Lwów Uprising The Lwów Uprising ( ) was the armed struggle started by the Polish resistance movement organization Polish Home Army ( ) against the Nazi occupiers in the city of Lwów during World War II . It began on July 23 , 1944 as a part of a plan of all - national uprising codenamed Operation Tempest . The uprising lasted until July 27 and resulted in liberation of the city . However , shortly afterwards the Polish soldiers were arrested by the invading Soviets and were forced to join the Red Army or sent to the Gulags . The city itself was occupied by the Soviet Union . In late December 1943 , the Red Army initiated yet another offensive . Already on January 4 , 1944 , the first Soviet units crossed the pre - war Polish border in Volhynia . By the end of March most of Tarnopol Voivodeship lay in their hands , with the Germans preparing to retreat behind the Bug River . Under such circumstances the Home Army devised a plan of a gradual uprising that was to break out before the advancing Soviets , defeat the withdrawing Germans and allow the underground Polish authorities to appear in newly - liberated areas as their legitimate governors . The plan , code - named Operation Tempest , was put into action and by early July 1944 the local Lwów Home Army branch prepared specific orders for all Polish partisan units in the area . According to the order of July 5 , 1944 , the forces of the Home Army within the city were divided onto five districts , each with its own centre of mobilization and different tasks . On July 18 , the German civilian authorities and pro - Nazi Ukrainian militias withdrew from the city . The following day , the forces of the Wehrmacht left Lwów , leaving only a token force . This left large parts of the town practically in Polish hands . However , at the same time , several new divisions of the Wehrmacht appeared at the city ' s outskirts , causing the Polish headquarters postpone the uprising . It was not until the afternoon of July 21 that the first reconnaissance units of the Red Army arrived to the area . The following day the Soviet 29th Tank Brigade of the 4th Tank Army reached the city ' s limits . At that moment , the Polish Home Army decided to commence the battle against German fortified outposts . The German forces withdrew from the city ' s outskirts and fortified themselves in the city centre . In the early hours of the following day , what started as a series of skirmishes resulted in an outbreak of heavy city fights . The first to join the fight was the 14th Home Army Uhlans ' Regiment , clearing the suburb of Łyczaków and pushing towards the old town along Zielona and Łyczakowska streets . In the western area , the Polish forces outnumbered the Germans and were able to capture the Main Train Station terminal . The southern area was almost abandoned by the Germans and the Polish forces were able to capture the 19th century citadel with large military supplies depots . This success allowed the supply of the Polish troops with badly needed arms . On July 23 the heaviest fighting ensued in the city centre and the northern district , where the Poles were able to capture only the Gas Works , preventing their demolition by the German troops . In the city centre , the partisans were aided by the entire Soviet 10th Tank Corps that was gradually joining the fights . The Soviets advanced in three wedges . One of them aimed at the southern area , already cleared from any German resistance by the Polish units . The two others reinforced the Polish units attacking along the Zielona and Łyczakowska streets . By the end of the day , the last column reached the Old Town Square and the Poles captured the Old Town Market . Afterwards , the civil and military authorities were summoned for a meeting with Red Army commanders and captured by the NKVD with guarantees of safety for all attendees provided . Despite these guarantees , the Soviets arrested some 5000 Polish soldiers who were sent to " Miedniki " gulag . The remaining forces of col . Władysław Filipkowski were forcibly conscripted to the Red Army , sent to Gulag or escaped to rejoin the underground .