Thirty souls. That’s how many lives were lost in Wawrzyszew on August 3 1944. A tragic day etched into the heart of this Warsaw neighborhood. This quiet residential area now boasts a metro station and bustling marketplace. But its past whispers a different story.
Wawrzyszew’s history stretches back to 1367. Long before the concrete apartment blocks it’s known for today. In 1379 Duke Janusz I granted Wawrzyszew’s profits to Old Warsaw. This helped fund the city’s walls. The village even had a slightly different name then. Wawrzyszewo.
Centuries passed. Physician Baltazar Smosarski purchased Wawrzyszew in the 16th century. He commissioned the construction of the Church of St Mary Magdalene. This beautiful building stood at 64 Wolczynska Street. It remains a testament to the enduring faith of Wawrzyszew’s residents. Next to it the Wawrzyszew Cemetery opened in the 19th century.
The 19th century also saw the creation of the Brustman Ponds. These artificial ponds are now a focal point of a local park. They were built by the Institute of Agronomics and Forestry. General Alexandr Vladimirovich Patkulov later built a residence near the ponds. He received the land as a reward from Alexander II.
The tragic events of August 3 1944 forever altered Wawrzyszew. After an unsuccessful Home Army attack on a nearby German airbase. German forces retaliated brutally. They burned buildings. They killed civilians. Thirty people perished. Women and children among them. This act of retribution left an indelible scar. A reminder of the terrible price of war.
The neighborhood was incorporated into Warsaw in 1951. It experienced significant development in the following decades. The Wolumen Marketplace opened. The Warsaw Housing Cooperative built apartment buildings. A cultural center opened. The metro arrived in 2008. Today Wawrzyszew is a vibrant part of Warsaw. Yet it never forgets the sacrifice of those thirty souls. Their memory lives on in the cross and plaque at the intersection of Wolczynska and Wolumen Streets. It reminds us of the resilience and spirit of this remarkable place. Remember Wawrzyszew. Remember the cost of freedom.