Stalag XXA in Toruń: A Glimpse into History Through Soviet Film

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 and villages.While its main focus was on the conquest of East Prussia, it included a segment on Toruń and the POW camp. This segment provides a rare visual record of POW from Stalag XXA.

Like many Soviet war films, "In the Lair of the Beast" was primarily a propaganda piece designed to emphasize Soviet heroism and the weakness of Western forces. The Red Army was depicted as the ultimate liberator, while Western POWs were often portrayed as frail. However, despite its clear bias, the film unintentionally preserved rare footage connected to Stalag XXA, which is invaluable for relatives, historians and researchers.

Interestingly, several people have pointed out that it is very likely that the marching individuals here are actually disguised Russians. Some of our guests have noticed that in the last few seconds of the film, real marching soldiers can be seen. Below, we also include a translation of the Russian commentator's text.

Liberated from fascist captivity are slaves of various nationalities.
Here are prisoners of war from all countries and workers captured from every corner of Europe: Englishmen, Frenchmen, Americans.

They march eastward with immense gratitude in their hearts for their liberators.
In all the languages of Europe, a greeting to the Red Army resounds.

Here we also posted modern pictures of places where some scenes where captured.

Comments

Thanks this trip we've discovered new facts about POW from Stalag XXA in 1945

That was wonderful trip. During three days we saw couple of places connected with POW path of Jack Stansfield. Moreover thanks his son Michael we saw notes with memories of last days in Stalag XXA in Torun. In opposit to all facts which says that prisoners left camp in late december 1945 Jack wrote that they started to march on 21 january! That means that lasts groups of POW left camp in 10 days before Torun was liberated. Fortunatley Jack survived afeter he escaped from march. He met russians army and polish partizants. Below we presents you short memories about Jack and trip to Poland... My father was called Jack Stansfield, he was born in August 1918. He was brought up in the market town of Malton in North Yorkshire where his parents were publicans. He joined the Territorial Army in March 1939 and was mobilised on the declaration of war. Jack enlisted in his local regiment joining the 5th Battalion of the Green Howards. After a short time at the Regimental HQ in Richmond, North...

Living conditions in Stalag XXA

Monthly bath in Stalag XXA Living conditions Lawrence Travers Dorins a former POW describes „fort XI was surrounded by a high bank and the fence around it with gates across the entrance road, on one side there was also a dry moat with a bridge on it. The bridge led to a tunnel” The fortress was covered with trees, bushes and earth so that the fortress could not be visible from the bird's eye. Prisoners slept in caponiers where initially were supposed to sleep Prussian soldiers. Yet PoW describes the rooms as if there were designed as rooms in the concentration camps. Rooms looked as semi tunnels. “The perpendicular walls were about 3m high and the height of the arched roof was about 5 m, wooden bunks provided sleeping spaces. Each room had only two small windows which obviously allowed no ventilation. Due to the end of the night the air was solid and everyone would have a headache due to oxygen starvation” .In those rooms kept approximately 32 men. There were three shelves whe...

Just few hours to understand life in Stalag XXA(20A) in Torun

"I will always be grateful to Pawel for helping me understand better what happened to my father when he was captured by the German army after the fighting at Dunkirk. Like many former British POWs, Dad was reluctant to tell his children very much about what he had endured during the war. We knew he spent most of the war in German POW camps, in particular one in Poland. From his army records we discovered that camp was Staleg XX-A. I contacted Pawel at very short notice recently when I was in traveling with my husband in Europe. Pawel was able to meet me in Torun to walk me through the history of Staleg XX-A and some of the forts of Torun. My father, John Wilkinson, was with the British Expeditionary Force, serving in the Light Tank Regiment of the 1st East Riding Yeomanry. We believe he fought at Cassel in France before being captured. It was extraordinary for me to walk with Pawel at Torun where the British POWs disembarked, knowing my father would hav...

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