I'm a big fan of the television series Czas Honour (Time of Honor). It's an ambitious and exceptionally well produced series (compelling writing
historically accurate
great casting
great music
great camera work
and superb CGI). Mostly it tells a story that needs to be told
the story of Poland's WW2 experience!
Czas Honour: Powstanie is a part of this series yet it's listed independently due to the slight difference in name. Let me explain.
Initially Telewizja Polska (TVP) intended Czas Honour to be a six season series that would jump over the Warsaw Uprising(Powstanie) of August 1944. Then with the success of the series the decision was made to add a seventh season that would go back in time and address the uprising. This seventh episode is Czas Honour: Powstanie which was broadcast in 2014 the 70th anniversary of the uprising.
Thus said when watching the series I highly recommend viewing it in the following sequence: S1 - S2 - S3 - S4 - S7 (Powstanie) - S5 - S6. This will make it much more coherent and enjoyable.
The Warsaw Uprising is arguably Poland's greatest WW2 story. Consider that by the summer of 1944 Poland had been occupied by the Germans for almost 5 years. Meanwhile the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa or AK) had swollen to over 400,000 and they desperately wanted to punish their oppressors. More so consider that the AK was expecting support from the Allies which to their surprise never materialized (mostly because the Russians viewed the AK as a threat to their plans to occupy Poland). Even without this support the AK fought the Germans valiantly but they were no match and after 63 days found it necessary to surrender. In retaliation the Germans then expelled the entire population of the city and began the systematic destruction of the city. In the end the uprising cost close to 200,000 civilian lives another 30,000 soldiers and resulted in the destruction of a city that just 6 years earlier was the home to 1.25 million people!
The series did not sugar coat the fact that this uprising was doomed from the beginning and was a fool's errand that was fueled by youthful indiscretion and romanticism. Nor did it gloss over the fact it was not supported by the citizenry who were the ones who suffered most! Nor does it hide the fact that in the end the uprising accomplished very little and in fact made matters worse. These are remarkable admissions and you gotta respect the honesty!
My only complaint is that the series failed to illustrate the greater political issues that brought about this crisis and I think they are important when we look back at this tragedy.
I think the time required to watch this series is time well spent. It is and educational, entertaining and well produced. Better off watch the entire 90 episodes in the aforementioned order. It is an important and unknown chuck of history.
9 of 10
POST: To learn more about the Warsaw Uprising check out the films "Miasto 44" and "Powstanie Warszawskie" or better yet visit the Warsaw Uprising Museum in Warsaw!
Czas Honour: Powstanie is a part of this series yet it's listed independently due to the slight difference in name. Let me explain.
Initially Telewizja Polska (TVP) intended Czas Honour to be a six season series that would jump over the Warsaw Uprising(Powstanie) of August 1944. Then with the success of the series the decision was made to add a seventh season that would go back in time and address the uprising. This seventh episode is Czas Honour: Powstanie which was broadcast in 2014 the 70th anniversary of the uprising.
Thus said when watching the series I highly recommend viewing it in the following sequence: S1 - S2 - S3 - S4 - S7 (Powstanie) - S5 - S6. This will make it much more coherent and enjoyable.
The Warsaw Uprising is arguably Poland's greatest WW2 story. Consider that by the summer of 1944 Poland had been occupied by the Germans for almost 5 years. Meanwhile the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa or AK) had swollen to over 400,000 and they desperately wanted to punish their oppressors. More so consider that the AK was expecting support from the Allies which to their surprise never materialized (mostly because the Russians viewed the AK as a threat to their plans to occupy Poland). Even without this support the AK fought the Germans valiantly but they were no match and after 63 days found it necessary to surrender. In retaliation the Germans then expelled the entire population of the city and began the systematic destruction of the city. In the end the uprising cost close to 200,000 civilian lives another 30,000 soldiers and resulted in the destruction of a city that just 6 years earlier was the home to 1.25 million people!
The series did not sugar coat the fact that this uprising was doomed from the beginning and was a fool's errand that was fueled by youthful indiscretion and romanticism. Nor did it gloss over the fact it was not supported by the citizenry who were the ones who suffered most! Nor does it hide the fact that in the end the uprising accomplished very little and in fact made matters worse. These are remarkable admissions and you gotta respect the honesty!
My only complaint is that the series failed to illustrate the greater political issues that brought about this crisis and I think they are important when we look back at this tragedy.
I think the time required to watch this series is time well spent. It is and educational, entertaining and well produced. Better off watch the entire 90 episodes in the aforementioned order. It is an important and unknown chuck of history.
9 of 10
POST: To learn more about the Warsaw Uprising check out the films "Miasto 44" and "Powstanie Warszawskie" or better yet visit the Warsaw Uprising Museum in Warsaw!
