WARTIME GUIDES

Today, I would like to share with you an extraordinary adventure I had as a guide during a bike tour for the residents of Torun. It was not only a great opportunity to spend time outdoors but also an amazing experience of discovering lesser-known stories and places with a military past. Leading this tour, I had the pleasure of sharing stories that are hard to find in books on a daily basis. These were tales that surprised the participants and brought to life unknown aspects of Torun. Uncovering hidden histories became an integral part of the mission I undertook.                                                   Our bike routes took us through corners of the city rarely seen by the average passerby. During the journey, I showed places that were usually associated with something completely different but harbored stories connected to the mili...

History is our passion but when we can share it with children or youths we treat it very special. New generation wanted to know more about the past. Luckily, they know war only from books or movies but sometimes they have trips. That's how a delegation of partnership region from  Scotland spent their time in Toruń. Youths from there,  apart from gingerbread tradtion,  learn something more about martyrology and stories connected to Stalag XXA. We had pleasure to show them places and told stories which are important for us as a Poles and for them as a awared people how must protect dialogue and respect for each other. That was very a important day for us.

September is important month for Poles. We think about the occupation and people who lost their lives during the war. But for people whose relative fought in different fronts all over the world is also specific time. Brunskills family came to Poland to leran something more about their father's life during the war as a prisoner of war of stalag XXA and XXB It is rather typical that ex POWs didn't speak  about their life behind the barbed wire.  The Brunskills daughters  remember only stories about strong winter and lack of food. Even during childhood after the war, one of common memories is shouting father when he saw wasting food! Ladies during the trip told us that even their names were also connected to his imprisonment and he treated it as a symbol. Based on memories we saw parts of Stalag XXB to see how looks today, places from the best time of his life which was stolen by WWII.