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In a stark recount of one of World War II’s darkest episodes, German historian Prof. Stephan Lehnstaedt speaks out about the scandalous lack of justice for SS General Heinz Reinefarth, the orchestrator of the 1944 massacre in Warsaw’s Wola district.
This event, which occurred between Aug. 5 and 7, 1944, saw the organized slaughter of civilians on an unprecedented scale in the history of the conflict, as a retaliatory act against the Warsaw Uprising.
The news of the uprising in Warsaw had reached Berlin on the evening of Aug. 1, 1944, leading to a chilling directive from Hitler, as informed by Heinrich Himmler: “Every resident must be killed; no prisoners are to be taken, and Warsaw should be razed to the ground as a terrifying example for all of Europe.”
Prof. Lehnstaedt, who penned a book on the 1944 Warsaw Uprising aimed at educating Bundeswehr soldiers, emphasized the importance of understanding Polish history, particularly now as Germany sees Poland as a vital NATO ally amidst ongoing tensions in Ukraine. “Our soldiers know nothing of their history, and it’s essential to change that,” said Lehnstaedt in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza.
The academic highlighted that Poland fought for freedom alone against Germany, with no help from the Russians. “It was our war, our responsibility, and our German crimes,” he added. Despite the notoriety of the Warsaw Uprising and the brutal acts committed during its suppression, the main culprits like Reinefarth were not prosecuted post-war. Reinefarth, along with Erich von dem Bach and Oskar Dirlewanger, who were also involved in suppressing the uprising, were honored by Hitler with high military decorations.
In stark contrast to Dirlewanger, who was mysteriously murdered after being captured by the French, Reinefarth lived a long and untroubled life. He became the mayor of the town of Westerland on the island of Sylt in 1951 and served as a member of the parliament of the state of Schleswig-Holstein from 1958 to 1967, dying in 1979.
The tragedy also deeply impacted civilians like Wanda Felicja Lurie, known as “the Polish Niobe.” On Aug. 5, 1944, during the Massacre of Wola, while nine months pregnant, she survived her own execution and the murder of her 6-year-old daughter and two sons, aged 3 and 11. Her memory continues to resonate, with a square named in her honor in Wola in 2005.
On Aug. 6, 1946, a funeral for the nameless victims of the Warsaw Uprising from Wola and Ochota districts took place. Over 12 tons of remains (about 52,000 people) were laid to rest at the Wola Cemetery.
