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...The
German units that penetrated into this area of the ghetto at
dawn on April 19 were met with strong and effective fire by
the defenders. A large number of Germans fell, dead or
wounded. The resistance was so strong that the Germans brought
up more and more additional units for the operation, including
even field guns, flame-throwers and tanks. The situation was
complicated by daring sallies on the part of the Jewish
fighters, who spread out into sections outside the streets
they were defending, also by the systematic fire of the German
attackers that poured into the ghetto from neighboring streets
on the other side. The Gendarmerie and SS units did not gain
control of the situation, and as a result a Wehrmacht unit was
brought into the battle against the ghetto. Throughout Monday,
April 19, and Tuesday, April 20, attacks continued by the
Gendarmerie, the SS units and Army units on the ghetto, which
was defending itself stubbornly, and all these attacks failed.
Heavy shelling continued near the ghetto walls night and day
without stopping. German columns in battle formation moved out
many times for the assault. Hundreds of Germans fell dead or
wounded, and the ghetto continued to defend itself. This
brought about a change in the German tactics. They stopped
making direct attacks on the ghetto and began instead to lay
siege to it. Movement was stopped in a number of streets close
to the ghetto on the Aryan side and the Jewish stronghold
surrounded by a great ring of armed German units. The drainage
channels were sealed. German guns began to bombard the ghetto
with fire-bombs. Many houses went up in flames. For the past
several days, huge clouds of smoke have been rising up over
the ghetto, and at night tremendous flames are seen over the
northern part of the city. Special loudspeakers ceaselessly
call on the inhabitants of the ghetto to surrender. Some of
the Jews obeyed the substance of these appeals. Fewer than
10,000 persons lined up at the concentration points named by
the Germans and were taken outside of Warsaw. But these were
old people, including many women, the aged and weak among the
men. All the rest, mainly young men, numbering more than
20,000, are fighting stubbornly. It is quite clear that in
this battle the Jewish side is also suffering heavy losses.
But it is a fact that in the six days that have passed since
the Germans began the Aktion against the Warsaw ghetto,
the Jews have not suffered defeat, and they reveal absolute
determination to continue their self-defense and the struggle,
and it looks as though it may continue for a longer period.
This
war between the Jews and the Germans has awakened feelings of
sympathy and admiration on the Aryan side of Warsaw, and shame
among the Germans, who feel rightly that the situation that
has come about in Warsaw is an uncommon blow to German
prestige. It now appears that the Gestapo, which knows all and
can do all, did not succeed in preventing the excellent
preparations made by the Jewish population for the struggle
and for its defense, with the result that the combined forces
of the Gendarmerie, the SS and the Army were unable up to now
to overcome this resistance despite the assaults they have
been mounting for the past six days....
Archiwum
Zakladu Historii Partii
(Archives of the Institute for the Partys History), 202/I-33,
pp. 343-344.
*
The reference is to the Polish Underground leadership, which
operated under the Polish Government-in-Exile in London. |
