85 Years ago on September 1, 1939, the sovereign country of Poland was attacked unprovoked by Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. The heavily fortified and armed German military suddenly commenced the invasion of Poland. This began World War II.
 
Despite their disadvantage the Polish army fought tenaciously and inflicted serious casualties on the enemy.
 
In one of many battles of the war, Polish Home Army in 1944 along with residents of Warsaw stood to defend their city in what became known as the “Warsaw Uprising.” As Warsaw faced relentless airstrikes and subsequent fires, civilians forced from their homes chose to join the fight. These combatants, including women and children, volunteered to aid in the fight by delivering arms, messages, and supplies to their army and constructing defensive barriers to protect their city from the Germans for 63 days. Many civilians caught in the crossfire of these events were separated from their families or killed. The death toll exceeded 180,000 while more than 11,000 Polish Home Army soldiers were taken as prisoners of war.
 
Luzerne County and Lackawanna County are among the top six U.S. counties with the highest percentage of their populations having Polish ancestry. In fact, Luzerne County is the only county in America that claims a plurality of Polish. As such, it is important that we recognize this historical event that so many Pennsylvanians’ heritages connect to. For these reasons and more, we will be introducing a resolution to designate September 1, 2024, as “Polish Resistance in World War II Commemoration Day” in Pennsylvania.
 
It is essential that we remember World War II and the sacrifices and bravery of the Polish and Allied soldiers, civilians, and all those who helped secure freedom and democracy as we know it today. Please join us in co-sponsoring this important resolution to commemorate the heroic acts of so many of our ancestors.