Warsaw-History-St. Augustine's Church

When I first saw this photo of a lone building standing among the ruins of Warsaw, I was fascinated by the tall tower that survived the horrors of WWII. I wanted to know more about the church, where to find it; why it stood standing; when it was built; etc. Today it's located near the famous Kino Femina, you can get off at the stop of the same name, and then from there it's a five minute walk north on Ulica Jana Paweł II. Here's some of the history about this monument of survival:

The church was finished in 1896 due to a large donation from the Countess Alexandra Potocka. If I did my research correctly, her 300,000 rubles in today's terms would equal somewhere around 6.2 million dollars.  

The first mass was held on December 10th, 1896. From that point on the church operated peacefully in the heart of Warsaw, up until the war began in 1939. When the ghetto walls went up in 1940, it was located within them, and at this point ceased to give services. It became the home for two men of religion, the parish priest and the vicar. Both of them ended up dying during the conflict. The priest, Father Franciszek Garncerek, was shot at the door of his vicarage, and the vicar, Leon Więckiewicz, was deported to a concentration camp after it was found out that he had been helping his Jewish neighbors.

In 1942 the Jews in the ghetto of Warsaw were systematically rounded up and deported to their deaths, and at this point the church became a warehouse for stolen Jewish property. Eventually the church was turned into a stable, where horses fed and rested. During the 1944 Warsaw Uprising the high tower was used as a vantage point for a German machine gunner, but was damaged by the Polish assault. After the Poles lost in the Uprising the Germans made a point to destroy what was left of Warsaw, inch by inch, stone by stone. 

The story of the church's survival is ambiguous, and it's not known exactly why its destruction never happened, because there was certainly a plan to blow it up, but somehow this did not come to fruition. But because of this abiguity we are left with these stunning photographs of a city left in ruins, with this lone ranger standing high above the rubble.

The church may not be the most awe-inspiring structure in Warsaw, but it is certainly worth a look at, if only to get involved in the dramatic history of this city. Imagine the streets around you being part of the ghetto, or picture the opening mass from 1896, or pretend you are walking on top of the ruins of destroyed Warsaw. Whatever fits your imagination. This tower rises like a man with weary eyes that had stared at the face of annihilation, but survived and is now carrying the weight of history. 

The church seen today