WARTIME GUIDES

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...