WARTIME GUIDES

Around Stalag XXA Thorn, also known as Stalag 20A or the POW Camp in Toruń, numerous labor detachments operated during World War II. Prisoners of war were sent to farms, factories, workshops, and industrial facilities throughout the region to perform forced labor for the German war economy. Today, many of these locations have disappeared or have lost their original character. However, some places still preserve traces of the wartime past. One of them is Unisław, a village located approximately 30 kilometers north of Toruń (Thorn). During the German occupation, the local sugar refinery became one of the workplaces connected with Stalag XXA Thorn. Prisoners from the POW camp in Toruń were assigned here as part of labor detachments. Their daily lives were shaped not only by exhausting work but also by the reality of captivity, separation from their families, and uncertainty about the future. The sugar refinery where Stalag XXA prisoners worked The former sugar refinery in Unisław is a pla...

 A single wartime photograph brought families together many decades later. A preserved group photo of British prisoners of war from Stalag XXA Thorn in Toruń became a unique link between generations and helped descendants discover the shared history of their relatives. Years ago, John and Terry travelled to Toruń to follow the footsteps of their relative. Later, it was discovered that a relative of another British prisoner was sitting right beside their fathers in the same photograph. This remarkable connection led another family to visit Toruń and discover the story of their loved one. One Photograph, Two Families and a Shared Story of Stalag XXA Thorn The history of Stalag XXA Thorn in Toruń is not only a story of wartime events, documents and dates. Above all, it is the story of people – soldiers whose lives were changed by captivity and families who, many years later, began searching for traces of their loved ones. Among the thousands of Allied soldiers who became prisoners of...

Even in the face of inevitable terrain changes, the latest technologies are allowing historians and enthusiasts to discover deeply hidden evidence of the past. Around the Toruń fortress, the location known as Stalag XXA , remnants of wartime dramas still lie concealed. Join us on a virtual journey tracing the paths of prisoners of war ( POWs ) and find out what the terrain relief reveals around Fort XI , the main headquarters of the POW camp . Toruń and Stalag XXA: Places That Remember The history of World War II in Toruń is inextricably linked to the POW camp system in Military District XX. A key site was Stalag XXA (also known as Stalag 20A ), which operated within the 19th-century forts. Although the landscape around Fort XI is constantly transforming, modern methods such as laser scanning and aerial photo analysis make it possible to spot what was once blurred by time and nature. The analyzed terrain relief clearly shows the shape of Fort XI . As you know, this fort was the c...

It is rare to meet families with such well-preserved wartime archives, but this story is one of them. The son of a British POW visited Poland to trace his father’s path during World War II. Based on remarkable archival materials and photographs, we now know that his father was held in Prabuty, Bydgoszcz, the forts of Toruń (Stalag XXA / Stalag 20A), Chełmno, and a village near Chełmno . Thanks to precise verification of these records, it was even possible to locate the site where one of the prisoners was buried. With high probability, the same tree still stands there, silently witnessing that event over 80 years later. A truly moving moment came during a special tribute: a bagpipe concert in memory of the father and all those who perished during WWII . This was the first time we experienced something so emotional and powerful in our work to preserve the memory of prisoners of war in Toruń . Stories like this remind us why documenting the history of POWs in Stalag XXA is so import...

During the operation of the German prisoner-of-war camp Stalag XXA in Toruń, there was an official channel of communication between the prisoners and their families. It consisted of letters and postcards sent under the supervision of the German administration. Every message was censored, and its content strictly controlled. Nevertheless, there were cases where prisoners embedded coded information about their own situation or the fate of their fellow soldiers in such correspondence – but that is a story of its own. However, it is hard to imagine that during the occupation, with thousands of prisoners located so close to civilian areas, no unofficial network of communication would have developed – and its organization is remarkably interesting. This communication had a completely different character – it was part of the activities of the Polish resistance and the involvement of Allied soldiers. Thanks to these efforts, intelligence reports were smuggled out of Stalag XXA, while informati...

Raymond was captured during the events connected to the Dunkirk operation. As a prisoner of war, he was held in the military forts of Toruń, part of the German POW camp  Stalag XXA (Stalag 20A) . Like many British POWs in Toruń, he was also sent to work in rural areas of the region. Surviving documents reveal that he spent time near Bydgoszcz, Chełmno, and Grudziądz. One particularly fascinating detail is a German record of his escape and a gap of over six months in official reports on Raymond whereabouts. Even more intriguingly, relatives recognized his handwriting in Fort XI from photographs in the Imperial War Museum. His time in the camp’s prison cell may have been connected to sabotage he reportedly carried out while working on a farm near Grudziądz — at least according to German reports. This was one of the rare families who were able to visit every confirmed location where their relative had been held. We are honored to have taken part in preserving and sharing Raymond sto...

