Distributed by the Polonia Media Network

PART 11 - "SURRENDER"

When it became clear during the last days of September that Zoliborz had to fall, the Staff of the Home Army finally decided to negotiate a surrender agreement with the Germans. Almost without exception the men who took this decision were those who had agreed to start the uprising on July 31. The isolated rebels in the City Center were in a hopeless position; the other remaining pockets of resistance were surrendering one after the other. In addition, disappointment that further air-supplies from the U.S. Air Force had failed to materialize and that the Red Army had abandoned their attempts to cross the Vistula also played a significant role in that fateful decision of September 28.

As the Germans wished, the evacuation of the civilian populace now proceeded on a larger scale, unhindered by the Polish authorities. Nonetheless, Bor signaled London on the 28th that "if the Red Army begins to attack again in the next few days, we will interrupt the evacuation and take up arms again." Because the Russians did not even now do anything to help, the Poles worked out their suggestions for the surrender agreement on the night of October 2. The most important demands were:

Actual negotiations began in Bach-Zelewski’s command post at Ozarow at 8:00 a.m. Bor did not take part himself, but sent a four-strong delegation under Colonel Iranek-Osmecki and Lieutenant-Colonel Dobrowolski. Bach-Zelewski himself negotiated on behalf of the Germans, together with two police officers and an interpreter. Later Bach wrote in his diary: "They were extremely tough negotiators, haggling over every word. They wanted to surrender as honorably as possible and obtain all guarantees to ensure their complete recognition as regulars."

After sixty-three days fighting Warsaw laid down its arms. At 8:20 p.m. the surrender treaty was signed. The next day Bor himself appeared at the German general’s command post to discuss the details of the agreement. Bach-Zelewski offered the Polish officers a meal which Bor refused. Bach often openly admitted that he felt genuine respect for the Poles’ military achievements and their courage. He even suggested that the Poles and the Germans should join forces and fight together against their common enemy, the Russians. But, it was far too late for that sort of suggestion after all that had happened.

Nevertheless, the surrender treaty did have a spirit of chivalry about it, something met with all too rarely in the Second World War. The three Polish Infantry Regiments retreated from the battle area in closed formations and fully armed and only laid down their weapons later. Officers were permitted to keep their small arms. Moreover, the Germans guaranteed that no foreign troops under German command would be detailed to guard the Poles. As civilian evacuation proceeded, the Germans tried to avoid inflicting any unnecessary hardship. The evacuees were permitted to take objects of artistic, cultural or Christian value with them. Female prisoners were put into officers’ camps.

The "trial surrender" of a first regiment took place on the morning of October 4. The rest were to leave Warsaw the following day and surrender their arms outside the city. It is worth noticing that the text of the agreement was not published at the time by either side. The Allies did not make it public because it was—to some degree at least—drawn up fairly and did not fit in with current propaganda. The Germans "omitted" to publish it because it was not in keeping with their earlier propaganda which spoke of "Polish sub-humans."

Early on October 4 companies of the first regiment congregated behind the Technical University, from where the barricades had "symbolically" been removed the day before. They listened to orders followed by a short speech from their commander. Then they all sang the national anthem, "Not yet is Poland lost," their voices ringing out over the square. The command "Attention" echoed; they shouted "Long live our beloved Polish Republic" and cheered. Then the first battalion began to move out led by their commander, a major. It was closely followed by the other companies four abreast: old and young men and women, clad in uniform and in civvies, wearing white and red armbands or the Polish eagle on their caps. After their sixty-three-day-long struggle, after the bitterness and the disappointment, despite the destruction, despite the shortage of water, the men had somehow managed to shave. Their weapons gleamed and they had spruced up their uniforms. They all wore their decorations pinned to their chests.

German officers and soldiers lined the street. They lowered their weapons and watched the retreat in silence. Some saluted to show their respect.

German radio reported on October 3, 1944, that "After weeks of fierce fighting which has led to the almost total destruction of the city, the remaining rebels, deserted by all their Allies, have given up and surrendered."

More than 9,000 AK [Armia Krajowa] were taken prisoner. Approximately 3,500 preferred to go underground, although the Germans kept their word almost completely. About 16,000 AK soldiers perished or had been reported "missing presumed dead." 6,000 were wounded. Almost 200,000 civilians died. The Germans registered 2,000 killed and 9,000 wounded.

The Germans blew up almost all that remained of Warsaw. It now lay on the main battle front between the Germans and the Russians.