Peter left Agnieska’s apartment in Zoliborz early in the morning to report to General Bór’s headquarters, which happened to be in the same district, one of the few still in Polish hands. He passed burnt-out ruins and buildings with huge shell holes in them. It amazed him that any of the structures still stood upright.
Six weeks ago, the civilians had been thrilled at the prospect of liberation, working alongside the resistance fighters building barricades. Housewives had ventured into the streets offering freshly baked bread and cool beverages to the fighters.
But today the streets reeked of mournfulness. Corpses lay piled among the rubble, small crosses marking the graves of others. The skirmishes had dragged on for such a long time that people had lost their enthusiasm.
“It’s all your
