WARTIME GUIDES

  Another visit that enriched our knowledge about Stalag. Each time we learn new facts and curiosities that surely aren't found in books. This time, together with friends from the Toruń Museum, we arranged a visit for the family of a former British prisoner of war. He served in the Queen’s Royal Regiment. Thomas Chappell arrived with his regiment in France in 1940 as part of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force). In May of that year, he fell into German captivity, and he spent the rest of the war in Toruń in Stalag XXA. Everything indicates that he was held in Fort XIII and the surrounding barracks. His family has just begun the search for documents, so the continuation will follow. Thomas, upon his return to Great Britain, remained silent about his time in Stalag, which is why our "POW Museum" will do its utmost to assist the family in finding information about him.

We had another visit from guests from Great Britain - the daughters of an English prisoner of war who was held at Stalag XXA Thorn. Wendy's father was captured in France while serving in the Cameron Highlanders. He spent nearly five years in the camp in Toruń and on various work details, mainly working for farmers. After many attempts, he finally managed to escape and make his way to England, traveling eastward through Odessa. He experienced much kindness from the Polish people. After touring our museum, the guests visited the site of the former camp, where they laid flowers at the memorial commemorating Stalag XXA/XXC. This visit was both an emotional journey into the family's history and an opportunity to commemorate the hardships endured by Wendy's father during the war.

Another visit with an inspiring story behind it is behind us. This time, a father and his son came to Toruń to see the place where their relative was held in captivity during World War II. It's remarkable how a journey through time can bring so much emotion and discovery. During their short but intense visit, our guests saw places that were once witnesses to dramatic events. One of the most fascinating aspects of this journey was going through a substantial number of cards and letters, which allowed for the establishment of a timeline and the locations of the detainee. The letters, notes, and other documents were like pieces of a puzzle that together painted a picture of life during wartime. During this remarkable journey, there were also anecdotes about daily life in the camp. Stories about daily challenges, moments of joy, and solidarity among prisoners shed new light on how people managed to survive even in the most difficult conditions. Although the visit was brief, it was incr...

It's incredible how many stories are still hidden in family albums and memories. Sometimes, guests from distant places bring stories so closely tied to our city. This was no different during Carol's visit, the daughter of an Australian prisoner of war from Stalag XXA, located in Toruń. Her father, Stanley, was a medic and stayed in Forts XV and XIV, where a hospital for prisoners of war operated. He fell into German captivity in Greece. He served with his knowledge and assistance in Toruń and the surrounding camps. He participated in the so-called "Death March," the evacuation of the camp to western Germany, but he joined from Białystok, where he volunteered as medical aid, wanting to remain true to his calling until the end of the war. Such a distant story also had a close ending because on one of the photos, Carol found her father. Thanks to this visit, we got to know the history of the camp in Solc Kujawski very well, which was quite difficult to establish until no...

We recently had the extraordinary pleasure of hosting a group of individuals from a far corner of the world - Australia. Their aim was to visit the places where their relative spent the period of captivity during World War II. It was an exceptional experience for us as they managed to see all the key locations, including the prison, which is almost inaccessible to those outside the realm of special services. It was there that the hero of this remarkable story resided. This visit left a profound impression on us. Not only did our guests provide us with fascinating insights into the fate of their relative, but they also brought along documentation that helped solve the mystery we've been working on since 2022. The Australian aspect of this story sheds new light on the fate of a Polish spy who escaped from Stalag XXA Thorn just before facing the death sentence. It's a tale full of emotions and dangers, which unfortunately we cannot elaborate on too much as it will soon find its co...

We are pleased to share memories from a trip following the POW footsteps of Pauline's relative Last year we bought a 3 month interrail pass in their 50th anniversary half price sale and we have just finished using it. 7 countries, 40 trains and an interlude in the middle back in the U.K. to welcome our first grandchild. I can heartily recommend this way of travelling, even if the extra fees for reservations and different ways of making them from one country to another can sometimes test your skill and patience! For me, travelling from country to country by train reinforced the need for a Europe whose countries can live in peace and there are all too many daily reminders that we are still not there.                                         Anyway as you can see we took the opportunity to finally visit Toruń, which was informative, moving and interesting. Such a beautiful...

I can't pass by the information that for another year city authorities took care of the official celebrations of V-Day 8.05. I am glad that each year someone from the prisoners' relatives comes to Toruń to mark the presence of relatives who remember... It is also very nice that the memory of Stalag XXA is present in the local consciousness, preserving the memory of it for future generations.

  Among the journeys following the footsteps of prisoners, there are challenges that are truly remarkable. Certainly, such was Jennifer's visit, who flew from Australia to see the places where her father had been. During his stay at Stalag XXA camp, he decided to escape, aiming for Gdynia and the smuggling route to Sweden. However, he was overwhelmed by the weather conditions and faced problems with water and food after successfully leaving the camp. The local population quickly noticed a person unfamiliar with the language, drawing the attention of partisans. In this way, Harvey joined the Gryf Home Army unit, fighting against the Germans until 1945. One could write extensively about his adventures and sometimes tragic events. Nevertheless, through preserved documentation and the memories of his daughter, all the places were visited and meetings with the Polish family of Harvey's wartime friend were held... what a meeting it was! The culmination of the search was the posthumou...