List of Polish cities damaged in World War II

Ruined Warsaw in January 1945

As the German army retreated during the later stages of the Second World War, many of the urban areas of what is now Poland were severely damaged as a result of military action between the retreating forces of the German Wehrmacht and advancing ones of the Soviet Red Army. Other cities were deliberately destroyed by the German forces. One of the most famous of these planned destructions was the razing of Warsaw, the capital of Poland.[1] While extensively damaged by the failed Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and Warsaw Uprising, the city later underwent a planned demolition by German forces under order from Adolf Hitler and high officials within the Nazi government. On 17 October 1944, SS chief Heinrich Himmler famously stated, "The city must completely disappear from the surface of the earth and serve only as a transport station for the Wehrmacht."[2] Before they were stopped by the advancing Red Army, 85% of the city had been taken out.[3] Warsaw was far from the worst off after the Nazi retreat; 97% of Jasło[4] and 100% of Polanów were reduced to rubble.[5] Other towns such as Wałcz fared better, with only a quarter of the city being destroyed.[5] Ancient historical buildings in Polish cities were not spared; for example, Trzemeszno's Romanesque basilica of 1130-45 was burnt down in 1945.[5]

Polish name
German name
Pre-war location
coordinates
Damage
Details
Bartoszyce
Bartenstein Germany54°15′N 20°49′E / 54.250°N 20.817°E / 54.250; 20.817
50%[5]
Bielsk Podlaski
Bielsk Podlaski Poland
65%[5]
Bobolice
Bublitz Germany53°57′N 16°35′E / 53.950°N 16.583°E / 53.950; 16.583
75%[5]
Bolesławiec
Bunzlau Germany51°16′N 15°34′E / 51.267°N 15.567°E / 51.267; 15.567
60%[5]
Braniewo
Braunsberg Germany54°23′N 19°49′E / 54.383°N 19.817°E / 54.383; 19.817
85%[5]
Brzeg
Brieg Germany50°52′N 17°29′E / 50.867°N 17.483°E / 50.867; 17.483
80%[5]
Dębica
Dębica Poland50°03′N 21°25′E / 50.050°N 21.417°E / 50.050; 21.417
40%[5]
Dobiegniew
Woldenberg Germany52°58′N 15°45′E / 52.967°N 15.750°E / 52.967; 15.750
85%[5]
Dobre Miasto
Guttstadt Germany53°59′N 20°24′E / 53.983°N 20.400°E / 53.983; 20.400
65%[5]
Dobrzany
Jakobshagen Germany53°21′N 15°26′E / 53.350°N 15.433°E / 53.350; 15.433
60%[5]
Dukla
Dukla Poland49°34′N 21°41′E / 49.567°N 21.683°E / 49.567; 21.683
85%[5]
Elbląg
Elbing Germany54°10′N 19°24′E / 54.167°N 19.400°E / 54.167; 19.400
60%[5]
Ełk
Lyck Germany53°50′N 22°21′E / 53.833°N 22.350°E / 53.833; 22.350
50%[6]
Frombork
Frauenburg Germany54°21′25″N 19°40′52″E / 54.357°N 19.681°E / 54.357; 19.681
80%[5]
Garwolin
Garwolin Poland51°54′N 21°37′E / 51.900°N 21.617°E / 51.900; 21.617
70%[5]
Gdańsk
Danzig Danzig54°21′N 18°40′E / 54.350°N 18.667°E / 54.350; 18.667
