As the German army retreated during the later stages of the Second World War, many of the urban areas of what is now Poland were severely damaged as a result of military action between the retreating forces of the German Wehrmacht and advancing ones of the Soviet Red Army. Other cities were deliberately destroyed by the German forces. One of the most famous of these planned destructions was the razing of Warsaw, the capital of Poland.[1] While extensively damaged by the failed Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and Warsaw Uprising, the city later underwent a planned demolition by German forces under order from Adolf Hitler and high officials within the Nazi government. On 17 October 1944, SS chief Heinrich Himmler famously stated, "The city must completely disappear from the surface of the earth and serve only as a transport station for the Wehrmacht."[2] Before they were stopped by the advancing Red Army, 85% of the city had been taken out.[3] Warsaw was far from the worst off after the Nazi retreat; 97% of Jasło[3] and 100% of Polanów were reduced to rubble.[5] Other towns such as Wałcz fared better, with only a quarter of the city being destroyed.[5] Ancient historical buildings in Polish cities were not spared; for example, Trzemeszno's Romanesque basilica of 1130-45 was burnt down in 1945.[5]
| Polish name | German name | Pre-war location | coordinates | Damage | Details |
|---|
| Bartoszyce | Bartenstein | Germany | {{coord|54|15|N|20|49|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 50%[4] |
| Bielsk Podlaski | Bielsk Podlaski | Poland | — | 65%[4] |
| Bobolice | Bublitz | Germany | {{coord|53|57|N|16|35|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 75%[4] |
| Bolesławiec | Bunzlau | Germany | {{coord|51|16|N|15|34|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60%[4] |
| Braniewo | Braunsberg | Germany | {{coord|54|23|N|19|49|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 85%[4] |
| Brzeg | Brieg | Germany | {{coord|50|52|N|17|29|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 80%[4] |
| Dębica | Dębica | Poland | {{coord|50|03|N|21|25|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 40%[4] |
| Dobiegniew | Woldenberg | Germany | {{coord|52|58|N|15|45|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 85%[4] |
| Dobre Miasto | Guttstadt | Germany | {{coord|53|59|N|20|24|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 65%[4] |
| Dobrzany | Jakobshagen | Germany | {{coord|53|21|N|15|26|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60%[4] |
| Dukla | Dukla | Poland | {{coord|49|34|N|21|41|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 85%[4] |
| Elbląg | Elbing | Germany | {{Coord|54|10|N|19|24|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60%[4] |
| Ełk | Lyck | Germany | {{coord|53|50|N|22|21|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 50%[5] |
| Frombork | Frauenburg | Germany | {{coord|54.357|19.681|region:PL_type:city}} | 80%[4] |
| Garwolin | Garwolin | Poland | {{coord|51|54|N|21|37|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 70%[4] |
| Gdańsk | Danzig | Danzig | {{Coord|54|21|N|18|40|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 50% | old town 80%[4] |
| Gdynia | Gdingen | Poland | {{coord|54|30|N|18|33|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 90% (Estimate)[6] |
| Głogów | Glogau | Germany | {{coord|51|40|N|16|05|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 95%[4]| old town completely[4] | |
| Goleniów | Gollnow | Germany | {{coord|53|34|N|14|49|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60%[4] |
| Gołdap | Goldap | Germany | {{coord|54|18|58|N|22|18|34|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 90% |
| Goniądz | Gonionds | Poland | {{coord|53|29|N|22|44|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 80%[4] |
| Gryfice | Greifenberg | Germany | {{coord|53|54|53|N|15|11|55|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 40%[4] |
| Gryfino | Greifenhagen | Germany | {{coord|53|15|N|14|29|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 70%[4] |
| Gubin | Guben | Germany | {{coord|51|57|N|14|43|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 90%[4] |
| Iłża | Iłża | Poland | {{coord|51|10|0|N|21|15|0|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — |
| Inowrocław | Hohensalza | Poland | {{coord|52|48|N|18|16|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 50%[4] |
| Jasło | Jassel | Poland | {{coord|49|45|N|21|28|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 97%[3] |
| Kałuszyn | Kałuszyn | Poland | {{coord|52|12|30|N|21|48|42|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 85%[4] |
| Kamień Pomorski | Cammin | Germany | {{coord|53|58|N|14|46|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 65%[4] |
| Kańczuga | Kańczuga | Poland | {{coord|49|59|02|N|22|24|31|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 50%[4] |
| Kazimierz Dolny | Kazimierz Dolny | Poland | {{coord|51|19|N|21|57|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — |
| Kętrzyn | Rastenburg | Germany | {{coord|54|05|N|21|23|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 50%[4] |
| Knyszyn | Knyszyn | Poland | {{coord|53|19|N|22|55|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 80%[4] |
| Kolbuszowa | Kolbuszowa | Poland | {{Coord|50|15|N|21|46|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — |
| Kołobrzeg | Kolberg | Germany | {{Coord|54|11|N|15|35|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 90%[4] |
| Kostrzyn nad Odrą | Küstrin | Germany | {{coord|52|35|18|N|14|39|00|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 90%[4] |
| Koszalin | Köslin | Germany | {{coord|54|12|N|16|11|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 40%[4] |
