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Hitler’s Assault – How World War II Began - Part 1-2

August 12, 2014

The shelling of the town of Hel near Gdansk on 1 September 1939 is considered the beginning of the Second World War. But that is not quite correct: the Wehrmacht’s first target was the Polish town of Wieluń.

https://p.dw.com/p/1CXTG
Image: DW

No one had expected an attack. Wieluń was just an ordinary Polish town without any military or strategic significance. It was completely destroyed in just a matter of minutes.

Even before the shelling of the Hel Peninsular by the German training ship “Schleswig-Holstein,” which is commonly seen as the official start of the war, a Luftwaffe bomber squadron had left Wieluń in ruins.
75 years after the war began, this two-part documentary is devoted to a little-known attack on a provincial town.



Polish civilians and soldiers talk about the bombing and their flight and expulsion. German soldiers also describe their early experiences of war.
In the German-Polish co-production by Deutsche Welle and TVP Polonia, filmmakers from both countries join forces to chart Hitler's invasion of Poland.



Broadcasting Hours:

Part 1

DW


SUN 24.08.2014 – 02:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 05:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 08:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 12:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 16:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 20:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 23:30 UTC
TUE 26.08.2014 – 19:30 UTC

Cape Town UTC +2 | Delhi UTC +5,5 | Hong Kong UTC +8
San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4

DW (Europe)

SUN 24.08.2014 – 02:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 05:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 12:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 16:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 23:30 UTC
TUE 26.08.2014 – 19:30 UTC

London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +4

DW (Arabia)

SUN 24.08.2014 – 02:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 05:30 UTC
SUN 24.08.2014 – 23:30 UTC

Tunis UTC +1 | Cairo UTC + 3 | Dubai UTC +4

DW (Amerika)

SUN 24.08.2014 – 08:30 UTC

Vancouver UTC -7 | New York UTC -4 | Sao Paulo UTC -3


Part 2

DW


SUN 31.08.2014 – 02:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 05:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 08:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 12:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 16:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 20:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 23:30 UTC
TUE 02.09.2014 – 19:30 UTC

Cape Town UTC +2 | Delhi UTC +5,5 | Hong Kong UTC +8
San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4

DW (Europe)

SUN 31.08.2014 – 02:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 05:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 12:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 16:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 23:30 UTC
TUE 02.09.2014 – 19:30 UTC

London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +4

DW (Arabia)

SUN 31.08.2014 – 02:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 05:30 UTC
SUN 31.08.2014 – 23:30 UTC

Tunis UTC +1 | Cairo UTC + 3 | Dubai UTC +4

DW (Amerika)

SUN 31.08.2014 – 08:30 UTC

Vancouver UTC -7 | New York UTC -4 | Sao Paulo UTC -3

29.07.2014 DW Feature Foto Dokumentation Doku Heinz Maronde
In 1939, Heinz Maronde was a German soldier. He didn’t know the attack on Wieluń was the start of the war.Image: DW
29.07.2014 DW Feature Foto Dokumentation Doku Jan Tyszler
Janu Tyszler starting school in Wieluń in 1939. No stone of his school was left standing after the bombing.Image: DW