Content Warning: This section discusses wartime violence, the Holocaust, and antisemitism.

The German invasion of Poland, which occurred on September 1, 1939, is often considered the start of World War II. Because of Poland’s geographical location—situated between Germany and Russia—it was an easy target for German military aggression, as Russia aided in their efforts to expand their territory. Additionally, because Germany is bordered on the west by France, France feared a future invasion of their territory; this caused them to align with Great Britain and declare war on Germany. These events also mark the beginning of Uprising, as Lidia sees the first Nazi bombers fly over Poland and then remains in her basement for a month, learning of Russia’s invasion and then the German-Soviet Frontier Treaty on September 28. As Lidia notes, “The Germans and Soviets had signed a treaty that divided our country in half. Just like that, Poland was erased from the map” (44).

After invading and taking control of Poland, Germany established areas known as “ghettos,” where they forced Jewish residents to live. Nazi Germany used ghettos as spaces to segregate Jewish citizens, forcing them to live in specific areas under extreme hardship with little food, housing, or necessities like electricity and warmth.