List of Polish cities damaged in World War II

Ruined Warsaw in January 1945

As the German army retreated during the later stages of the Second World War, many of the urban areas of what is now Poland were severely damaged as a result of military action between the retreating forces of the German Wehrmacht and advancing ones of the Soviet Red Army. Other cities were deliberately destroyed by the German forces. One of the most famous of these planned destructions was the razing of Warsaw, the capital of Poland.^[1] While extensively damaged by the failed Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and Warsaw Uprising, the city later underwent a planned demolition by German forces under order from Adolf Hitler and high officials within the Nazi government. On 17 October 1944, SS chief Heinrich Himmler famously stated, "The city must completely disappear from the surface of the earth and serve only as a transport station for the Wehrmacht."^[2] Before they were stopped by the advancing Red Army, 85% of the city had been taken out.^[3] Warsaw was far from the worst off after the Nazi retreat; 97% of Jasło^[4] and 100% of Polanów were reduced to rubble.^[5] Other towns such as Wałcz fared better, with only a quarter of the city being destroyed.^[5] Ancient historical buildings in Polish cities were not spared; for example, Trzemeszno's Romanesque basilica of 1130-45 was burnt down in 1945.^[5]

Polish name	German name	Pre-war location	coordinates	Damage	Details
Bartoszyce	Bartenstein	Germany	54°15′N 20°49′E / 54.250°N 20.817°E / 54.250; 20.817	50%^[5]
Bielsk Podlaski	Bielsk Podlaski	Poland	—	65%^[5]
Bobolice	Bublitz	Germany	53°57′N 16°35′E / 53.950°N 16.583°E / 53.950; 16.583	75%^[5]
Bolesławiec	Bunzlau	Germany	51°16′N 15°34′E / 51.267°N 15.567°E / 51.267; 15.567	60%^[5]
Braniewo	Braunsberg	Germany	54°23′N 19°49′E / 54.383°N 19.817°E / 54.383; 19.817	85%^[5]
Brzeg	Brieg	Germany	50°52′N 17°29′E / 50.867°N 17.483°E / 50.867; 17.483	80%^[5]
Dębica	Dębica	Poland	50°03′N 21°25′E / 50.050°N 21.417°E / 50.050; 21.417	40%^[5]
Dobiegniew	Woldenberg	Germany	52°58′N 15°45′E / 52.967°N 15.750°E / 52.967; 15.750	85%^[5]
Dobre Miasto	Guttstadt	Germany	53°59′N 20°24′E / 53.983°N 20.400°E / 53.983; 20.400	65%^[5]
Dobrzany	Jakobshagen	Germany	53°21′N 15°26′E / 53.350°N 15.433°E / 53.350; 15.433	60%^[5]
Dukla	Dukla	Poland	49°34′N 21°41′E / 49.567°N 21.683°E / 49.567; 21.683	85%^[5]
Elbląg	Elbing	Germany	54°10′N 19°24′E / 54.167°N 19.400°E / 54.167; 19.400	60%^[5]
Ełk	Lyck	Germany	53°50′N 22°21′E / 53.833°N 22.350°E / 53.833; 22.350	50%^[6]
Frombork	Frauenburg	Germany	54°21′25″N 19°40′52″E / 54.357°N 19.681°E / 54.357; 19.681	80%^[5]
Garwolin	Garwolin	Poland	51°54′N 21°37′E / 51.900°N 21.617°E / 51.900; 21.617	70%^[5]
Gdańsk	Danzig	Danzig	54°21′N 18°40′E / 54.350°N 18.667°E / 54.350; 18.667	50%	old town 80%^[5]
