The Sacred War

The Story Behind The Sacred War

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I’m Brian Alvarez, Orlando Florida USA based. I am a vagabonder and traveler at heart, researcher, and storyteller devoted to uncovering the buried truths of Eastern Europe’s truly darkest hours. What began as a fascination with history turned into a mission: to walk the same streets where civilians once fought, suffered, and endured, and to share their stories with honesty and reverence. I’ve crossed continents chasing the traces of the Warsaw Uprising, the massacres of Wola, Ochota, Stare Miasto, and beyond not for thrill or spectacle, but to give voice to those silenced by time. The Sacred War isn’t just a project to me; it’s a promise to remember, to teach, and to connect people to the fragile, human heartbeat that still echoes beneath the ruins. 

Why the Sacred War name?

It is controversial but I believe it is true no matter what. The war on the western front was nothing compared to the eastern front. Hitler referred to the war in the eastern front half as “a war of annihilation” Sacred War is a song by Soviets singing about how WWII or “the Great Patriotic War” was a sacred war. Fight or die. The english lyrics were quite powerful and felt for the slavic people. I love the song and believed it was a sacred war for all people of Eastern Europe and fits my mission perfectly. 

Research & Focus

I am an independent tour guide with a deep passion for Warsaw’s World War II history, especially the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, the Nazi occupation, and the city’s tragic yet heroic resistance. A major focus of my study has been on the SS anti-partisan campaigns in Eastern Europe and their role in Warsaw and Belarus (Belorussia), particularly the actions and legacy of evil men true monsters, such as Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski and Oskar Dirlewanger and his SS-Sonderkommando Dirlewanger Brigade, Bronislav Kaminski and his soldiers of the SS-RONA (Russian Liberation Army), the brutal Ukrainian Auxiliaries attached to their units and their own actions in Volyhnia (Wolyn) and Eastern Galicia. As well as always learning about the operations and actions of the Order Police and Einsatzgruppen units and eventually the brutality of the Soviet Red Army and the Soviet NKVD secret police and what they did. 

My research is deeply personal. Over the past two years, I’ve spent time vagabonding through the historic heart of Europe’s wartime past: one month in Prague in early 2023, then again from November 2023 to January 1, 2024, during which I traced Heydrich’s trail and SS hunt of the Czech Partisans in the city and visited Terezín north of Prague. I also lived for one month in Warsaw in January 2024, staying at Oki Doki Hostel and building strong friendships with Polish locals. I have been to Warsaw a total of 4 times now, all different amounts of time. First in January 2024 for 1 month, then November 2024 for a week (my reckoning to become the best), then June 2025 for a week, then this past September 2025 for 3 weeks. My travels have also brought me to important World War II locations such as Budapest, Bratislava, Romania, Amsterdam, and Belfast, following stories of conflict, resistance, and remembrance. 

What’s Next

I want to be able to save up money to move to Warsaw to dedicate 100% of my time to Warsaw and doing walking tours full time. Any chance I get I travel to Poland as my best friend there always has an open invitation for me to stay at his place. 

My dream trip is to spend an extended period of time in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine to explore their war time past. Belarus especially would be very emotional and Russia would hit my historical sense of duty to see it in person and my childhood wonder as it was always my dream to be in St Petersburg and Moscow. I hope and know you will learn a lot about the reality the people, soldiers and partisans faced in these Slavic lands.