warsaw uprising 1944: public kitchen From 1939 to 1945, a civilian underground administration called the Government Delegature (Delegatura Rzadu) existed in occupied Poland. The Delegature represented the London-based Polish government-in-exile.

Warsaw was divided into administrative units such as regions, districts, blocks and houses. At the top of this structure a Delegate for the Capital performed functions similar to those of a mayor.

Centrally controlled administration existed during the Uprising in the City Centre, Old Town, Zoliborz, Mokotow, and Czerniakow regions. It was responsible for organizing and providing the following services:

  • City Services maintained and repaired electricity, plumbing, sewerage and gas services
  • Fire Fighting through professional fire brigades and volunteer squads
  • Feeding dozens of public kitchens provided meals, in some regions up to 20,000 meals daily
  • security maintained by State Security Corps (PKB) and Citizens Guard
  • social welfare provided accommodations for homeless people and refugees, organized searches for missing persons
  • health services organized field hospitals, collected medicines and medial supplies, provided inoculation, and mother and child care
  • Civilian courts tried people accused of serious crimes such as treason
Public kitchen
warsaw uprising 1944: building barricade
Civilians watching a plane while building a barricade [ close ]