The 80th anniversary of the beginning of World War II

The 1st of September is a day which stays in the memory of mankind. On that day in 1939 the war, which consumed between 70 and 85 million lives, started. As every year, Tricity commemorates the anniversary of the beginning of World War II.

The official events at Westerplatte

As every year, the official commemoration will begin at Westerplatte at 4:45. This is the time when the Nazi warship Schleswig-Holstein fired the first shots of the war. The place is not a coincidence as well. It was the military base at Westerplatte that the ship fired at in the first minutes of the Second World War.

Westerplatte – a place where World War II started

The official commemoration at Westerplatte brings together many representatives of authorities both from Poland and abroad. This year, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will represent the Polish government. Frans Timmermans and Elzbieta Bienkowska come on behalf of the European Committee.

Additionally, the authorities of Gdansk have invited representatives of 24 cities which suffered due to World War II. Among many, there will be Mayors of London, Narvik, Casino, as well as representatives of Berlin and Osaka. The delegation from Germany will count as many as 200 guests.

Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz invited all to use public transportation to reach Westerplatte on that day.

“This is how the War started”

In addition to the official commemoration at Westerplatte, there will be a special concert near the Museum of the Second World War. Though a very limited amount of the tickets is not available anymore, TVP2 and the Polish Radio will broadcast the show. During the two hour concert, the audience will listen to many famous Polish artists. The star of the night will be Sabaton, which got famous in Poland for their 40 to 1 song which praises Polish soldiers. The concert starts at 8:00 pm on Sunday and the organizers assure that those walking near the museum will hear everything very well.

Reenactments

Traditionally, Westerplatte will become a scene of various reenactments. The groups recreating the historical events of World War II will be present at Westerplatte throughout the weekend. In addition to historical reenactments, the visitors will enjoy seeing the modern military units as well as a field kitchen for the hungry ones. As a result, the area will become a very interesting place for both young and older visitors. The entrance is free.

More information on the events at the official website of Gdansk city hall.