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On the Trail of Stalag XXA: Discovering Family History in Toruń

In December, we had the extraordinary privilege of accompanying Elizabeth in her search for traces of her father, a prisoner of war who had been held at the  Stalag XXA in Toruń. Thanks to preserved correspondence, we managed to reconstruct a fragment of his wartime history and embark on an extraordinary journey together. We visited places that were once his prison but also offered him hope for survival.

Stalag XXA in Toruń - A Prison and a Symbol of Hope

In Toruń, there was Stalag XXA, one of many German prisoner-of-war camps located in occupied Poland. Thousands of soldiers from various countries were held there under harsh conditions. One of them was Elżbieta's father, who arrived in Toruń along with soldiers captured at Dunkirk.

Long hours spent studying documents, gathering memories, and connecting facts allowed us to determine exactly where he stayed and what he did in the camp. However, it took us almost a year to piece everything together.


Such knowledge is always a valuable contribution to a deeper understanding of daily life in the camp and the struggles faced by the prisoners. It is an invaluable source of information, preserved in letters and living on in the memories of relatives.


Stalag XXA memorial place

Toruń - A City Bearing the Scars of the Past

Toruń is mainly associated by tourists with gingerbread and its historic Old Town. Fortunately, the city was not destroyed during WWII; however, it also hides dark secrets related to that period. Many visitors who come to Toruń to learn about Stalag XXA and the lives of their loved ones in captivity are also offered a broader perspective on the occupation—one that reflects not only Toruń but events throughout the entire occupied country.

Elżbieta’s journey followed a single path, with many stops along the way, each revealing different stories. It is both moving and rewarding to show places mentioned in letters or captured in photographs. Although these places look different today, they still carry echoes of the past.

Toruń. Panorama point

Nowa Wieś Chełmińska - A Face-to-Face Encounter with History

Our journey, however, extended beyond the borders of Toruń. Detailed descriptions directed our attention to a small village near Chełmno—Nowawieś Chełmińska. It was one of the stops during captivity, as a labor detachment was located there, where prisoners from Stalag XXA worked on local farms.

Thanks to the involvement of the villagers, we found the house where Elizabeth’s father had stayed and met 94-year-old Mrs. Irena, who, as a child, remembered the prisoners working in the area. Her stories about kindness, as well as the hardships of life under occupation, were deeply moving. Through her accounts, we gained a better understanding of what daily life was like during the war.

Klamry memoria

A Journey Through Time and Space

Our shared journey was not only a search for traces of the past but also an extraordinary voyage through time and space. We hope that through this experience, Elżbieta was able to feel a deeper connection with her father and better understand his experiences. It was a story about family, war, and human resilience.

Visiting places connected to Stalag XXA is always a profound experience for us. It serves as a reminder that history is, above all, about people.

memorial in Klamry

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