A Thank-you From Our Commander-In-Chief (October 3rd, 1944)

October 3rd, 1944

Soldiers of Fighting Warsaw!
The heroic deeds of Polish soldiers which constitute two months of fighting in Warsaw are
proofs, however full of horror, of our desire for freedom ó our strongest desire. Our battle in
the capital, in the face of death and destruction, stands in the forefront of famous deeds of
Polish soldiers during this war. They will be a lasting memorial to our spirit and love of
freedom. Although we were not able to gain a military victory over our enemy (since the
general situation in our country was not favourable to our endeavour), those two months of
fighting for every foot of Warsaw's streets and walls have fulfilled a political and ideological
goal. Our struggle will influence the fate of our nation, since it is a contribution without equal
in its heroism and sacrifice to the defence of our independence.
Today, when the enemy's technical superiority has forced us into the central sector of our
city ó the only sector still under our control ó when the city's ruins are crowded with
soldiers and the heroic civilian population, suffering from unbearable conditions of living on
the battlefield, when we have not enough of even the most primitive food, and when there is
virtually no chance of defeating the enemy, we have to confront the problem of complete
destruction of the population by the enemy and the chance of having most of the fighting
soldiers and hundreds of thousands of the civilian population buried under the ruins. I have
decided to call a halt to the fighting.
I thank all the soldiers for their military bearing that never wavered under the most difficult
conditions.
I pay homage to the dead for their suffering and sacrifice.
I want to express the admiration and gratitude of the fighting units to the population, and
their affection for it. I would also like to ask their forgiveness for the transgressions, which no
doubt occurred more than once in the course of this long fight.
During the cease-fire discussion I have done my best to assure our soldiers of all the rights
due to them, to create the best possible living conditions and care for the civilian population
so that they might be spared as much as possible of the suffering caused by the war. I hereby ask of all soldiers, my very dear comrades during these two months of fighting,
whose will to fight was unbroken to the last moment, to obey in good order all commands
that will be issued as a consequence of our decision to stop fighting.
The civilian population is to obey all evacuation orders issued by me, the commanding
officer of the city and the civilian administration. With faith in the final victory of our just
cause, believing in our beloved, great and happy country, we will continue to be the soldiers
and citizens of Free Poland, pledging allegiance to the flag of the Republic.

Komorowski

Lieutenant-General
Commander-in-Chief, Home Army