Poland 10 Zlotych 2009 - 70th Ann. Of the start of W.W.ll - Map of Nazi and Soviet invasion - Proof / Silver

The outburst of the Second World War had tragic consequences for Poland; it caused the destruction of revived in 1918 Polish state. On 1 September, 1939, Poland was military confronted with a powerful war machine of the Third Reich, and later on 17 September also with military forces of its eastern neighbour, Soviet Russia. Disproportion of forces was overwhelming. Despite the devotion of Polish soldiers and patriotic attitude of the society, the defeat was inevitable. The rescue from allied France and Great Britain failed. In order to continue the fight, many soldiers were evacuated through Romania to France and Great Britain. Poland faced long five year of occupation, enormous losses in land and population, and the painful fact of extermination of significant number of Polish intelligentsia. Obverse: At the top there is the image of the eagle from the official national emblem of the Republic of Poland. Under the eagle there is a stylised image of the territory of the Republic of Poland in its borders as at 1st September 1939. In the centre of the territory there is a stylised image of a crack. To the left there is a pointer with a swastika symbol, to the right there is a pointer with a hammer and sickle symbol directed towards the territory of the Republic of Poland, symbolizing German and Soviet aggression. Below there are the following dates: 01.09.1939 and 17.09.1939. Inside the rim there is an inscription: RZECZPOSPOLITA POLSKA and the year of issue: 2009. An inscription at the bottom: 10 ZŁ. There is the mint mark under the eagle’s left leg: M/W. Obverse designer: Urszula Walerzak Reverse: Images of three Junkers planes against clouds and falling bombs. Between clouds there is an image of the Town Hall with the Kraków Gate in Wieluń. A semicircular inscription at the top: WIELUŃ – 1 WRZEŚNIA 1939. Reverse designer: Wojciech Siudmak