The Rososz massacre was a Nazi German war crime committed on May 18, 1944, in the village of Rososz (now in Masovian Voivodeship, Poland) during the German occupation of Poland in World War II. German forces killed approximately 30 Polish civilians, including local farmers, prisoners from Siedlce, and two Jewish women who were being hidden by villagers.[1]
| Rososz massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Nazi German crimes against the Polish nation during World War II | |
| Location | Rososz, Siedlce County, General Government |
| Date | May 18, 1944 |
Attack type | Mass murder, War crime |
| Deaths | ~30 (including 28 ethnic Polish civilians and 2 Jews) |
| Perpetrators | German occupation forces |
| Motive | Nazi racial policy, Anti-Polonism, Anti-partisan operations |
Massacre
editOn May 18, 1944, German forces conducted a pacification action in the village of Rososz. During the operation, they murdered approximately 30 people, including:[2]
- Local farmers from Rososz
- Unidentified prisoners brought from Siedlce
- Two Jewish women (a mother and daughter) who were being hidden and fed by villagers
The victims were targeted for supporting the Polish resistance movement and refusing to accept German occupation.[2]
Commemoration
editA monument was erected in Rososz to commemorate the victims of the massacre. Annual ceremonies are held to honor the memory of those killed.[3]
In 2014, on the 70th anniversary of the massacre, Polish President Bronisław Komorowski issued a commemorative letter honoring the victims. In his message, he emphasized that the Nazi terror in Poland was particularly brutal, characterizing it as a "total war" aimed not only at conquest but also at the physical extermination of civilians.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "Prezydent Komorowski: hołd pamięci dla mieszkańców Rososzy". dzieje.pl (in Polish). 2014-05-18. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ a b "List prezydenta z okazji obchodów 70. rocznicy pacyfikacji Rososzy". Prezydent.pl (in Polish). 2014-05-18. Retrieved 2024-11-02.
- ^ "W 70. rocznicę pacyfikacji i wymordowania mieszkańców wsi Rososz i Żeliszew". Podlasie24.pl (in Polish). 2014-05-13. Retrieved 2024-11-02.