Following the Footsteps of a Dunkirk POW: From Stalag XXA Toruń to Stalag XXB Malbork

Every year we meet people who travel across Europe to follow the wartime stories of their families. One such visit recently brought Roy to Poland, whose journey helped us uncover another fragment of the history connected with Stalag XXA in Toruń and Stalag XXB Malbork.

A Journey That Began at Dunkirk

Roy’s father was among the soldiers who fought during the dramatic evacuation at the Dunkirk Evacuation in 1940. Like thousands of British and Allied soldiers, he was eventually captured and became a prisoner of war (POW). For many captured soldiers, the journey into captivity was long and uncertain. Transported from the beaches of France across occupied Europe, they were sent to various German POW camps. One of the first stops for Roy’s father appears to have been Stalag XXA in Toruń.

A Brief Stop in Toruń – Stalag XXA

Historical records suggest that Roy’s father passed through Stalag XXA, the large German POW camp established in the forts of the Toruń Fortress. This camp held thousands of Allied prisoners during World War II, including soldiers from Britain, France, and other occupied countries. Many POWs stayed there for years, while others were transferred further across the German camp system. In Roy’s father’s case, Toruń appears to have been only a temporary stop.

Transfer to Malbork – Stalag XXB

Documents from July 1940 onward list Stalag XXB Malbork (Stalag 20B) as his main place of imprisonment. Prisoners were often assigned to labor detachments in nearby villages and farms, which explains why Roy’s father’s records mention not only Stalag 20B Malbork but also one of the surrounding villages. He remained connected with this camp system until 1945, when the war in this region finally came to an end.

Source: https://stalag.malbork.pl/oboz/

Discovering Family History on the Ground

Each visit like Roy’s helps bring the history of these camps back into focus. Archival documents provide dates and names, but walking the ground in Toruń and Malbork allows families to visualize the reality of wartime captivity. For many visitors, seeing the sites connected with Stalag XXA Toruń and Stalag XXB Malbork transforms family stories into a clearer historical picture. Every person who comes here gains a deeper understanding of what really happened in this region between 1939 and 1945.