70 years ago, on 1 August 1944, over ten thousand poorly armed resistance fighters began to battle for the freedom of their city. The command of the underground Home Army, in deciding to take overt military action against the overwhelming numbers of German occupying forces, planned to maintain control over the city for a week to ten days. It was assumed that the Red Army would soon launch an assault on Warsaw. Stalin, however, ceased offensive action, and resistance fighters defended their capital alone for nearly 10 weeks. During the 63 days of fighting approximately 18 000 resistance soldiers lost their lives and nearly 120 000 inhabitants of Warsaw were killed during the fighting and cruelly murdered by the Nazis. However, during the 63 days of the uprising, Warsaw – although burnt, shelled and bombed – fought and lived freedom, and an independent Polish state functioned. This struggle and the life of the city are depicted in these carefully selected archival photographs...