50%
old town 80%[5]
Gdynia
Gdingen Poland54°30′N 18°33′E / 54.500°N 18.550°E / 54.500; 18.550
90% (Estimate)[7]
Głogów
Glogau Germany51°40′N 16°05′E / 51.667°N 16.083°E / 51.667; 16.083
95%[5]
old town completely[5]
Goleniów
Gollnow Germany53°34′N 14°49′E / 53.567°N 14.817°E / 53.567; 14.817
60%[5]
Gołdap
Goldap Germany54°18′58″N 22°18′34″E / 54.31611°N 22.30944°E / 54.31611; 22.30944
90%
Goniądz
Gonionds Poland53°29′N 22°44′E / 53.483°N 22.733°E / 53.483; 22.733
80%[5]
Gryfice
Greifenberg Germany53°54′53″N 15°11′55″E / 53.91472°N 15.19861°E / 53.91472; 15.19861
40%[5]
Gryfino
Greifenhagen Germany53°15′N 14°29′E / 53.250°N 14.483°E / 53.250; 14.483
70%[5]
Gubin
Guben Germany51°57′N 14°43′E / 51.950°N 14.717°E / 51.950; 14.717
90%[5]
Iłża
Iłża Poland51°10′0″N 21°15′0″E / 51.16667°N 21.25000°E / 51.16667; 21.25000
Inowrocław
Hohensalza Poland52°48′N 18°16′E / 52.800°N 18.267°E / 52.800; 18.267
50%[5]
Jasło
Jassel Poland49°45′N 21°28′E / 49.750°N 21.467°E / 49.750; 21.467
97%[4]
Kałuszyn
Kałuszyn Poland52°12′30″N 21°48′42″E / 52.20833°N 21.81167°E / 52.20833; 21.81167
85%[5]
Kamień Pomorski
Cammin Germany53°58′N 14°46′E / 53.967°N 14.767°E / 53.967; 14.767
65%[5]
Kańczuga
Kańczuga Poland49°59′02″N 22°24′31″E / 49.98389°N 22.40861°E / 49.98389; 22.40861
50%[5]
Kazimierz Dolny
Kazimierz Dolny Poland51°19′N 21°57′E / 51.317°N 21.950°E / 51.317; 21.950
Kętrzyn
Rastenburg Germany54°05′N 21°23′E / 54.083°N 21.383°E / 54.083; 21.383
50%[5]
Knyszyn
Knyszyn Poland53°19′N 22°55′E / 53.317°N 22.917°E / 53.317; 22.917
80%[5]
Kolbuszowa
Kolbuszowa Poland50°15′N 21°46′E / 50.250°N 21.767°E / 50.250; 21.767
Kołobrzeg
Kolberg Germany54°11′N 15°35′E / 54.183°N 15.583°E / 54.183; 15.583
90%[5]
Kostrzyn nad Odrą
Küstrin Germany52°35′18″N 14°39′00″E / 52.58833°N 14.65000°E / 52.58833; 14.65000
90%[5]
Koszalin
Köslin Germany54°12′N 16°11′E / 54.200°N 16.183°E / 54.200; 16.183
40%[5]
Kożuchów
Freystadt in Schlesien Germany51°45′N 15°36′E / 51.750°N 15.600°E / 51.750; 15.600
70%[5]
Krosno Odrzańskie
Crossen an der Oder Germany52°03′N 15°05′E / 52.050°N 15.083°E / 52.050; 15.083
65%[5]
Krzepice
Kschepitz Poland
50%[5]
Kuźnia Raciborska
Ratiborhammer Germany50°13′N 18°18′E / 50.217°N 18.300°E / 50.217; 18.300
50%[5]
Kwidzyń
Marienwerder Germany53°44′N 18°55′E / 53.733°N 18.917°E / 53.733; 18.917
50%[5]
Legnica
Liegnitz Germany51°13′N 16°10′E / 51.217°N 16.167°E / 51.217; 16.167
60%[5]
Leśna
Marklissa Germany51°01′25″N 15°16′00″E / 51.02361°N 15.26667°E / 51.02361; 15.26667
Lubań
Lauban Germany51°07′N 15°18′E / 51.117°N 15.300°E / 51.117; 15.300
60%[5]
Lubin
Lüben Germany51°24′N 16°12′E / 51.400°N 16.200°E / 51.400; 16.200
70%[5]
Łomża
Lomscha Poland53°11′N 22°05′E / 53.183°N 22.083°E / 53.183; 22.083
70%[5]
Malbork
