Gdansk 1945
As you can see from this photograph, at the end of World War II, the Royal Way was in ruins. That war actually began here. Following World War I, nobody could decide what to do with this influential and multiethnic city, so rather than assign it to Germany or Poland, it was set apart as its own little autonomous statelet. In 1939, Danzig was 80% German speaking, enough for Hitler to consider it his. And so, on September 1 of that year, the Nazis seized it in one day with relatively minor damage. Six years later, when the Soviets arrived on March 30, 945, the city was left devastated. This was the first major traditionally German cit that the Red Army took on their march toward Berlin. It was easy for the Soviets to seize the almost empty city, the commander then insisted that it be leveled building by building, in retaliation for all the pain the Nazis had caused in Russia, Soviet officers turned a blind eye as their soldiers raped and brutalized residents. An entire order of horrified nuns committed suicide by throwing themselves into the river.
Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of ... ... read more 
