von Fritsch

Walerian Czuma
Juliusz Zulauf
Juliusz Rómmel
Marian Porwit

175000

124,000

1,500 killed
5,000 wounded

6,000 killed
16,000 wounded
102,000 captured

25,800 civilians killed
50,000 civilians wounded

Home | Military Conflict | Siege of Warsaw (1939)

The 1939 Battle of Warsaw was fought between the Polish Warsaw Army (Armia Warszawa) garrisoned and entrenched in the capital of Poland (Warsaw) and the German Army. It started with huge aerial bombardments by the Luftwaffe starting on September 1, 1939.

Land fighting started on September 8, when the first German armored units reached the Wola area and south-western suburbs of the city. Despite German radio broadcasts claiming to have captured Warsaw, the attack was stopped and soon afterwards Warsaw was under siege. The siege lasted until September 28, when the Polish garrison under Gen. Walerian Czuma capitulated. The following day approximately 100,000 Polish soldiers left the city and were taken POW. On October 1 the Wehrmacht entered Warsaw, which started a period of German occupation that lasted until the Warsaw Uprising and later until January 17, 1945.