in 1938, work slowed as germany geared up for war, and workers were directed to other projects. the highway featured prominently in nazi political rhetoric of 1939, as hitler's demands included an extraterritorial corridor - the danzig corridor through the polish corridor - which would connect germany to eastern prussia. this, alongside other demands, was refused by the polish government, and hitler used this as one of the pretexts for the invasion of poland in september 1939.