Warsaw Ghetto

Quick Facts: Who was Warsaw Ghetto?

Subject:

Warsaw Ghetto

Known for:

The largest Nazi ghetto during WWII, site of mass imprisonment and extermination.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Warsaw Ghetto (German: Warschauer Ghetto, officially Jüdischer Wohnbezirk in Warschau, 'Jewish Residential District in Warsaw'; Polish: getto warszawskie) was the largest of the Nazi ghettos during World War II and the Holocaust. It was established in November 1940 by the German authorities within the new General Government territory of occupied Poland. At its height, as many as 460,000 Jews were imprisoned there, in an area of 3.4 km2 (1.3 sq mi), with an average of 9.2 persons per room, barely subsisting on meager food rations. Jews were deported from the Warsaw Ghetto to Nazi concentration camps and mass-killing centers. In the summer of 1942, at least 254,000 ghetto residents were sent to the Treblinka extermination camp during Großaktion Warschau under the guise of "resettlement in the East" over the course of the summer.

Career & Major Achievements

The ghetto was demolished by the Germans in May 1943 after the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising had temporarily halted the deportations. The total death toll among the prisoners of the ghetto is estimated to be at least 300,000 killed by bullet or gas, combined with 92,000 victims of starvation and related diseases, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, and the casualties of the final destruction of the ghetto. Before World War II, the majority of Polish Jews lived in the merchant districts of Muranów, Powązki, and Stara Praga. Over 90% of Catholics lived further away from the commercial center. The Jewish community was the most prominent there, constituting over 88% of the inhabitants of Muranów; with the total of about 32.7% of the population of the left-bank and 14.9% of the right-bank Warsaw, or 332,938 people in total according to 1931 census.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Many Jews left the city during the Great Depression. Antisemitic legislation, boycotts of Jewish businesses, and the nationalist "endecja" post-Piłsudski Polish government plans put pressure on Jews in the city. In 1938, the Jewish population of the Polish capital was estimated at 270,000 people. The Siege of Warsaw continued until September 29, 1939. On September 10 alone, the Luftwaffe conducted 17 bombing raids on the city; three days later, 50 German planes attacked the city center, targeting specifically Wola and Żoliborz.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1931: 1931 Milestone — 9% of the right-bank Warsaw, or 332,938 people in total according to 1931 census.
2. 1938: 1938 Milestone — In 1938, the Jewish population of the Polish capital was estimated at 270,000 people.
3. 1939: 1939 Milestone — The Siege of Warsaw continued until September 29, 1939.
4. 1940: 1940 Milestone — It was established in November 1940 by the German authorities within the new General Government territory of occupied Poland.
5. 1942: 1942 Milestone — In the summer of 1942, at least 254,000 ghetto residents were sent to the Treblinka extermination camp during Großaktion Warschau under the guise of "resettlement in the East" over the course of the summer.
6. 1943: 1943 Milestone — The ghetto was demolished by the Germans in May 1943 after the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising had temporarily halted the deportations.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Warsaw Ghetto

True or False: “Was the initial population confined to the Warsaw Ghetto area approximately 30% of the general Jewish population of Warsaw?”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The text states that before the Holocaust began, the number of Jews imprisoned there was between 375,000 and 400,000, which is noted as about 30% of the general population of the capital.

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• Agustín Pedro Justo — Historical peer (Died in 1943) (1943): 18th President of Argentina, leading during the tumultuous Infamous Decade.
• Akaji Maro — Historical peer (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering Japanese butoh performer, director, and acclaimed film actor.
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Historical peer (Born in 1931) (1931): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Adolfo Pérez Esquivel — Historical peer (Born in 1931) (1931): Argentine activist and Nobel Peace laureate for human rights defense.
• Abu Taher — Historical peer (Born in 1938) (1938): Bangladeshi military officer, insurgent, and political activist known for his role in the 1975 coups.
• Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud — Historical peer (Born in 1938) (1938): Somaliland politician, served as President from 2010 to 2017.

Frequently Asked Questions about Warsaw Ghetto