WARTIME GUIDES

 James came to Toruń, driven by the history and memories of his grandfather, who spent many years in German captivity as a prisoner in Stalag XXA, enduring long years of suffering and the cruelties of war.  As a young soldier, he was captured near Arras and transported to Toruń. Until now, we didn't have detailed information about the exact locations of the internment, but thanks to the incredible fragments of memories shared by James, we were able to add more details to our understanding of the camp.  Stories about the Germans burning boots, the dramatic events on the frozen Vistula River during the Long March, and the touching story of our guest's mother's name will stay with us forever. We hope that James also found what he was looking for.  We all the best o allow him to touch the history that has left so many traces in our city, even if only for a moment. Thank you for your visit. You can count on us in your further searches...

The journey of two sisters from Scotland to Toruń had an extraordinary goal: to find the places where their father stayed during World War II. They knew only a few details about his auxiliary service in a hospital, but their determination and desire to discover their family history led them through the fascinating corners of the city. Upon arriving in Toruń, we began with conversations and analyzing the scant information they had. They knew their father worked in a hospital, but the exact location remained a mystery. After a lengthy discussion, we managed to determine that he was most likely assigned to the medical facility on Jęczmienna Street. However, this was not the only clue. Family stories indicated that their father used to skate on handmade skates on the moat around one of the forts in winter. This led us to Fort XIV, the only fort in Toruń with a moat, which served as a hospital for Stalag XXA prisoners during World War II. The discovery of these places evoked a wave of ...