Marienburg in Westpreußen Germany54°02′N 19°03′E / 54.033°N 19.050°E / 54.033; 19.050
45%
Nidzica
Neidenburg Germany53°22′N 20°26′E / 53.367°N 20.433°E / 53.367; 20.433
40%[5]
Opole
Oppeln Germany50°40′N 17°56′E / 50.667°N 17.933°E / 50.667; 17.933
60%[5]
Ostrołęka
Ostrołęka Poland53°05′N 21°35′E / 53.083°N 21.583°E / 53.083; 21.583
Ostróda
Osterode in Ostpreußen Germany53°42′N 19°59′E / 53.700°N 19.983°E / 53.700; 19.983
60% (Estimate)[5]
Piła
Schneidemühl Germany53°09′N 16°44′E / 53.150°N 16.733°E / 53.150; 16.733
75%[5]
Polanów
Pollnow Germany54°06′N 16°42′E / 54.100°N 16.700°E / 54.100; 16.700
100%[5]
Poznań
Posen Poland49°47′10″N 22°46′26″E / 49.78611°N 22.77389°E / 49.78611; 22.77389
55% (Estimate)[5]
Przemyśl
Premissel Poland54°15′N 20°49′E / 54.250°N 20.817°E / 54.250; 20.817
Rzepin
Reppen Germany52°21′N 14°50′E / 52.350°N 14.833°E / 52.350; 14.833
85%[5]
Stargard Szczeciński
Stargard in Pommern Germany53°20′N 15°03′E / 53.333°N 15.050°E / 53.333; 15.050
70%[5]
Szczecin
Stettin Germany53°25′N 14°35′E / 53.417°N 14.583°E / 53.417; 14.583
65%[5]
port and industry 95%[5]
Trzemeszno
Tremessen Poland52°33′31″N 17°49′09″E / 52.55861°N 17.81917°E / 52.55861; 17.81917
Romanesque basilica of 1130-45 burnt down in 1945[5]
Świnoujście
Swinemünde Germany53°55′N 14°15′E / 53.917°N 14.250°E / 53.917; 14.250
55%[5]
Wałcz
Deutsch Krone Germany53°16′N 16°28′E / 53.267°N 16.467°E / 53.267; 16.467
25%[5]
Warsaw
Warschau Poland52°13′48″N 21°00′39″E / 52.23000°N 21.01083°E / 52.23000; 21.01083
85%[3]
Węgorzewo
Angerburg Germany54°13′N 21°45′E / 54.217°N 21.750°E / 54.217; 21.750
80%[5]
Wodzisław Śląski
Loslau Poland50°00′N 18°27′E / 50.000°N 18.450°E / 50.000; 18.450
80%
Wolin
Wollin Germany53°55′N 14°30′E / 53.917°N 14.500°E / 53.917; 14.500
70%[5]
Wolsztyn
Wollstein Poland52°07′N 16°07′E / 52.117°N 16.117°E / 52.117; 16.117
Classicist castle of 1845 burnt down in 1945[5]
Wrocław
Breslau Germany51°07′N 17°02′E / 51.117°N 17.033°E / 51.117; 17.033
70%[5]
Zabłudów
Zabłudów Poland53°01′N 23°21′E / 53.017°N 23.350°E / 53.017; 23.350
85% (Estimate)[5]
Żagań
Sagan Germany51°37′N 15°19′E / 51.617°N 15.317°E / 51.617; 15.317
60%[5]
Zakroczym
Zakroczym Poland52°26′16″N 20°36′43″E / 52.43778°N 20.61194°E / 52.43778; 20.61194
80%[5]
Złoczew
Złoczew Poland51°25′N 18°36′E / 51.417°N 18.600°E / 51.417; 18.600
80%[5]
Żary
Sorau Germany51°38′N 15°08′E / 51.633°N 15.133°E / 51.633; 15.133
60%[5]
Żelechów
Żelechów Poland51°48′N 21°54′E / 51.800°N 21.900°E / 51.800; 21.900
Żory
Sohrau Poland50°03′N 18°42′E / 50.050°N 18.700°E / 50.050; 18.700
80%[5]
Żychlin
Żychlin Poland52°14′43″N 19°37′25″E / 52.24528°N 19.62361°E / 52.24528; 19.62361
40% (Estimate)[5]

See also

References

Notes
Bibliography
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