Westerplatte, a peninsula at an estuary of the Dead Vistula into the Bay of Gdańsk (northern Poland). Westerplatte was formed around the XV century as an island in consequence of excessive embedding of river sediments at an estuary of the Leniwka River. In the second half of the XIX century the island joined the land and formed a peninsula called Westerplatte. From 1 September 1939 the Polish forces (defenders) spent the whole week fighting fiercely against German aggressors that wanted to take control over this headland.