On Wednesday, September the 1st, 2021, ceremonies related to the 82nd anniversary of the outbreak of World War II took place at the Monument to the Defenders of the Coast in Gdańsk, with the participation of the head of the Ministry of National Defense, soldiers of the Polish Army, veterans and scouts. This year's celebrations were also attended by soldiers from the eFP NATO Battle Group stationed in Poland.

"The Second World War began with an attack by Germany on Poland. This attack was a consequence of a close alliance between Hitler and Stalin. On September the 17th, 1939, Bolshevik Russia stabbed Poland in the back by attacking our homeland. These events were followed by a time of terror by the occupiers - German and Russian invaders. An example of acts of terror is the execution in Palmiry carried out on the Polish elite by the German occupier. This is also Katyn, the assassination of over 21,000 officers, soldiers and policemen with a shot in the back of the head by the Russian occupier. The acts of terror concerned civilians. "- said Minister Blaszczak.

As every year, the main part of state celebrations organized by the Polish Army began in the morning in front of the Monument to the Defenders of the Coast on Westerplatte. Punctually at 4.45 am alarm sirens were activated, the sound of which symbolized the beginning of the German aggression against Poland on September the 1st, 1939.

During the ceremony, veterans, scouts, veterans and soldiers lit a Torch of Generations. The Westerplatte Heroes' March, composed by the Polish Army, was also played.
The Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Elżbieta Witek, handed over the identification note to the representatives of the family of the found soldier, senior legionnaire Ignacy Zatorski, defender of Westerplatte.

After the reading of the Appeal of Remembrance, the heroism of the defenders of the Homeland was celebrated with a cannon salute, and the scouts present at the ceremony read the message of Westerplatte. The celebration of the 82nd anniversary of the outbreak of World War II in Westerplatte ended with a joint prayer and the ceremony of laying a wreath from the nation by delegations of Polish Army soldiers at the Westerplatte Monument.

Minister Błaszczak emphasized that the world should be reminded of the historical truth about World War II. "The world says that the perpetrators of the murders were the Nazis. We do not know who the Nazis were? The situation is similar when it comes to the Russian side. The world does not want to remember the perpetrators of World War II. Therefore, it is our duty to remind the world of historical facts. " - he said.

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On September the 1st, 1939, the German army, without declaring war, crossed almost the entire length of the borders of the Republic of Poland at dawn, thus starting the World War II. The German army began military operations at 4.45 am with salvos from the battleship "Schleswig-Holstein" towards Westerplatte. Until September the 7th, 1939, Polish troops under the command of Major Henryk Sucharski defended the Westerplatte against enemy attacks from the sea, land and air. According to various sources, there were 210-240 Poles when the fighting broke out. From 2020, the celebration of the anniversary of the outbreak of World War II in Westerplatte is organized by the Polish Army.