WARTIME GUIDES

 Situated in a strategic location between Toruń and Bydgoszcz , Emilianowo (German: Emilienau ) played a crucial role in the Polish resistance movement as early as 1940. This small forest lodge became one of the most important contact points for underground networks operating around the German DAG ammunition plant in Bydgoszcz , and most importantly – for Allied POWs escaping from Stalag XXA in Toruń and from German forced labor detachments in the surrounding towns and villages . A Forest Gateway to Freedom The so-called northern route of escape passed through Emilianowo. It was a covert trail leading across Pomerania toward the Baltic ports, mainly Gdańsk. For many escaped POWs, this was the first secure stop along their journey. In Emilianowo, they could rest safely, receive new clothes and false documents, get food supplies, and obtain crucial information to help them reach the coast. Among those who passed through Emilianowo were Allied officers such as T. Cullen , J. Grieg...

This was a truly extraordinary and moving visit. All the way from Ireland, three generations of the same family — the son, grandson, and great-grandson of Corporal David Hann — came to our museum in Toruń. It is not often that we have the privilege of welcoming such a multigenerational group, united by a shared desire to learn about their ancestor and understand the legacy of the Stalag XXA POW camp in Toruń. Corporal David Hann served in the 1st Gordon Highlanders regiment. On June 12, 1940, during operations in France, he was captured by German forces at St. Valéry . After being held in a transit camp (Dulag), he was transported on July 10, 1940, to Stalag XXA (Stalag 20A) in Toruń , where he remained until May 17, 1944, before being transferred to Stalag III A . During their visit, we used the documents and details shared by the family to guide them through key locations associated with Stalag XXA POW camp in Toruń . We aimed to share as much knowledge as possible, helping them und...

On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Toruń paid tribute to the victims of Nazi occupation. The central ceremony took place at the obelisk on the Square of the Artillery Officers’ School, where both the tragic fate of the city’s inhabitants and the joy of the May 1945 victory were commemorated. Part of the commemoration also took place at the monument honoring the former prisoner-of-war camp. City officials laid flowers there, paying their respects. fot. torun.pl

On the anniversary of the end of World War II, Toruń became the setting of a deeply moving encounter with history. Linda and Barbara – the niece and daughter of British POW Jack Bird – visited the city to pay tribute to his memory and trace the locations connected to his imprisonment in Stalag XXA. The visit, carefully prepared since autumn 2024, was a powerful reminder of the legacy of prisoners of war in Stalag XXA, which Toruń continues to honor and preserve. Since the autumn of 2024, we had been working to establish precise historical facts and identify the exact places where Private Jack Bird was held during his captivity in the Stalag XXA prisoner-of-war camp in Toruń . Our goal was to prepare a meaningful and historically grounded journey for Barbara and Linda — one that would lead them as close as possible to the real sites their father and uncle once knew. Their visit was based on verified archival data, including valuable documents shared by the guests themselves. Together, w...

During visits to Toruń, stories often resurface—stories that, although from the past, still stir strong emotions. One such story is that of escapes by prisoners of war from Stalag XXA, a German POW camp located in the city of Toruń. Over the years of guiding the families of former POWs, we have noticed that there are two most commonly repeated types of escapes from the camp. Spontaneous escapes – impulse and hope for freedom The first type involves spontaneous escapes—prisoners slipping away from work assignments, most often from farms, taking advantage of guards' carelessness or sudden opportunities. Unfortunately, these attempts usually ended in failure. After a few days, exhausted and hungry, the escapees were brought back to the POW camp under escort. Planned escapes – the power of cooperation and courage The second type involved carefully planned escapes, which required time, trust, and cooperation from many people. A key element was a well-prepared route and a convincing ...

Bryan and Emma traveled to Toruń with one very personal goal – to uncover the fate of Bryan’s father, William, who was a prisoner of war in Stalag XXA from 1940 to 1945. Like many from his generation, William rarely spoke about his wartime experiences. That’s why this journey felt like assembling a puzzle – complex, demanding, but deeply meaningful. Through the analysis of archival documents and fragmented memories, we were able to reconstruct a highly detailed timeline of events that led to William’s capture. It all began near Dunkirk, where he was taken prisoner by the Germans and transported to the POW camp in Toruń. Further research led us to the people he was interned with, including Sam Kydd – a post-war actor who later recounted his experiences in Stalag XXA. The journey to Toruń was not just about visiting the former camp site. We wanted to show Bryan and Emma the broader context – what the city was like under occupation, the living conditions in the camp, and how the fate of p...

Stalag XXA in Toruń remains one of the most historically significant POW camps of World War II. This prisoner-of-war camp housed thousands of Allied soldiers, enduring the harsh realities of captivity. One of the most intriguing, albeit propagandistic, portrayals of the camp comes from 1945 a Soviet film that captured the so-called "liberation" of Toruń and Stalag XXA. "In the Lair of the Beast"  The Soviet film "In the Lair of the Beast" (В логове зверя) was produced to showcase the Red Army's advance through East Prussia. The film was created by Central Studio of the Order of the Red Banner of Documentary Films, a Moscow-based film studio specializing in documentary production. During the war, this studio documented the progress of military operations, producing films with enormous propaganda significance. These films depicted the "heroism" of Soviet soldiers, the "cruelty" of the Nazis, and the "liberation" of cities an...

This is a translation of an article from the Nowości newspaper from 2016, which I wrote about the evacuation of the camp and the first days after the liberation. Operation Roland In late January 1945, the sounds of Russian artillery were already audible in the center of Toruń, signaling the approaching Red Army. During this time, Franz Jakob, the mayor of Toruń, implemented the pre-prepared 1944 plan "Roland," which entailed the evacuation of civilians, prisoners of war, and forced laborers from the city. The operation was divided into three stages: "Roland Erwartung" : Propaganda activities. "Roland I" : The evacuation by train of children, women, the elderly, the sick, and those requiring care. "Roland II" : The remaining population was to be evacuated from Toruń. In reality, residents sought safety by any means possible. Panic on the Roads Accounts from that time mention crowded roads, panic, and uncontrollable chaos. Years of propaganda abou...