Czas Honoru

I randomly came across this TV series from Poland called "Days of Honor" in English. It is in Polish with English subtitles.The series has seven seasons and I have watched seasons 1 and 2 (with the other 3-7 coming in the mail.) This post is about those seasons (1 and 2) I have already seen. The series is about the German occupation of Poland (focusing on Warsaw and starting in 1941) during World War 2. I have seen many TV shows, mini-series and movies about World War Two from around the world and have to say that this is one of the best. Most shows and movies focus on a specific event during the war, but this one goes in-depth to the whole Polish experience during World War 2. It portrays, the: Polish Resistance (and the different factions and groups within it), the London Poles, the Christian Jews, the "full" Jews, the Polish Collaborators, the "13",  the Volksdeutsche, the Gestapo, the German Military, etc.  It gives a complete view of what Warsaw and the rest of Poland was like during the war (ie. the frequent street round-ups, the deportations, Pawiak, the executions, the Ghetto, the segregation between the Germans and the Poles (Nur für Deutsche), Auschwitz (although during the time of these two seasons Auschwitz wasn't a death camp yet, but a concentration camp for political prisoners), the soup kitchens, the black market, the bribes, the living "underground", forced labor, etc.)

The four actors playing the main Polish Resistance fighters of the series (so far) are: Jan Wieczorkowski, Antoni Pawlicki, Jakub Wesołowski and Maciej Zakościelny. They each have their own storylines that often inter-twine, but it's still easy to follow. In the 2nd season, Piotr Adamczyk (who played Pope John Paul 2nd in two movies) joined the cast as the main Gestapo commander. The only thing I thought was odd was that the actors portraying the Germans look Slavic (and not Germanic) and they speak Polish (and not German) to each other. I know that is done because it is for Polish TV and easier for the Polish audience to understand, but it does a way with some of the authenticity. Of course I say that having to read the English subtitles.

All in all I am really impressed with these two seasons and hope that 3 through 7 are just as good (if not better.)