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Sep 12 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
On this Day - 1939 - Hitler’s tame filmmaker Leno Riefenstahl witnessed a German massacre of Polish Jews at Końskie, south of Warsaw. Her entourage recorded her reaction. #OTD #Poland1939
She was in #Końskie to interview the German commander, General Reichenau, for a propaganda broadcast, but instead was witness to a “reprisal action” against local Jews.
Following the death of a couple of German officers in a Polish Army ambush, the Jews of the nearby town, Końskie, were rounded up for punishment: forced to dig the soldiers’ graves with their bare hands, while being abused by German soldiers. #Poland1939
When the action got out of hand, and the violence escalated, the Jews tried to flee the scene. In the chaos, German troops fired at them, chasing them through the streets. 22 were killed. #Poland1939
*Leni* obviously… 🙄
As usual - you can read more about this, and the wider German and Soviet invasions of Poland - in my book “First to Fight”/“Poland 1939”.

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More from @Roger_Moorhouse

Roger Moorhouse Profile picture
Sep 12
On this Day - 1939 - the British and French prime ministers and chiefs of staff met in the “Supreme War Council” at Abbéville in northern France. They discussed the progress of the ongoing German campaign in Poland and assistance for their ally. #Poland1939 #OTD
French prime minister Edouard #Daladier said that the German advance was proceeding “as expected”, and stressed that he had “no intention” of throwing French forces against the German western front.

This was said in spite of a previous commitment to do just that.
British prime minister Neville #Chamberlain described the French decision as “wise”, and stated that “nothing the Allies could do would save Poland”. Both Britain and France committed themselves instead to building up their own defences. #Poland1939
Read 5 tweets
Roger Moorhouse Profile picture
Sep 22, 2021
On this Day - German and Soviet units convened for a joint parade in the Polish city of #Brest. Here, the two commanders - General Heinz Guderian and Brigadier-General Semyon Krivoshein - share a joke on the reviewing stand. #Poland1939 #NaziSoviet
Here a Soviet T-26 tank passes a waiting Wehrmacht motorcycle reconnaissance unit. Friendly cooperation between the two allies. #NaziSoviet
Wehrmacht and Red Army troops mingled to watch the parade. #Brest #Poland1939
Read 6 tweets
Roger Moorhouse Profile picture
Sep 18, 2021
On this Day - 1939 - #Wehrmacht forces massacred some 358 Polish civilians and POWs at Śladów, west of Warsaw. (no photo available) It was one of the worst such massacres during the German invasion of Poland. #Poland1939 Image
Prisoners and civilians were rounded up following an engagement with Polish forces and forced to bury the dead. They were told that they would be released afterwards.
Instead, they were led to the banks of the Vistula and machine-gunned into the river. #Poland1939
This extract from my book “First to Fight” gives an eye-witness account of the lead up to the massacre. #Poland1939 Image
Read 5 tweets
Roger Moorhouse Profile picture
Sep 13, 2021
On this Day - 1939 - one of the most iconic photographs of #WW2 was taken in #Warsaw. It was taken by American photojournalist Julien Bryan, and it shows a 10-year-old girl, Kazimiera Mika, bending over the body of her sister, who had just been killed in a German air raid.
The sisters had been with a group of other woman, digging for potatoes near Powązki cemetery, when they were targeted in a strafing attack by Luftwaffe aircraft. Two of them were killed. Bryan arrived soon after and took out his camera. #Poland1939
According to Bryan, Mika cried: "What has happened?! What have they done to you?!" begging her sister to come to. "Please talk to me. Please..."
Bryan comforted her as best he could but, he wrote, "What could we, or anyone else, say to this child?" #Poland1939
Read 4 tweets
Roger Moorhouse Profile picture
Sep 12, 2021
On this Day - 1939 - the British and French prime ministers and chiefs of staff met in the “Supreme War Council” at Abbéville. They discussed the progress of the ongoing German campaign in Poland and assistance for their ally. #Poland1939
French prime minister Daladier said that the German advance was proceeding “as expected”, and stressed that he had “no intention” of throwing French forces against the German western front.

This, in spite of a previous commitment to do just that.
British prime minister Chamberlain described the French decision as “wise”, and stated that “nothing the Allies could do would save Poland”. Both Britain and France committed themselves instead to building up their own defences. #Poland1939
Read 6 tweets
Roger Moorhouse Profile picture
Sep 12, 2021
On this Day - 1939 - Hitler’s filmmaker Leno Riefenstahl witnessed a German massacre of Polish Jews at Końskie, south of Warsaw. #Poland1939
She was there to interview the German commander, General Reichenau, for a propaganda broadcast, but instead was caught up in a “reprisal action” against local Jews. #Końskie
After the death of a couple of German officers in a Polish Army ambush, the Jews of the nearby town, Końskie, were rounded up for punishment: forced to dig the soldiers’ graves with their bare hands, while being abused by German soldiers. #Poland1939
Read 6 tweets

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