Westerplatte Peninsula

Westerplatte Peninsula

Westerplatte Peninsula (Westerplatte) is located at the mouth of a tributary of Poland's largest river, the Vistula (Wisła), and its name originates from Dutch, meaning "the western sandbank."

In 1924, pursuant to a League of Nations resolution, Poland established a military transit depot on the peninsula. On September 1, 1939, German warships launched an attack on the Polish troops stationed on the peninsula, firing the first shots of World War II. At that time, there were only 210 Polish soldiers defending the peninsula, while the attacking German force numbered 3,000. The Polish defenders held out for seven days before surrendering due to lack of ammunition and supplies. On September 21, Hitler personally visited Westerplatte to inspect the site, which had been dubbed the "Polish Verdun" by the German press.

Today, the ruins of five barracks remain on Westerplatte, along with monuments to Major Sucharski, who commanded the resistance against the Germans, and his soldiers. On an artificial mound stands the 70-meter-tall Monument to the Coast Defenders, engraved with the names of major battles fought in Europe during World War II.

Westerplatte

Must-visit reason: One of the most famous battlefields of World War II

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Poland[Poland]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Pomeranian Voivodeship [Pomeranian Voivodeship]

City where the attraction is located: Gdańsk [Gdańsk]