Summary

During the Second World War the Polish Army constituted the fourth allied power (after the Soviet, American an British armies). In 1945 it numbered around 650.000 soldiers. Only the Poles took part in the war from its first until the very last day - obviously apart from the Germans (1 September 1939 - 8 May 1945).

As an effect of this war Poland suffered tremendous losses: both human and material. Most of them were a consequence of the occupiers' criminal activity; and to a much lesser degree - of the direct war actions.

According to a report published in 1947: "Report on Poland's losses and war damages in the years 1939-1945" as many as 6.028.000 Polish citizens died as a consequence of the war. Only 644.000 of them lost their lives directly as a result of combat actions (of which the losses of the army amounted to 123.000 (in fact they exceeded 160.000) - the remaining deaths were due to the German occupier's terror).

Out of every 1000 inhabitants Poland lost 220 people, while e.g. the Netherlands: 22, France: 15 and Belgium: 10. Only the losses of the Warsaw's population (around 800.000) exceeded the combined losses of the British and US civilian population in this war.

As a consequence of the war over 590.000 Polish citizens were permanently handicapped, the number of ill rose dramatically, for example with TB (by 1.140.000 people when compared with 1939), which had a great influence on the country's reconstruction and it's development after 1945.

Material losses were also exceptionally high. They amounted to 38% of the state from 1939. Among others: 162.000 residential buildings in the cities were destroyed; over 353.000 rural households and 14.000 factories. 43% of the country's cultural goods were destroyed or robbed. Most of museums, theatres and public libraries were lost.

Losses in the health care system amounted to 55% of the pre-war state of possession; and of the rural economy: to over 50%. 38% of railways were destroyed, as well as 46% of the combined length of bridges. Certain branches of industry were particularly affected e.g. chemical: 64.5%, printing industry: 64.3%, electrotechnical: 59.7%, textile: 55.4%, metal: 48%, food industry: 53.1%.

The combined losses resulting from the German occupation (the areas occupied by the USSR were annexed to it after the war) amounted to 258.4 billion of the pre-war Polish zlotys - which was then an equivalent of approx. $ 50 billion. As it seems, these were not precise calculations.

Presently (2004) a special team of experts, established by the President of Warsaw, estimated war losses of the capital as exceeding $ 45 billions. Of this, 26 billions constitute the costs related to the destruction, by the Germans, of residential buildings.
 

The real losses of Warsaw are even greater. For the above estimation doesn't take into account property belonging to the state in 1939, and calculations encompassed only part of damages suffered the population of the capital. It results from the fact that only 300.000 people declared damages shortly after 1945 (out of 1.300.000 living in Warsaw in 1939).

This example presents the tremendous scale of the losses suffered both by the state and by the Polish society during the Second World War.

As the consequence of the war many citizens of the Republic of Poland didn't return, to the country ruled by communists after 1945. They settled in various parts of the world and there they contributed to the economic and cultural development of their new countries. For example Professor Andrzej Schally, son of a Polish Army General became a Nobel Prize winner.

As a result of the war the population of Poland decreased from around 35 millions (1939) to around 24 mln (1945). Also because Poland lost half of its territory to the benefit of the USSR. The parts of Germany were granted by the great powers to compensate for this loss. The country's territory decreased from around 389.000 square kilometres (before the war) to around 312.000 (presently).
 

Despite that, Poland was one of the allied countries throughout the entire war, it cannot be ranked among the winners. In 1939 the leaders of the Third Reich and the USSR signed a treaty liquidating Polish statehood. Still in 1945, thanks to the effort of its soldiers, Poland managed to maintain the existence of the state. As a consequence of the war actions and the attitude of the US and British authorities towards Poland, it lost its political independence. This in turn contributed to slowing down of the country's development, observed till the present days.

 

Polish Army in May 1945
	Polish Army in the east	Polish Armed Forces in the west	Total
Soldiers	approx. 395 000	approx. 195 000	approx. 590 000
Aircraft	approx. 450	approx. 300	approx. 750
Combat vehicles	approx. 800	approx. 3 100	approx. 3 900

 

"Pro Memoria" Medal Established on the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in order to honour persons, who contributed greatly to commemorating people who tought for the independence of Poland during the war and after its end.