Westerplatte

Westerplatte(Polish pronunciation:[vɛstɛrˈplatɛ],[ˈvɛstɛrplatɛ],^[1]German pronunciation:[ˈvɛstɐplatə]) is apeninsulainGdańsk,Poland,^[2]located on theBaltic Seacoast mouth of theDead Vistula(one of theVistuladeltaestuaries), in the Gdańsk harbour channel. From 1926 to 1939, it was the location of a Polish Military Transit Depot (WST), sanctioned within the territory of theFree City of Danzig(now Gdańsk).

It is famous for theBattle of Westerplatte,which was the first clash between Polish and German forces during theinvasion of Polandand thus the beginning and the first battle of World War II.

History

Resort

The resort was established on the Westerplatte peninsula around 1830 which had a beach, a forested park, a seaside bath complex and health spa facilities.

The transit depot

Following the reestablishment of Polish independence in theaftermath of World War I,much of the surrounding region became a part of theSecond Polish Republic.The city of Danzig (present dayGdańsk), a historically important port city, at that time predominantly ethnically German, became an independent city state, theFree City of Danzig.The Free City was nominally run by theLeague of Nations,but over time became increasingly allied with Germany.^[3]^[4]

In 1921, theLeague of Nationsgranted Poland the right to install anammunition depotnear Gdańsk, and station a garrison there.^[5]Despite some objections from the Free City, this right was confirmed in 1925, where the location was agreed on with the choice of Westerplatte.^[5]^[6]Westerplatte was primarily separated from the New Port of theFree City of Danzigby the harbour channel, with only a smallpierconnecting them to the mainland; the Polish-held part of the Westerplatte was separated from the territory of Danzig by a brick wall.^[6]^[7]The depot was completed in November 1925 and became operational in January 1926.^[6]The Polish garrison's size was set at 88 soldiers, and Poland was not allowed to construct fortifications.^[6]

On 6 March 1933, in what became known as the westernmost incident (or crisis), the Polish government landed a marine battalion, briefly strengthening the outpost to about 200 men. This was done to demonstrate the Polish resolve to defend the outpost in response to recent comments by German politicians and media figures about the need of border adjustment and Poland and France were secretly discussingpreventive waragainst Germany; on a local level this was also done to put pressure on the Danzig government which was trying to renounce prior agreement on shared Danzig-Polish control over harbor police and take sole control of that unit.^[8]^[9]Polish troops were withdrawn by 16 March, after protests from the League, Danzig and Germany, in exchange for Danzig withdrawing its objections to the harbor police agreement.^[8]According to another source, on 14 March 1933 the League did authorize Poland to strengthen the garrison.^[5]

Over the years, the Poles also constructed clandestinefortifications.^[6]These were not very impressive: there were no realbunkersor tunnels, but only five small concrete outposts (guardhouses) hidden in the peninsula's forest and a largebarracksprepared for defence, supported by a network of field fortifications such astrenchesandbarricades.^[7]Several of the buildings were reinforced with concrete.^[10]^: 54With tensions rising, in early 1939, the garrison was placed on alert.^[6]

Battle of Westerplatte

On 1 September 1939, only minutes after theGerman Luftwaffe(air force) had begun theinvasion of Polandby dropping bombs in a series of raids on the city ofWieluńbyJunkers Ju 87 Stukas,at 04:48^[11]local time, the battleshipSchleswig-Holstein,then on a courtesy visit to the Free City of Danzig, without warning opened fire on the Polish garrison. This was followed by an attack byOblt.Wilhelm Henningsen’s storm unit from the Schleswig-Holstein and theMarinestosstruppkompanie.Soon after crossing the artillery-breached brick wall, the attackers were ambushed by the Polish defenders, with small arms, mortar and machine-gun fire from concealed and well-positioned firing points that caught them in a crossfire. Another two assaults that day were repelled as well, with the Germans suffering unexpectedly high losses.

Over the coming days, the Germans repeatedly bombarded Westerplatte withnaval artilleryand heavyfield artilleryalong withdive-bombingraids by Stukas. Repeated attacks by 570 German soldiers were repelled by the 180 Polish soldiers for seven days. MajorHenryk Sucharskihad been informed that no help from the Polish Army would come. Cut off, with no reinforcements or chance of resupply, he continued his defence, keeping the main German force stalled at Westerplatte and so preventing further attacks along the Polish coast.

On 7 September, the Major decided to surrender, due to lack of ammunition and supplies. As a sign of honour for the soldiers of Westerplatte, the German commander, Gen.Eberhardt,allowed Major Sucharski to keep his sword while being taken prisoner.

