Flying the flag in Wola

"Pałacyk Michla, Żytnia, Wola, Bronią jej chłopcy od Parasola..." we'd sing this song of the Warsaw Uprising insurgents in Polish scouts; few if any of us back there in 1970s London imagined the street to which the lyrics referred (though the 'pałacyk Michlera' was actually on Ulica Wolska, not on ul. Żytnia, over half a kilometre away). The ongoing diversion of trains from the Radom line to W-wa Gdańska via Wola means I've come to know this western district of Warsaw very well, especially now that my cardiologist is here. A visit was arranged for today, so I went. I decided to walk along ul. Zytnia from one end to the other to catch the Wola vibe. The first thing that struck me – all these Polish flags flying! 

Yes, it's 17 September, the 86th anniversary of the Soviet Union invading eastern Poland, the stab in the back two and half weeks into Poland's defensive war with Hitler. The road to the Wola massacre started here. 

Walking along ul. Żytnia, I am struck by the total lack of pre-war buildings; architecture is uniformly moderne, 1950s and '60s in style. Here and there, memorials pinpoint sites of mass executions. 

The scale of the German massacres of civilian population, conducted by SS and police units, was staggering. Historians today assess the number of civilians killed at around 50,000, far outnumbering the deaths of armed combattants, Polish and German combined, during the 63 days of the Uprising. The Wola massacre happened on 5-12 August.

Right: on the corner of ul. Żytnia and Młynarska, another cross marks the location of the murder of around 150 local residents on 5 August 1944.

Wola will never forget. I found today's display of flags deeply moving. I'd guess, based on my previous walks through Wola, that some people keep national flags flying for the whole 63 days commemorating the Warsaw Uprising.

Below: public buildings also keep the flags flying today. This is the post office on the corner of ul. Plocka and Żytnia.

Well, if there's demand, there must be supply. Below: a shop selling flags and 'propaganda articles' on the corner of ul. Okopowa and Żytnia.

This time last year:
A further step towards energy autonomy

This time two years ago:
Plenitude in the Year's Fruition

This time three years ago:
Behold the wonder of the commonplace

This time four years ago
The force-field of fate

This time five years ago:
Hot in the city

This time six years ago:
Resting with the heroes

This time eight years ago:
Polish employers' demographic challenge

This time 12 years ago:
The rich, the poor, the entrepreneur

This time 13 years ago:
Food: where's the best place to shop in Poland? 
[I'm still boycotting Auchan for remaining in Russia]

This time 14 years ago:
Bittersweet

This time 15 years ago:
Commuting made easy

This time 16 years ago:
Work starts on the S79/S2 

This time 17 years ago:
Warsaw's accident-filled streets