Exploring the Past on a Cycling Expedition: Memorial of the Victims of the Chroab Camp

Today, I would like to share with you an extraordinary experience of leading a cycling expedition. This unique event allowed us to discover captivating places with a rich history, and one of the poignant stops was visiting the memorial of the victims of the Chroabie camp. Some of the participants were deeply moved, while others expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn about this important history.

The memorial of the victims of the Chroabie camp is a place that deeply moves and prompts reflection. As I guided our group to this location, the atmosphere was filled with solemnity and respect. The memorial, erected to commemorate the lives lost in the cruel conditions of the camp, serves as a symbolic reminder of the horrors endured by the prisoners.

For some participants of our expedition, visiting the Chroabie memorial was a profoundly unsettling experience. Witnessing the impressive sculptures and reading the names of thousands of innocent victims was both emotionally moving and left a lasting impression on their hearts. They were taken aback by the magnitude of the tragedy that unfolded in this place. Many expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn about this painful history, which is often overlooked in textbooks and the media.

Others thanked us for providing them with the chance to delve into this history. They were grateful for the opportunity to understand and empathize with the victims, as well as pay tribute to their memory. Seeing their engagement and gratitude, I knew that this encounter with remembrance held immense significance.

Leading this cycling expedition was an incredibly meaningful experience for me. I had the opportunity to share a history that is often forgotten or marginalized. Alongside the participants, we were able to pause and reflect on the fate of innocent lives lost in the camp. It was not only a chance to impart knowledge but also to honor their memory and show respect for the victims.

A cycling expedition is not only about the joy of physical activity but also about the opportunity to discover and understand our shared past. The Chroabie memorial served as a powerful reminder of the tragedies that took place in our country. It is through such experiences that we can learn, grow, and ensure that history is never forgotten.

Comments

Thanks this trip we've discovered new facts about POW from Stalag XXA in 1945

That was wonderful trip. During three days we saw couple of places connected with POW path of Jack Stansfield. Moreover thanks his son Michael we saw notes with memories of last days in Stalag XXA in Torun. In opposit to all facts which says that prisoners left camp in late december 1945 Jack wrote that they started to march on 21 january! That means that lasts groups of POW left camp in 10 days before Torun was liberated. Fortunatley Jack survived afeter he escaped from march. He met russians army and polish partizants. Below we presents you short memories about Jack and trip to Poland... My father was called Jack Stansfield, he was born in August 1918. He was brought up in the market town of Malton in North Yorkshire where his parents were publicans. He joined the Territorial Army in March 1939 and was mobilised on the declaration of war. Jack enlisted in his local regiment joining the 5th Battalion of the Green Howards. After a short time at the Regimental HQ in Richmond, North...

Living conditions in Stalag XXA

Monthly bath in Stalag XXA Living conditions Lawrence Travers Dorins a former POW describes „fort XI was surrounded by a high bank and the fence around it with gates across the entrance road, on one side there was also a dry moat with a bridge on it. The bridge led to a tunnel” The fortress was covered with trees, bushes and earth so that the fortress could not be visible from the bird's eye. Prisoners slept in caponiers where initially were supposed to sleep Prussian soldiers. Yet PoW describes the rooms as if there were designed as rooms in the concentration camps. Rooms looked as semi tunnels. “The perpendicular walls were about 3m high and the height of the arched roof was about 5 m, wooden bunks provided sleeping spaces. Each room had only two small windows which obviously allowed no ventilation. Due to the end of the night the air was solid and everyone would have a headache due to oxygen starvation” .In those rooms kept approximately 32 men. There were three shelves whe...

Just few hours to understand life in Stalag XXA(20A) in Torun

"I will always be grateful to Pawel for helping me understand better what happened to my father when he was captured by the German army after the fighting at Dunkirk. Like many former British POWs, Dad was reluctant to tell his children very much about what he had endured during the war. We knew he spent most of the war in German POW camps, in particular one in Poland. From his army records we discovered that camp was Staleg XX-A. I contacted Pawel at very short notice recently when I was in traveling with my husband in Europe. Pawel was able to meet me in Torun to walk me through the history of Staleg XX-A and some of the forts of Torun. My father, John Wilkinson, was with the British Expeditionary Force, serving in the Light Tank Regiment of the 1st East Riding Yeomanry. We believe he fought at Cassel in France before being captured. It was extraordinary for me to walk with Pawel at Torun where the British POWs disembarked, knowing my father would hav...

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