Authors

Yvonne Poerzgen¹;  ¹ Ruhr University Bochum, Germany

Discussion

2024 saw the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising in spring 1944 which lasted for 63 days. The underground Armia Krajowa tried and failed to overthrow the German occupants of the city, hoping in vain that the Red Army which had already advanced far into Polish territory would support them.
In Socialist times, commemorating the uprising was forbidden due to the dubious role of the then Soviet „brothers“ in its outcome. As a kind of reflex, the founding of the Third Rzeczpospolita (1989) was accompanied by a surge of commemorative activities. These reached their first peak in the founding of the Warsaw Uprising Museum (2004).
The 80th anniversary was marked, as is usually the case, by a number of events, expositions and publications. The paper will offer an overview of these activities as a backdrop for the analysis of certain publications. The focus will lie on the presentation of the uprising in video games such as „Warsaw Rising“ and especially the updated version „Warsaw Rising: City of Heroes“. Exhibitions in Poland and abroad organised by the Polish state will also be included in the analysis. The paper will argue that the PiS government (2015-2023) and especially the IPN (Institute of National Remembrance) have turned the commemoration into a patriotic act. To do so, they especially targeted younger generations, relying on media of pop culture like video games and graphic novels.
Since the publications were planned and prepared years ahead, the end of the PiS government had no significant effect on their nature. In addition, the accompanying publications could be integrated into Poland’s reaction on Russia’s war against Ukraine (2022 – today). The paper will explore the integration of the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising into the traditional and updated narratives of Poland as saviour of Europe and always rebellious, finally victorious nation.