Israeli and German presidents to attend Warsaw Ghetto Uprising commemorations

The presidents of Israel and Germany will visit Warsaw to take part along with the Polish head of state in commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the Polish President's Office announced on Thursday.

"On April 19, the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the President of the State of Israel Issac Herzog and the President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier will pay a visit to Poland, they will meet with the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda and jointly take part in the main commemorations of the anniversary on the Square of the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto," the Presidential Office announced in a statement.

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising broke out on April 19, 1943 and lasted until May 16, 1943. It was the first urban uprising in occupied Europe. In an uneven, nearly month-long fight, the poorly armed fighters of the Jewish Combat Organisation and the Jewish Military Union resisted soldiers from the SS, Wehrmacht, Security Police and auxiliary formations.