Gdynia	Gdingen	Poland	54°30′N 18°33′E / 54.500°N 18.550°E / 54.500; 18.550	90% (Estimate)^[7]
Głogów	Glogau	Germany	51°40′N 16°05′E / 51.667°N 16.083°E / 51.667; 16.083	95%^[5]	old town completely^[5]
Goleniów	Gollnow	Germany	53°34′N 14°49′E / 53.567°N 14.817°E / 53.567; 14.817	60%^[5]
Gołdap	Goldap	Germany	54°18′58″N 22°18′34″E / 54.31611°N 22.30944°E / 54.31611; 22.30944	90%
Goniądz	Gonionds	Poland	53°29′N 22°44′E / 53.483°N 22.733°E / 53.483; 22.733	80%^[5]
Gryfice	Greifenberg	Germany	53°54′53″N 15°11′55″E / 53.91472°N 15.19861°E / 53.91472; 15.19861	40%^[5]
Gryfino	Greifenhagen	Germany	53°15′N 14°29′E / 53.250°N 14.483°E / 53.250; 14.483	70%^[5]
Gubin	Guben	Germany	51°57′N 14°43′E / 51.950°N 14.717°E / 51.950; 14.717	90%^[5]
Iłża	Iłża	Poland	51°10′0″N 21°15′0″E / 51.16667°N 21.25000°E / 51.16667; 21.25000	—
Inowrocław	Hohensalza	Poland	52°48′N 18°16′E / 52.800°N 18.267°E / 52.800; 18.267	50%^[5]
Jasło	Jassel	Poland	49°45′N 21°28′E / 49.750°N 21.467°E / 49.750; 21.467	97%^[4]
Kałuszyn	Kałuszyn	Poland	52°12′30″N 21°48′42″E / 52.20833°N 21.81167°E / 52.20833; 21.81167	85%^[5]
Kamień Pomorski	Cammin	Germany	53°58′N 14°46′E / 53.967°N 14.767°E / 53.967; 14.767	65%^[5]
Kańczuga	Kańczuga	Poland	49°59′02″N 22°24′31″E / 49.98389°N 22.40861°E / 49.98389; 22.40861	50%^[5]
Kazimierz Dolny	Kazimierz Dolny	Poland	51°19′N 21°57′E / 51.317°N 21.950°E / 51.317; 21.950	—
Kętrzyn	Rastenburg	Germany	54°05′N 21°23′E / 54.083°N 21.383°E / 54.083; 21.383	50%^[5]
Knyszyn	Knyszyn	Poland	53°19′N 22°55′E / 53.317°N 22.917°E / 53.317; 22.917	80%^[5]
Kolbuszowa	Kolbuszowa	Poland	50°15′N 21°46′E / 50.250°N 21.767°E / 50.250; 21.767	—
Kołobrzeg	Kolberg	Germany	54°11′N 15°35′E / 54.183°N 15.583°E / 54.183; 15.583	90%^[5]
Kostrzyn nad Odrą	Küstrin	Germany	52°35′18″N 14°39′00″E / 52.58833°N 14.65000°E / 52.58833; 14.65000	90%^[5]
Koszalin	Köslin	Germany	54°12′N 16°11′E / 54.200°N 16.183°E / 54.200; 16.183	40%^[5]
Kożuchów	Freystadt in Schlesien	Germany	51°45′N 15°36′E / 51.750°N 15.600°E / 51.750; 15.600	70%^[5]
Krosno Odrzańskie	Crossen an der Oder	Germany	52°03′N 15°05′E / 52.050°N 15.083°E / 52.050; 15.083	65%^[5]
Krzepice	Kschepitz	Poland	—	50%^[5]
Kuźnia Raciborska	Ratiborhammer	Germany	50°13′N 18°18′E / 50.217°N 18.300°E / 50.217; 18.300	50%^[5]
Kwidzyń	Marienwerder	Germany	53°44′N 18°55′E / 53.733°N 18.917°E / 53.733; 18.917	50%^[5]
Legnica	Liegnitz	Germany	51°13′N 16°10′E / 51.217°N 16.167°E / 51.217; 16.167	60%^[5]
Leśna	Marklissa	Germany	51°01′25″N 15°16′00″E / 51.02361°N 15.26667°E / 51.02361; 15.26667	—
Lubań	Lauban	Germany	51°07′N 15°18′E / 51.117°N 15.300°E / 51.117; 15.300	60%^[5]
Lubin	Lüben	Germany	51°24′N 16°12′E / 51.400°N 16.200°E / 51.400; 16.200	70%^[5]
Lublin	Lublin	Poland	51°24′N 22°57′E / 51.400°N 22.950°E / 51.400; 22.950	—
