Warsaw

The old city of Warsaw, Poland, was reduced to rubble during its invasion, and subsequent occupation, by Germany in World War II

The town square of old Warsaw, Poland. Though known as the ‘old’ part of the city of Warsaw, this square is a reconstruction of the town square that was dynamited by German troops in World War II. The cathedral of St John, the city walls, and the opera house have also been reconstructed.

Capital of Poland, on the River Vistula; population (2002) 1,671,700. Industries include engineering, food processing, printing, clothing, and pharmaceuticals.

history Founded in the 13th century, it replaced Kraków as capital in 1595. Its university was founded in 1818. It was taken by the Germans after heavy fighting during World War I and following the war became capital of independent Poland. Between the mid-19th century and 1940, a third of the population were Jews. It was taken by the Germans on 27 September 1939 and its 400,000 Jews were forced to live in the city's ghetto. In 1943 there was an uprising by those who had survived; this was put down and the survivors killed. In 1944 the Polish resistance attempted to gain control of the city before the arrival of the Russian army. The Warsaw Rising, as it became known, was crushed by the Germans after nine weeks. Warsaw was finally liberated on 17 January 1945. The old city was virtually destroyed during the war but has been reconstructed.

The physicist and chemist Marie Curie was born here.

Warsaw

Town and administrative headquarters of Kosciusko County, north-central Indiana; population (1990) 11,000. It is situated on the Tippecanoe River, 58 km/36 mi west-northwest of Fort Wayne, in an agricultural region. The town trades, processes, and ships local products, particularly dairy goods. Its manufactures include aircraft and auto parts, medical equipment, toys, furniture, and castings. In a lake-filled area, Warsaw is also a resort centre.