Everyday life Everyday life

in occupied Polandin occupied Poland

General informationGeneral information

The World War II was the biggest millitary conflict in history of the world. It lasted from 1st September 1939 to 2nd September 1945.

During the war Poland was occupied by Germany and Russia.

Large areas of western Poland were annexed by Germany. The remaining block of territory was placed under a German administration called the General Government with its capital at Kraków.

Mass murders, displacements,pacifications, concentration camps showed the character of German policy to Polish. What is more, Germans

distroyed Polish schools, culture and economy.

People could move on the country only with permissions.There was police hour.Polish could not have cars, motors (sometimes they could have bikes), phones, radios, gramophones...Polish had to bow to Germany, give up the seats to them.

Treating of Polish

The civilians were arrested from among passers-by or inhabitants of selected city

quarters that had been surrounded by German forces.

Those caught in roundups were most often sent to slave labor camps

in Germany, but also taken as hostages in reprisal actions, imprisoned and sent

to concentration camps, or summarily executed in numerous ethnic cleansing

operations.

Roundup

Polish were afraid of Gestapo very much – the secret police Polish were afraid of Gestapo very much – the secret police which chaacterised of cruelity, they used blackmail, body which chaacterised of cruelity, they used blackmail, body

punishment, tortures.punishment, tortures.

Gestapo

Gestapo seat on Szuch in Gestapo seat on Szuch in WarsawWarsaw

A ghetto is a part of a city in which members of a minority group

(especially Jewish) live, because of social, legal, or economic pressure. Jewish were taken from neighboring towns and

countries. From ghetto they were taken to concentration camps and there were killed.

The conditions in ghetto were awful: diseases, dirt, lack of food and cruel terror.

Jewish died of starvation and exhaustion. All of them had to wear special bands with David's Star. For helping Jewish was

capital punishment but even though some Polish tried to help them: they provided food, helped to escape or hidded them.

Ghettos and helping of Jewish

Jewish, Ghettos – photos

German camps

The Nazi German death factories in Poland:

Auschwitz-Birkenau Bełżec Chełmno Majdanek Sobibór Treblinka

There were a lot of German camps in Poland during World War II both in the areas annexed by Germany and in the territory

of General Government. A system of camps of various kinds was established across the entire country, including extermination

camps, concentration camps, labour, and POW camps.

German death camps

The primary function of death camps was the elimination of Jews from all the countries occupied by Germany. Many

non-Jewish Poles and other prisoners were also killed in these camps. The estimated total number of people killed in these

camps is over three million

Polish farmers had to give Germans Polish farmers had to give Germans

everything: cereal, potatoes, meat, milk. everything: cereal, potatoes, meat, milk. That's why both in the cities and the That's why both in the cities and the

countries was not any food. Everything countries was not any food. Everything was on cards which were not enough was on cards which were not enough

for people to live. People were hungry, for people to live. People were hungry, they could have only: bread, they could have only: bread,

marmolade, potatoes, black coffe and marmolade, potatoes, black coffe and sacharina, instead of sugar. During that sacharina, instead of sugar. During that time the black market appeared but all time the black market appeared but all

goods were very expensive.goods were very expensive.

Food

Communication

Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. There were trams in big cities. All carriages were divided into two part by chain with the slogan: ''Nur fur Deutsche'‘.

From the beginning only Germans could travel, the second part was for Polish.

People died because of typhus, also there were pediculosis and scabies. It was very difficult to stay

clean because only small piece of soap could be taken from the cards. Children died because of diptheria.

There were not injections and detergents.

Diseases and hygiene

In Poland unemploement was very high, people In Poland unemploement was very high, people

became poorer and poorer. The salaries were so low became poorer and poorer. The salaries were so low that Polish had to sell all their possessions.that Polish had to sell all their possessions.

Like in other countries, the unfree labour was Like in other countries, the unfree labour was established for people from 18 to 60, then that level established for people from 18 to 60, then that level was lower - from 14. was lower - from 14.

All high schools and universities were closed down. All high schools and universities were closed down. Only primary schools could stay but with limited Only primary schools could stay but with limited programme.programme.

Polish teachers and proffessors organised secret Polish teachers and proffessors organised secret learning. They met with students in private flats learning. They met with students in private flats to teach them. to teach them.

Schools and work

During the war many During the war many

important for Poland works important for Poland works of art and monuments were of art and monuments were

destroyed or robbed. destroyed or robbed.

Cinemas, theatres, museums Cinemas, theatres, museums or sports objects were only or sports objects were only for Germans. Polish could for Germans. Polish could

only used some cinemas but only used some cinemas but they boycotted them because they boycotted them because of German films. There was of German films. There was popular slogan: „Only pigs popular slogan: „Only pigs

sit in the cinema.”sit in the cinema.”

Culture

Polish organised entertaintment in private houses. They prepared patriotic shows and poetic evenings.

Teenagers organised parties with patephones which lasted to 6 a.m. because of police hour.

Entertaintment

Many Polish were involved into conspiracy activity.

They mainly fought with German propaganda, they published local newspapers, they organised

millitary actions and prepared for fight.

Conspiracy activity

Authors:Angelika Łącz Klaudia LulekDaria Babiarz

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