Location in relation to the surroundings

The obelisk was located in today's Łodygowa Street, in the Targówek district of Zacisze, which was then a suburb of Warsaw.

Text of the inscription

Generaloberst Freiherr von Fritsch died here on 22. September 1939.

General description

The granite, modest obelisk had the form of an irregularly shaped tombstone. The general's sabre was buried under the monument, and a garden surrounded by a wall was set up around it and an alleyway with decorative shrubs was created.

Condition

Destroyed

The circumstances of unveiling

General Werner von Fritsch, after the conflict with Adolf Hitler and his closest associates, lost his position as commander-in-chief of the land forces and was deprived of influence on the army. During the 1939 campaign, he found himself near Warsaw as the honorary commander of the 12th Artillery Regiment, which meant the role of a passive observer. According to the account of the general's adjutant, he was looking for death on the battlefield. He died in the Prague suburb of Warsaw on September 22, 1939, after being hit by a bullet probably from a Polish machine gun. In Berlin Hitler arranged a solemn funeral for the fallen general, and an obelisk was erected near the place where von Fritsch died. The monument was situated on a square surrounded by a wall and an alleyway planted on both sides with decorative bushes was led to it.

Later history

At the monument to General Werner von Fritsch on the anniversary of his death and the end of the September campaign, the Wehrmacht organized local celebrations. During the most festive events on October 6, 1940, the 12th Army Commander, Marshal Wilhelm List and the General Governor of the occupied Polish territory, Hans Frank, appeared. The obelisk survived until September 1944, when it was destroyed by a shell fired by a Soviet tank. Less probable version says about the destruction of the monument by Warsaw insurgents. After the war, the remaining of the monument were cleaned up and taken away. Currently, there are buildings located between the petrol station and Potulicka Street.

Contemporary importance

The Werner von Fritsch monument played an important role as a memorial for the Germans in several respects. It was a symbol of domination in the occupied Polish lands and a reminder of the victorious September campaign. At the same time, it worshipped the fallen general, who grew to the rank of a hero thanks to his death from an enemy bullet. This perfectly fitted in with the legend of the heroic Wehrmacht.  For Poles, the von Fritsch monument became one of many symbols of the German occupation. When it was destroyed, the memory of the monument was quickly blurred.

Publications, sources, links

https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelisk_Wernera_von_Fritscha

http://tustolica.pl/dziwna-smierc-niemieckiego-generala-jego-pomnik-stal-przy-lodygowej_74617

https://www.rp.pl/artykul/357744-Smierc-generala-von-Fritscha.html

https://www.panskaskorka.com/pomniki-ktorych-w-warszawie-juz-nie-ma/