Post-war

The ruins of the defenders' barracks and guardhouses are still there. After the war, one of the guardhouses (#1) was converted into a museum. Two 280mm shells from theSchleswig-Holsteinprop up its entrance.

A Monument of the Coast Defenders (Pomnik Obrońców Wybrzeża) was unveiled in 1966.

Westerplatte Museumdedicated to the 1939 battle was created in 2015.

Memorials to fallen soldiers.
Barrack ruins at Westerplatte.
Basement of ruined barrack
Monument seen from the mainland
War: Never Again (Nigdy więcej wojny)
An honour guard at Westerplatte in 2018.

References

^Pan Literka (2014-12-29)."Westerplatte. Jak poprawnie wymawiać tę nazwę?".Obcy język polski(in Polish).Retrieved2024-04-21.
^"Westerplatte".ITS Poland.Retrieved14 November2023.
^Matthew Parish (30 October 2009).Free City in the Balkans: Reconstructing a Divided Society in Bosnia.I.B.Tauris. p. 210.ISBN 978-0-85771-273-8.
^Gregory H. Fox (21 February 2008).Humanitarian Occupation.Cambridge University Press. p. 21.ISBN 978-1-139-46973-9.
^^a ^b ^cEdmund Jan·Osmańczyk; Edmund Jan Osmańczyk; Rupert Lee (2003).Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: T to Z.Taylor & Francis. p. 2684.ISBN 978-0-415-93924-9.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^fGarba, Bartłomiej; Westphal, Marcin (2017-03-30)."Exhibition on Westerplatte".muzeum1939.pl.Museum of the Second World War.Retrieved2018-06-04.
^^a ^b(English) Janusz Marszalec,Westerplatte,p. 4^{[permanent dead link]}
^^a ^bGerhard L. Weinberg (1 March 2010).Hitler's Foreign Policy 1933-1939: The Road to World War II.Enigma Books. p. 50.ISBN 978-1-929631-91-9.
^Crockett, Jameson W. (2009). "The Polish Blitz, More than a Mere Footnote to History: Poland and Preventive War with Germany, 1933".Diplomacy & Statecraft.20(4): 561–579.doi:10.1080/09592290903455667.S2CID 153437646.
^Steven J. Zaloga (19 August 2002).Poland 1939: The birth of Blitzkrieg.Bloomsbury USA.ISBN 978-1-84176-408-5.
^planned on 4:45, delayed by 3 minutes.

External links

54°24′27″N18°40′17″E/ 54.40750°N 18.67139°E/54.40750; 18.67139

[1] Pan Literka (2014-12-29)."Westerplatte. Jak poprawnie wymawiać tę nazwę?".Obcy język polski(in Polish).Retrieved2024-04-21.

[2] "Westerplatte".ITS Poland.Retrieved14 November2023.

[Parish2009-3] Matthew Parish (30 October 2009).Free City in the Balkans: Reconstructing a Divided Society in Bosnia.I.B.Tauris. p. 210.ISBN 978-0-85771-273-8.

[Fox2008-4] Gregory H. Fox (21 February 2008).Humanitarian Occupation.Cambridge University Press. p. 21.ISBN 978-1-139-46973-9.

[JanOsm-5] Edmund Jan·Osmańczyk; Edmund Jan Osmańczyk; Rupert Lee (2003).Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: T to Z.Taylor & Francis. p. 2684.ISBN 978-0-415-93924-9.

[:0-6] Garba, Bartłomiej; Westphal, Marcin (2017-03-30)."Exhibition on Westerplatte".muzeum1939.pl.Museum of the Second World War.Retrieved2018-06-04.

[muzeum1939.pl-7] (English) Janusz Marszalec,Westerplatte,p. 4^{[permanent dead link]}

[Weinberg2010-8] Gerhard L. Weinberg (1 March 2010).Hitler's Foreign Policy 1933-1939: The Road to World War II.Enigma Books. p. 50.ISBN 978-1-929631-91-9.

[9] Crockett, Jameson W. (2009). "The Polish Blitz, More than a Mere Footnote to History: Poland and Preventive War with Germany, 1933".Diplomacy & Statecraft.20(4): 561–579.doi:10.1080/09592290903455667.S2CID 153437646.

[Zaloga-10] Steven J. Zaloga (19 August 2002).Poland 1939: The birth of Blitzkrieg.Bloomsbury USA.ISBN 978-1-84176-408-5.

[11] 4:45, delayed by 3 minutes.

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Westerplatte

Contents

History

Resort

The transit depot

Battle of Westerplatte

Post-war

See also

Further reading

Sources and documents

Guidebooks

Fiction

Other

References

External links