Łomża	Lomscha	Poland	53°11′N 22°05′E / 53.183°N 22.083°E / 53.183; 22.083	70%^[5]
Malbork	Marienburg in Westpreußen	Germany	54°02′N 19°03′E / 54.033°N 19.050°E / 54.033; 19.050	45%
Nidzica	Neidenburg	Germany	53°22′N 20°26′E / 53.367°N 20.433°E / 53.367; 20.433	40%^[5]
Opole	Oppeln	Germany	50°40′N 17°56′E / 50.667°N 17.933°E / 50.667; 17.933	60%^[5]
Ostrołęka	Ostrołęka	Poland	53°05′N 21°35′E / 53.083°N 21.583°E / 53.083; 21.583	—
Ostróda	Osterode in Ostpreußen	Germany	53°42′N 19°59′E / 53.700°N 19.983°E / 53.700; 19.983	60% (Estimate)^[5]
Piła	Schneidemühl	Germany	53°09′N 16°44′E / 53.150°N 16.733°E / 53.150; 16.733	75%^[5]
Polanów	Pollnow	Germany	54°06′N 16°42′E / 54.100°N 16.700°E / 54.100; 16.700	99.99 !100%^[5]
Poznań	Posen	Poland	49°47′10″N 22°46′26″E / 49.78611°N 22.77389°E / 49.78611; 22.77389	55% (Estimate)^[5]
Przemyśl	Premissel	Poland	54°15′N 20°49′E / 54.250°N 20.817°E / 54.250; 20.817	—
Rzepin	Reppen	Germany	52°21′N 14°50′E / 52.350°N 14.833°E / 52.350; 14.833	85%^[5]
Stargard Szczeciński	Stargard in Pommern	Germany	53°20′N 15°03′E / 53.333°N 15.050°E / 53.333; 15.050	70%^[5]
Szczecin	Stettin	Germany	53°25′N 14°35′E / 53.417°N 14.583°E / 53.417; 14.583	65%^[5]	port and industry 95%^[5]
Trzemeszno	Tremessen	Poland	52°33′31″N 17°49′09″E / 52.55861°N 17.81917°E / 52.55861; 17.81917	—	Romanesque basilica of 1130-45 burnt down in 1945^[5]
Świnoujście	Swinemünde	Germany	53°55′N 14°15′E / 53.917°N 14.250°E / 53.917; 14.250	55%^[5]
Wałcz	Deutsch Krone	Germany	53°16′N 16°28′E / 53.267°N 16.467°E / 53.267; 16.467	25%^[5]
Warsaw	Warschau	Poland	52°13′48″N 21°00′39″E / 52.23000°N 21.01083°E / 52.23000; 21.01083	85%^[3]
Węgorzewo	Angerburg	Germany	54°13′N 21°45′E / 54.217°N 21.750°E / 54.217; 21.750	80%^[5]
Wodzisław Śląski	Loslau	Poland	50°00′N 18°27′E / 50.000°N 18.450°E / 50.000; 18.450	80%
Wolin	Wollin	Germany	53°55′N 14°30′E / 53.917°N 14.500°E / 53.917; 14.500	70%^[5]
Wolsztyn	Wollstein	Poland	52°07′N 16°07′E / 52.117°N 16.117°E / 52.117; 16.117	—	Classicist castle of 1845 burnt down in 1945^[5]
Wrocław	Breslau	Germany	51°07′N 17°02′E / 51.117°N 17.033°E / 51.117; 17.033	70%^[5]
Zabłudów	Zabłudów	Poland	53°01′N 23°21′E / 53.017°N 23.350°E / 53.017; 23.350	85% (Estimate)^[5]
Żagań	Sagan	Germany	51°37′N 15°19′E / 51.617°N 15.317°E / 51.617; 15.317	60%^[5]
Zakroczym	Zakroczym	Poland	52°26′16″N 20°36′43″E / 52.43778°N 20.61194°E / 52.43778; 20.61194	80%^[5]
Złoczew	Złoczew	Poland	51°25′N 18°36′E / 51.417°N 18.600°E / 51.417; 18.600	80%^[5]
Żary	Sorau	Germany	51°38′N 15°08′E / 51.633°N 15.133°E / 51.633; 15.133	60%^[5]
Żelechów	Żelechów	Poland	51°48′N 21°54′E / 51.800°N 21.900°E / 51.800; 21.900	—
Żory	Sohrau	Poland	50°03′N 18°42′E / 50.050°N 18.700°E / 50.050; 18.700	80%^[5]
Żychlin	Żychlin	Poland	52°14′43″N 19°37′25″E / 52.24528°N 19.62361°E / 52.24528; 19.62361	40% (Estimate)^[5]

