The uprising broke out on 1 August 1944 at 17:00 (also known as the W-hour) on the initiative of the Home Army - an underground military organization, performing military operations on Polish soil. The military hoped to take power from the hands of the German occupying forces, anticipating the arrival of Soviet troops coming from the east.

Due to the need to take decisive action in a short time, the uprising was organized in a huge hurry. Although in the early days of fighting insurgents possessed up to 50 thousand men, only 10% of them were properly armed. This was a strong contrast to the 20,000 German soldiers and policemen stationed in Warsaw, who were equipped with modern equipment, tanks and mortars.

The command of the uprising was appointed to Colonel Antoni Chruściel (pseudonym Monter). The effect of surprise caused, that in the first days of fighting, the rebels managed to capture a large part of Warsaw area, including areas such as the districts of Żoliborz, Mokotów and parts of Śródmieście, Powiśle and the Old Town.

The Germans however, quickly regained the upper hand, which was felt acutely by the civilians – who were executed openly in the streets. The largest show of violence occurred in the Wola district, where on August 5-7 about 65,000 people were murdered.

Most intense fighting happened in the Old Town. In clashes to regain the Old Town, the Nazis used the heaviest military arsenal, forcing the insurgents to mass evacuate using the sewer canals.

The arrival of Soviet troops on September 10 did not significantly influence the course of the fighting. Polish Army present on the Russian side did manage to cross the Vistula, breaking from Praga to the left bank of the city, however it failed to keep the gained territory.

At the turn of September and October most insurgent positions in all districts of the city fell, prompting the commanders to undertake peace negotiations. On October 3-5, the insurgents lay down their arms and surrendered to the Germans. Most of the civilian population and the military was placed in POW and transitional camps - in Pruszków, and in Germany.

In connection with the activities of the insurgents approximately 25% of the buildings of Warsaw were destroyed. After the uprising - as a result of deliberate action by the Germans - a further 35% were demolished and burned down. Including a 10% loss in September 1939 and 15% resulting from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, about 85% of the city lay in ruins. Thus, most of the centuries-old cultural and material heritage Warsaw was destroyed.

Disputes and arguments about the sense and sensibility of the uprising continue until today. Some people believe that it was doomed to fail, while others approve of the armed revolt. Regardless of the views, the Warsaw uprising is commemorated annually on August 1 on Warsaw's streets by sounding the sirens, reminding passers-by of the uprising. Varsovians honour the memory of the fallen heroes from 1944 with a minute of silence.

Do you know?

• Although the uprising was led by Antoni Chruściel Monter, its formal leader was commander of the Home Army - Generał Tadeusz Bór Komorowski. On the last day of the uprising, October 3, 1944, Bór's responsibilities were taken over by another military commander, Leopold Niedźwiadek Okulicki.
• Although the Warsaw Uprising is presented in historiography as a Polish-German conflict, people from many other nations participated in it. On the side of the insurgents Slovaks were present (they even had their own platoon), Hungarians, the French and the Georgians. British and American pilots run regular air supply runs (although the majority of deliveries were taken over by Germans). The German side in turn was supported by collaborative unit RONA - Russian People's Liberation Army, consisting of, among others, Russians, Ukrainians, Ruthenians and Azerbaijanis.
• 1 August 1989 on the 45 anniversary of the uprising, Warsaw Uprising Monument was unveiled in Krasiński Square. The monument consists of two main parts. In the first one we see insurgents ready to battle - emerging from the rubble of the destroyed city. In the second part presented are the insurgents and civilians entering a sewer canal (a reference to the evacuation of the Old Town).
• In 1983 on Podwale Street in the Old Town another monument was unveiled – The Little Insurgent. It commemorates the youngest participants of the Warsaw Uprising.
• Since 2004 the Warsaw Uprising Museum has been operating on Grzybowska Street - a modern facility, museum and archive, popularizing knowledge about the uprising and conducting historical research about the events of the time.