page_title: 1939 in Poland
section_title: August
hierarchical_section_title: 1939 in Poland / Events / August
caption_attribution_description: First page of an official order of Adolf Hitler dated 31.08.1939 for an attack against Poland - beginning of the World War II
context_page_description: On September 30, 1939, the last government of the Second Polish Republic which resided in Warsaw was dissolved. The government was originally designed on May 15, 1936, by president of Poland Ignacy Mościcki under prime minister Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski.
context_section_description: August 1. Officers of Polish Police arrest in Lwów around 30 activists of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
  August 2. In London, governments of Poland and Great Britain sign an agreement according to which Poland gets a loan in the amount of 8 million British pounds (200 million Polish zlotys). Poland initially demanded four times as much. On the same day, Benedictine monks return to the abbey in Tyniec
  August 4. Polish customs officers in the Free City of Danzig are informed that they no longer can make inspections in the port. On the next day, under Polish pressure, the Senate of Danzig voids the decision
  August 6. In Kraków, the 25th anniversary of First Cadre Company's departure is celebrated with estimated 200 000 watching the parade
  August 8. A Polish-Hungarian celebration takes place at the Cross of the Legions in eastern Carpathians
  August 9. Polish chargé d'affaires in Berlin, Stefan Lubomirski, meets Ernst von Weizsäcker, who hands Lubomirski a note from von Ribbentrop about tense situation in the Free City of Danzig
  August 10. In Warsaw, Tomasz Arciszewski meets German chargé d'affaires, Johan von Wuhlisch. On the same day, Gauleiter Albert Forster makes a speech in Danzig, telling the crowds that the city will soon return to Germany
  August 11. A conference of Józef Beck, Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski, Ignacy Mościcki, Felicjan Slawoj-Skladkowski and Edward Rydz-Śmigły, takes place at the Warsaw Castle
  August 12. In Moscow, talks between military delegations of France, Great Britain and Soviet Union begin
  August 13. Partial mobilization of the Polish Army
  August 15. Poland celebrates 19th anniversary of the Miracle at the Vistula (see: Battle of Warsaw (1920)), with the biggest demonstration taking place in Radzymin. On the same day in Moscow, Vyacheslav Molotov talks with German ambassador to the Soviet Union, Friedrich Schullenburg. Schullenburg informs Molotov about von Ribbentrop's willingness to come to Moscow
  August 17. French government grants Polish government credit in the amount of 430 million French francs
  August 19. In Warsaw, Józef Beck, talking to British ambassador Howard Kennard and French ambassador Leon Noel, says that Polish government will not give permission for the Red Army to enter Polish territory in case of war with Germany. On the same day, Northern Trade Fair opens in Wilno
  August 20. In Katowice, funeral of Wojciech Korfanty takes place
  August 22. Heat in Poland, with temperatures reaching up to 31 degrees Celsius in Pomerania. Edward Rydz-Śmigły orders alarm mobilization in military districts along western border of Poland. Joachim von Ribbentrop leaves Berlin for Moscow
  August 23. In Moscow, Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact is signed
  August 24. In the morning, secret mobilization takes place in Poland, which covers around 75% of the Polish Army manpower
  August 25. Pact of mutual help between Poland and Great Britain is signed in London. In Moscow, Soviet-French-British negotiations end. German battleship Schleswig-Holstein anchores in the channel near Westerplatte
  August 26. Adolf Hitler changes his order and attack on Poland is postponed to September 1. Nevertheless, some Wehrmacht units attack, especially in the south. Józef Beck meets Soviet ambassador, Nikolai Sharonov
  August 28. German chargé d'affaires, Ernst Krummer meets Jan Szembek. Krummer declares that the German-Polish Non-Aggression Pact is unilaterally abrogated by Adolf Hitler. On the same day, Hitler speaks at Reichstag, and the speech is broadcast by the radio (see: List of Adolf Hitler speeches). 20 people die in the Tarnów rail station bomb attack
  August 30. The Polish destroyers ORP Burza, ORP Błyskawica and ORP Grom are ordered to execute the Peking Plan, and the warships head for Great Britain. A mobilisation of the Polish Army is ordered
  August 31. Gleiwitz incident. Polish ambassador in Berlin, Józef Lipski, for the last time sees Joachim von Ribbentrop. At 12:40 pm, Adolf Hitler gives an order to attack Poland on September 1, at 4:45 am
caption: First page of an official order of Adolf Hitler dated 31.08.1939 for an attack against Poland – beginning of World War II
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