References

Notes

↑ Anthony M. Tung. Preserving the world's great cities:The Destruction and Renewal of the Historic Metropolis (2001 ed.). Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-517-70148-0.
↑ Wituska, Tomaszewski 2006, p. xxii.
1 2 Free Europe Committee 1970, p. 10.
1 2 Lisa Chapman (July 7, 2009). "Polish town at odds over Hitler's oak". Austrian Times. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 "На карте Польши", библиотечка "Польши" (2)
↑ Terence Neiland (July 23, 1995). "Q and A". The New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2009.
↑ Nowak 1989, p. 214.

Bibliography

Free Europe Committee. East Europe, Volumes 19-20 (1970 ed.). East Europe Pub.
Nowak, Margaret Collingwood. Two who were there: a biography of Stanley Nowak (1989 ed.). Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1883-5. - Total pages: 276
Krystyna Wituska, Irene Tomaszewski. Inside a Gestapo prison: the letters of Krystyna Wituska, 1942-1944 (2006 ed.). Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3294-3. - Total pages: 127

World War II

Participants

Allies (leaders)	Australia Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czechoslovakia Denmark Ethiopia France Free France (from June 1940) Greece India Italy (from September 1943) Luxembourg Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Norway Philippines (Commonwealth) Poland South Africa Southern Rhodesia Soviet Union United Kingdom United States Puerto Rico Yugoslavia

Axis and Axis-aligned (leaders)	Albania Bulgaria Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China Independent State of Croatia Finland Germany Hungary Free India Iraq Italy (until September 1943) Italian Social Republic Japan Manchukuo Philippines (Second Republic) Romania Slovakia Thailand Vichy France Armed neutrality

Resistance	Albania Austria Belgium Bulgaria Czech lands Denmark Estonia Ethiopia France Germany Greece Hong Kong Italy Japan Jewish Korea Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Philippines Poland Anti-communist Romania Thailand Soviet Union Slovakia Western Ukraine Vietnam Yugoslavia Monarchists

Timeline

Prelude	Africa Asia Europe

1939	Poland Phoney War Winter War Atlantic Changsha China

1940	Weserübung Netherlands Belgium France Armistice of 22 June 1940 Britain North Africa West Africa British Somaliland Baltic States Moldova Indochina Greece Compass

1941	East Africa Yugoslavia Greece Crete Iraq Soviet Union (Barbarossa) Finland Lithuania Syria and Lebanon Kiev Iran Leningrad Moscow Sevastopol Pearl Harbor The outbreak of the Pacific War Hong Kong Philippines Changsha Malaya Borneo (1941–42)

1942	Burma Changsha Java Sea Coral Sea Gazala Dutch Harbor Attu (occupation) Kiska Midway Rzhev Blue Stalingrad Singapore Dieppe El Alamein Guadalcanal Torch

1943	Tunisia Kursk Smolensk Solomon Islands Attu Sicily Cottage Lower Dnieper Italy Armistice of Cassibile Gilbert and Marshall Islands Changde

1944	Monte Cassino / Shingle Narva Korsun–Cherkassy Tempest Ichi-Go Overlord Neptune Normandy Mariana and Palau Bagration Western Ukraine Tannenberg Line Warsaw Eastern Romania Belgrade Paris Dragoon Gothic Line Market Garden Estonia Crossbow Pointblank Lapland Hungary Leyte Ardennes Bodenplatte Philippines (1944–45) Burma (1944–45)

1945	Vistula–Oder Iwo Jima Western invasion of Germany Okinawa Italy (Spring 1945) Syrmian Front Berlin Czechoslovakia Budapest West Hunan Surrender of Germany Project Hula Manchuria Manila Borneo Taipei Atomic bombings Debate Kuril Islands Shumshu Surrender of Japan End of World War II in Asia

Aspects

General	Air warfare of World War II Blitzkrieg Comparative military ranks Cryptography Diplomacy Home front United States Australian United Kingdom Lend-Lease Manhattan Project Military awards Military equipment Military production Nazi plunder Opposition Technology Allied cooperation Total war Strategic bombing Bengal famine of 1943 Chinese famine of 1942–43 Puppet states Women Art and World War II

Aftermath	Expulsion of Germans Operation Paperclip Operation Osoaviakhim Operation Keelhaul Occupation of Germany Territorial changes of Germany Soviet occupations Romania Poland Hungary Baltic States Occupation of Japan First Indochina War Indonesian National Revolution Cold War Decolonization Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany Popular culture

War crimes	Allied war crimes Soviet war crimes British war crimes United States war crimes German (Forced labour) / Wehrmacht war crimes Holocaust Aftermath Response Prosecution Italian war crimes Japanese war crimes Unit 731 Prosecution Croatian war crimes against the Serbs against the Jews Serbian war crimes

Wartime sexual violence	German military brothels Camp brothels Rape during the occupation of Japan Comfort women Rape of Nanking Rape during the occupation of Germany Rape during the liberation of France Rape during the liberation of Poland

Prisoners	Finnish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union German prisoners of war in the United States Italian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union Japanese prisoners of war in World War II German mistreatment of Soviet prisoners of war Polish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union Romanian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union

Bibliography
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List of Polish cities damaged in World War II

See also

References