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Stories Set in Warsaw

Stories Set in Warsaw — top stories

A phoenix old town, ghetto walls, uprising sewers and Praga courtyards — Warsaw's stories are Europe's most hard-won. These ten span the 1870s to today; also explore Historic Warsaw (1300–1950).

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10 famous stories set in Warsaw

Live snapshot of the top 10 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-04). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.

Browse 33 books, 51 movies, 1 TV show and 2 games set in Warsaw.

The Pianist

The Pianist

Canal+ Polska-Bac Films-Heritage Films-Studio Babelsberg-Agencja Produkcji Filmowej-FilmFernsehFonds Bayern-Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg (FBB)-R.P. Productions-StudioCanal-Canal+-TVP-Runteam-FFA
movie

The true story of pianist Władysław Szpilman's experiences in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews of the city find themselves forced into a ghetto Szpilman finds work playing in a café; and when his family…

Setting: Warsaw, PolandTime Period: World War II
The Zookeeper's Wife

The Zookeeper's Wife

Scion Films-LD Entertainment-Focus Features-Czech Anglo Productions
movie

The account of keepers of the Warsaw Zoo Jan and Antonina Zabinski who helped save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion.

Setting: Warsaw, PolandTime Period: World War II
Three Colors: White

Three Colors: White

France 3 Cinéma-Eurimages-MK2 Films-CAB Productions-Zespół Filmowy "Tor"-CED Productions
movie

Polish immigrant Karol Karol finds himself out of a marriage a job and a country when his French wife Dominique divorces him after six months due to his impotence. Forced to leave France after losing the business they…

Setting: Paris, France; Warsaw, PolandTime Period: Contemporary
To Be or Not to Be

To Be or Not to Be

United Artists
movie

During the Nazi occupation of Poland an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.

Setting: Warsaw, PolandTime Period: World War II
Decalogue I

Decalogue I

TVP-Sender Freies Berlin-Studio Filmowe Tor
movie

Krzysztof a semantics professor and computer hobbyist is raising his young son Paweł to look to science for answers while Irena Paweł’s aunt lives a life rooted in faith. Over the course of one day both adults are…

Setting: Warsaw, PolandTime Period: 1980s
A Short Film About Killing

A Short Film About Killing

Zespól Filmowy "Tor"
movie

Jacek climbs into the taxi driven by Waldemar tells him to drive to a remote location then brutally strangles him seemingly without motive.

Setting: Warsaw, PolandTime Period: 1980s
Decalogue VI

Decalogue VI

TVP-Sender Freies Berlin-Studio Filmowe Tor
movie

A teenage postal worker Tomek routinely spies on his older neighbor Magda a sexually liberated artist who lives in the apartment across the courtyard from his. As their private worlds merge fascination turns to…

Setting: Warsaw, PolandTime Period: 1989
Kanal

Kanal

Zespół Filmowy Kadr
movie

During the last few days of the Warsaw Uprising following World War II a modest group of Resistance members remains. The band must take refuge in the sewers under the orders of leader Zadra but it's only a matter of…

Setting: Warsaw, PolandTime Period: World War II; Warsaw Uprising
Decalogue V

Decalogue V

TVP-Sender Freies Berlin-Studio Filmowe Tor
movie

Jacek an angry drifter murders a taxi driver brutally and without motive. His case is assigned to Piotr an idealistic young lawyer who is morally opposed to the death penalty and their interactions take on an emotional…

Setting: Warsaw, PolandTime Period: Late 1980s
Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto

Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto

by Tilar J. Mazzeo
book

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot comes an extraordinary and gripping account of Irena Sendler—the “female Oskar Schindler”—who took staggering risks to save 2,500 children from death and…

Setting: Warsaw, PolandTime Period: 1942

The 10 stories above are just a sample of the 87 in the catalogue for this entry. For the full live catalogue, open Warsaw in the StoryTerra app. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.

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