- Westerplatte, the place where the Second World War started has a long history behind it. The name of Westerplatte appeared for the first time in 17th century. The Prussians were the first ones to build fortification to this peninsula near Gdansk. The construction of the fortification commenced after the first annexation of Poland in 1772. In Napoleonic times the fortification was improved with four bastions erected. During the the whole 19th century the fortification was improved and various military installations were constructed to the peninsula. In 1911 on the side of the Gdansk Bay, coastal artillery positions were erected, making the Westerplatte fortification a powerful fort in the area. 

- After the First World War, even when the city of Danzig remained as a Free City, the control of Westerplatte was given to Poland. The Polish however could not man the fortification to it's full strength, due to the Treaty of Versailles and all sort of regulations, that applied in the area of the Free City of Danzig. However in the twenties and thirties, the Poles managed to strengthen the fortification by building additional structures and also by getting more men into the Westerplatte. Just before the Second World War broke out on 1st of September 1939, the Poles managed to get 71 additional men into the Westerplatte.

- The Fall Weiss (Case White), the German attack against Poland began, when the Schleswig-Holstein opened fire against Westerplatte, at 4:45am. In the end, the operation for which the Germans had calculated lasting a less than a day, lasted for seven days. About 200 Germans and 15 Polish soldiers lost their lives in the Battle of Westerplatte. It was a costly operation for the Germans, who already had in one point on 1st of September, claimed the peninsula as occupied. Even Hitler himself visited Westerplatte after the battle, to witness the fortification with his own eyes.

- As the Polish soldiers under the command of Major Henryk Sucharski marched out from Westerplatte and into captivity, the German General Friedrich Eberhardt who was in charge of the attack against Westerplatte, allowed Major Sucharski to keep his sword, in acknowledgement of the bravery of the Polish defenders.

- The Polish soldiers who died defending the Westerplatte against German attack are buried into the fortification.

- The nearby forest is a much more interesting than the official path of Westerplatte. Inside the forest, bunkers are still peaking out from the ground and remnants from the trenches and other defensive structures can be still seen. These are not mentioned in the official brochure, so it required some searching, but was definitely worth it.