Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
By: Madeline Smith
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Between July 22 and September 12, 1942 German authorities deported or murdered around 300,00 Jewish People in the Warsaw Ghetto. This was a Nazi motivated plan. The German forces intended to liquidate the Warsaw Ghetto on April 19, 1943. When the SS and police units entered the ghetto that morning, the streets were empty. Most of the residents had gone into hiding places or bunkers. This was the signal for an armed uprising within the ghetto.
Resistance Organiztaions
In response to the deportations, on July 28, 1942, several Jewish underground organizations created a self defense unit known as The Jewish Combat Organization. Rough estimates puts the size of the organization at around 200 members. They formed another resistance organization, The Jewish Military Union. At first there was tension between the two groups, however they decided to work together to destroy the ghetto. At the time of the uprising, The ZOB had about 500 fighters in it's ranks and The ZZW had about 250.
Forcibly removed from Dug-Outs
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Interagation of Religious Jewish People
The Fight
German forces were stronger and there were more of them but the resistance organizations held out for a lot longer than expected. Although the Germans broke the military resistance within days of the attack individuals and small groups hid or fought the German for almost an month. At the end, General Stroop estimated that they killed up to 7,000 Jewish People, then deported up to another 7,000.
The End
The Warsaw ghetto uprising was the most symbolically most important Jewish uprising and the first urban uprising. This inspired other uprisings in ghettos. Today, Days of Remembrance ceremonies are dedicated to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.