Westerplatte

The resort located on the Westerplatte peninsula was built in 1830 and comprised of a beach, a forest park, a seaside bath complex, and health spa facilities. After World War I, the surrounding area became part of the Second Polish Republic, while the city of Danzig (present-day Gdańsk), which was predominantly inhabited by ethnic Germans, became an independent city state known as the Free City of Danzig. Although the Free City was governed by the League of Nations, it eventually became more closely aligned with Germany.

In 1921, the League of Nations granted Poland the right to install an ammunition depot and station a garrison near Gdańsk on the Westerplatte peninsula. Despite some objections from the Free City of Danzig, the agreement was confirmed in 1925, and the depot was completed and became operational in 1926. The Polish garrison consisted of 88 soldiers and was not allowed to construct fortifications.

In March 1933, the Polish government temporarily strengthened the garrison from 88 to 200 soldiers, in response to comments from German politicians and media figures about the need for border adjustment and to put pressure on the Danzig government, which was trying to renounce prior agreements on shared Danzig-Polish control over the harbor police. The Polish troops were withdrawn after protests from the League, Danzig, and Germany.

Over the years, the Polish government also secretly constructed fortifications on the peninsula, including five small concrete outposts and a large barracks prepared for defense, supported by a network of field fortifications such as trenches and barricades. Some of the buildings were reinforced with concrete. In early 1939, with tensions rising, the garrison was placed on alert.

The German invasion of Poland on September 1st, 1939, started with a surprise attack by the German Luftwaffe (air force) on the city of Wieluń. The air raids were carried out by Junkers Ju 87 Stukas, which dropped bombs on the city, marking the start of the invasion. Minutes later, the battleship Schleswig-Holstein, which was on a courtesy visit to the Free City of Danzig, suddenly opened fire on the Polish garrison without warning.

This was followed by an attack by Oblt. Wilhelm Henningsen's storm unit and the Marinestosstruppkompanie. However, the attackers were ambushed by the Polish defenders, who were well-positioned and concealed, and caught the Germans in a crossfire of small arms, mortars, and machine guns. Despite two more assaults on the same day, the Germans suffered heavy losses and were unable to penetrate the Polish defenses.

Over the next few days, the Germans continued their attack on Westerplatte, bombarding it with naval artillery and heavy field artillery, along with dive-bombing raids by Stukas. Despite repeated assaults by 570 German soldiers, the 180 Polish soldiers successfully defended their position for seven days. Major Henryk Sucharski, who was in charge of the defense, was informed that no help would come from the Polish army, leaving him cut off and without reinforcements or resupplies. Nevertheless, he continued to defend his position, keeping the main German force stalled at Westerplatte and preventing further attacks along the Polish coast.

Finally, on September 7th, Major Sucharski decided to surrender due to a lack of ammunition and supplies. As a sign of respect for the bravery of the soldiers of Westerplatte, the German commander, Gen. Eberhardt, allowed Major Sucharski to keep his sword while being taken prisoner.

The remnants of the barracks and guardhouses that were used by the defenders during the war still stand today. One of the guardhouses, identified as Guardhouse #1, underwent a transformation after the war and was converted into a museum. The entrance of the museum is adorned by two 280mm shells from the Schleswig-Holstein battleship.

In 1966, a monument dedicated to the coast defenders, known as the Monument of the Coast Defenders (Pomnik Obrońców Wybrzeża), was unveiled to commemorate the bravery of the defenders. The monument serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made during the war.

In 2015, a new museum dedicated to the 1939 battle of Westerplatte was established. The Westerplatte Museum was created to commemorate the events that took place during the battle and to educate the public about its significance in history. The museum offers a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about the battle and to pay their respects to the soldiers who fought and lost their lives during the conflict.