On Aug. 1, 1944, thousands of poorly-armed young city residents rose up against the German forces to try to take control of Warsaw ahead of the advancing Soviet army. They held on for 63 days in the cut-off city before being forced to surrender. Almost 200,000 fighters and civilians were killed in street fights and in German bombings. The Nazis expelled the survivors and set the city ablaze.

Every year, on August the 1st, at 17:00, Warsaw residents pay homage to those, who fought for freedom in 1944 Warsaw Uprising, by holding a city-wide moment of silence. It is called the W hour. All cars, trams and buses stop and blow the horns, people in the streets stop as well for one minute to pay tribute to our Heroes.