Circular Reconstruction: Building with the Rubble of Warsaw

The destruction of Warsaw began with the German aerial bombardment of September 1, 1939, the day that marked the outbreak of World War II. During the ensuing occupation, the Germans’ principal target became the city’s population, which numbered 1.3 million in 1939. At least half of this population was killed or perished during the occupation, including almost the entire Jewish population of Warsaw. The destruction reached its peak in the months following the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 and the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. After suppressing these armed insurgencies, German forces proceeded to kill, loot, burn, and demolish.