A magnificent pair of Warsaw Uprising bookends that features iconic characters from this episode through the fighter and the nurse.
The Warsaw Uprising, which took place from August 1 to October 2, 1944, was a desperate attempt by the Polish population to liberate its capital occupied by German forces during World War II. Triggered by the Polish Home Army, primarily composed of resistance fighters from the Armia Krajowa (AK), the uprising was a response to the advance of Soviet troops from the east and the hope of imminent liberation.
The fierce and relentless battles in the streets of Warsaw resulted in the almost total destruction of the city and the loss of over 200,000 Polish lives. Unfortunately, despite its proximity, the Soviet Union provided no support to the insurgents, leaving Warsaw in ruins, aiming to eliminate future Polish opposition to communism.
The nurse depicted here symbolizes these heroic women who worked tirelessly in extremely difficult conditions, providing medical care to civilian casualties and fighters, braving bombings and street fighting. Their essential contribution was often carried out in the shadows, but it remains a poignant testament to the resilience of the Polish people against Nazi oppression.
A song called "Sanitariuszka Małgorzatka" was written by Jan Krzysztof Markowski, a fighter and author of several songs of the insurgents, who was wounded and cared for by a nurse named Janina Załęska-Niewiarowska, whose combat pseudonym was "Małgorzata" (Margaret).
Metal bookends manufactured in the European Union.
