page_title: Battle of Westerplatte
section_title: Aftermath
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Westerplatte / Aftermath
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Westerplatte, hissen der Reichskriegsflagge Die Einnahme der Wester-Platte am 8.9.1939 Bild Nr. A 73078, 9.9.1939 [Herausgabedatum] Bild: Haine Die deutsche Kriegsflagge wird auf der Westerplatte gehisst. Die Tapferkeit der deutschen Truppen zwang die polnischen Besatzung nach hartnäckigem Widerstand zur Übergabe. [Danzig, Westerplatte.- Angetretene Soldaten vor wehender Reichskriegsflagge] The income of the west plate at 8.9.1939 Picture No. A 73078, 9.9.1939 [publication date] Picture: Haine the German war flag is go-eaten on the Westerplatte. The bravery of the German troops forced the Polish crew after persistent resistance to the delivery. [Danzig, Westerplatte. - Begun soldiers before blowing realm war flag]
context_page_description: The Battle of Westerplatte was one of the first battles of the German invasion of Poland, marking the start of the Second World War in Europe.
  In mid-1920s the Second Polish Republic estabilished the Polish Military Transit Depot Wojskowa Składnica Tranzytowa (WST) on the Westerplatte peninsula in the harbor of the Free City of Danzig. Beginning on 1 September 1939, Heer (German Army), Kriegsmarine (naval) and Luftwaffe (air forces) and Danzig police assaulted the Depot. Despite initial assessment on both sides that the Polish garrison should hold for several hours before being reinforced or overwhelmed, the Poles held out for seven days and repelled thirteen assaults that included dive-bomber attacks and naval shelling.
  The defence of the Westerplatte was an inspiration for the Polish Army and people in the face of German advances elsewhere and is still regarded as a symbol of resistance in modern Poland. The Polish government is planning to open a dedicated museum on the site to public in 2026.
context_section_description: On 8 September, the day after the capitulation, the Germans discovered a grave with the bodies of four unidentified Polish soldiers who had been executed by their comrades for attempted desertion. This had likely taken place following the 2 September air raids.
  Five days after the capitulation, on 12 September 1939, the Polish wireless operator, sergeant Kazimierz Rasiński, was murdered by the Germans. He was shot after brutal interrogation during which he refused to hand over radio codes.
  On 19 September Hitler came to visit Gdańsk. While there, on 21 September, he inspected Westerplatte.
  Westerplatte saw another round of fighting during the Vistula–Oder Offensive in 1945. For three days (28 March to 1 April) elements of German 73rd Infantry Division defended the peninsula from the Soviet 76th Guards Rifle Division until the German units were evacuated by sea.
caption: German war flag being raised on Westerplatte, 8 September 1939
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