| Kożuchów | Freystadt in Schlesien | Germany | {{coord|51|45|N|15|36|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 70%[4] |
| Krosno Odrzańskie | Crossen an der Oder | Germany | {{coord|52|03|N|15|05|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 65%[4] |
| Krzepice | Kschepitz | Poland | — | 50%[4] |
| Kuźnia Raciborska | Ratiborhammer | Germany | {{coord|50|13|N|18|18|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 50%[4] |
| Kwidzyń | Marienwerder | Germany | {{coord|53|44|N|18|55|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 50%[4] |
| Legnica | Liegnitz | Germany | {{coord|51|13|N|16|10|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60%[4] |
| Leśna | Marklissa | Germany | {{coord|51|01|25|N|15|16|00|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — |
| Lubań | Lauban | Germany | {{coord|51|07|N|15|18|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60%[4] |
| Lubin | Lüben | Germany | {{coord|51|24|N|16|12|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 70%[4] |
| Lublin | Lublin | Poland | {{coord|51|24|N|22|57|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — |
| Łomża | Lomscha | Poland | {{coord|53|11|N|22|05|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 70%[4] |
| Malbork | Marienburg in Westpreußen | Germany | {{coord|54|02|N|19|03|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 45% |
| Nidzica | Neidenburg | Germany | {{coord|53|22|N|20|26|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 40%[4] |
| Opole | Oppeln | Germany | {{coord|50|40|N|17|56|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60%[4] |
| Ostrołęka | Ostrołęka | Poland | {{coord|53|05|N|21|35|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — |
| Ostróda | Osterode in Ostpreußen | Germany | {{coord|53|42|N|19|59|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60% (Estimate)[4] |
| Piła | Schneidemühl | Germany | {{coord|53|09|N|16|44|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 75%[4] |
| Polanów | Pollnow | Germany | {{coord|54|06|N|16|42|E|region:PL_type:city}} | {{sort>99.99|100%}}[4] |
| Poznań | Posen | Poland | {{Coord|49|47|10|N|22|46|26|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 55% (Estimate)[4] |
| Przemyśl | Premissel | Poland | {{coord|54|15|N|20|49|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — |
| Rzepin | Reppen | Germany | {{coord|52|21|N|14|50|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 85%[4] |
| Stargard Szczeciński | Stargard in Pommern | Germany | {{coord|53|20|N|15|03|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 70%[4] |
| Szczecin | Stettin | Germany | {{coord|53|25|N|14|35|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 65%[4]| port and industry 95%[4] | |
| Trzemeszno | Tremessen | Poland | {{coord|52|33|31|N|17|49|09|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — | Romanesque basilica of 1130-45 burnt down in 1945[4] |
| Świnoujście | Swinemünde | Germany | {{coord|53|55|N|14|15|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 55%[4] |
| Wałcz | Deutsch Krone | Germany | {{coord|53|16|N|16|28|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 25%[4] |
| Warsaw | Warschau | Poland | {{coord|52|13|48|N|21|00|39|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 85%[7] |
| Węgorzewo | Angerburg | Germany | {{coord|54|13|N|21|45|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 80%[4] |
| Wodzisław Śląski | Loslau | Poland | {{coord|50|00|N|18|27|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 80% |
| Wolin | Wollin | Germany | {{coord|53|55|N|14|30|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 70%[4] |
| Wolsztyn | Wollstein | Poland | {{coord|52|07|N|16|07|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — | Classicist castle of 1845 burnt down in 1945[4] |
| Wrocław | Breslau | Germany | {{coord|51|07|N|17|02|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 70%[4] |
| Zabłudów | Zabłudów | Poland | {{coord|53|01|N|23|21|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 85% (Estimate)[4] |
| Żagań | Sagan | Germany | {{coord|51|37|N|15|19|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60%[4] |
| Zakroczym | Zakroczym | Poland | {{coord|52|26|16|N|20|36|43|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 80%[4] |
| Złoczew | Złoczew | Poland | {{coord|51|25|N|18|36|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 80%[4] |
| Żary | Sorau | Germany | {{coord|51|38|N|15|08|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 60%[4] |
| Żelechów | Żelechów | Poland | {{coord|51|48|N|21|54|E|region:PL_type:city}} | — |
| Żory | Sohrau | Poland | {{coord|50|03|N|18|42|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 80%[4] |
| Żychlin | Żychlin | Poland | {{coord|52|14|43|N|19|37|25|E|region:PL_type:city}} | 40% (Estimate)[4] |
1. ^{{cite book | last = Anthony M. Tung| title = Preserving the world's great cities:The Destruction and Renewal of the Historic Metropolis|edition= 2001| publisher = Three Rivers Press| isbn= 0-517-70148-0|url=http://www.anthonymtung.com/excerpts.htm#Chap4}}
2. ^Wituska, Tomaszewski 2006, p. xxii.
3. ^1 {{cite web |date= July 7, 2009|url = http://www.austriantimes.at/news/Panorama/2009-07-07/14509/Polish_town_at_odds_over_Hitler%92s_oak|title = Polish town at odds over Hitler's oak|format = |publisher = Austrian Times| accessdate = October 8, 2009 | last=Lisa Chapman |quote=}}
4. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 "На карте Польши", библиотечка "Польши" (2)
5. ^{{cite web |date= July 23, 1995|url = https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/23/travel/q-and-a-505595.html|title = Q and A|work= The New York Times| accessdate = October 8, 2009 | last=Terence Neiland |quote=}}
6. ^Nowak 1989, p. 214.
7. ^1 Free Europe Committee 1970, p. 10.