Stalag XXA in Toruń, also known as Stalag 20A, hides many untold stories. One of them belongs to a Royal Navy sailor captured during a daring special operation on the rivers of France. On our blog wartimeguides.blogspot.com, we share real accounts of POWs who were imprisoned in camps like Stalag XXA in Toruń. This time, we tell the story of a sailor involved in one of the first special missions of its kind – destroying German river infrastructure using floating mines launched from French territory.  After being captured, he was sent to the POW camp in Toruń, where he spent the remainder of the war. Thanks to the visit of his son, who travelled all the way from New Zealand, we were able to reconstruct this extraordinary story.  Together, we visited key places connected to the Stalag, including the forts that formed part of Stalag XXA, to better understand daily life in captivity. The son revealed that his father never spoke about the war. This made the journey not only emotiona...

The story of RAF Sergeant Peter, second pilot of a Manchester bomber, is a powerful example of the fate of Allied airmen who were captured and endured the hell of German POW camps – including Stalag XXA in Toruń. Recently, we had the honor of welcoming his son to our city. He came to Poland to visit the places connected to his father’s wartime captivity and to understand his experience more deeply. This emotional encounter reminded us how much there is still to discover about the prisoners of war held in Toruń . Peter was shot down over the Netherlands and taken into German captivity. His journey led him through several POW camps: Heydekrug in Lithuania, Toruń (Stalag XXA / Stalag 20A), Żagań, and Fallingbostel . Near the end of the war, he endured the brutal evacuation march – one of the most harrowing chapters in the history of Allied POWs. Stalag XXA in Toruń was a key stop in his captivity. Thanks to his son's memories and our joint efforts to reconstruct Peter’s path, we ...

  A story that has come full circle — 80 years after a New Zealand soldier became a prisoner of war, his family visited Toruń to follow in his footsteps and honor his memory at the former German POW camp, Stalag XXA. The journey of their ancestor was nothing short of extraordinary. He traveled from distant New Zealand to fight in Europe during World War II. Captured after the Battle of Crete , he was transported — like many Allied POWs — by train for eleven days , arriving in Toruń in February, where he was held in Stalag XXA , the German prisoner-of-war camp. The details of his captivity in and around Toruń remain incomplete. However, from the surviving records, we know he was held in several forts, worked on a local farm, and was later forced to join an evacuation march deep into Germany. During the march, he suffered severe frostbite and lost both legs. Remarkably, thanks to the intervention of the Red Cross — and reportedly a bribe — he was transferred to an American milita...

Some journeys go far beyond sightseeing — they become personal pilgrimages into family history. This was the case for Wayne , who came to Poland to discover the places where his father, a British soldier and prisoner of war during World War II, was once held captive. Wayne’s father was a gunner in a tank crew . He was captured following the British retreat at Dunkirk and later interned in Stalag XXA in Toruń , and then transferred to Stalag XXB in Malbork . These details were uncovered through preserved wartime records. The most extraordinary moment of the visit happened in the Malbork City Museum , where Wayne saw something unimaginable — his father’s Bible from captivity , discovered by a local woman and donated to the museum. Such moments are incredibly rare and deeply emotional. Wayne was joined by his daughter, representing the next generation. Together, they experienced a moving journey through history — exploring Polish cities, landscapes, and cuisine, all while gaining a deepe...

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 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...

An visit from a family from Australia and the USA, eager to learn about their father who served in the 2/5 Australian General Hospital during the war, became an opportunity to uncover the history of POW camps in Poland. The trip to Stalag XXA in Toruń also revealed an unexpected connection to the city's Jewish heritage. It was an incredible journey through time. We had been preparing for quite a while for Jill's trip, who came with her family from Australia and partly from the USA. Her relatives wanted to visit the places where Jill's father, who served in the 2/5 Australian General Hospital during the war, had been imprisoned. Thanks to memories and preserved documents, we managed to visit key locations and sketch a larger picture of the organization and history of POW camps, including Stalag XXA. This story, by pure coincidence, also revealed a connection to Jewish heritage, providing an opportunity to bring that part of Toruń’s history closer. We are glad that we could h...

  Another visit during which we learned more about the daily life in the camp, as well as the desire of relatives who visit us to explore the wartime paths of their ancestors. Andrew, along with his friend, decided to come to Toruń for a few hours to learn about the history of the camp and to visit the places where Andrew's father had been. Despite the short visit, well-preserved documentation and compiled memories allowed us to meet these expectations and show everything that was possible to see in such a short time. We truly admire this determination and eagerness to uncover family histories shown by our guests.

  Another visit that enriched our knowledge about Stalag. Each time we learn new facts and curiosities that surely aren't found in books. This time, together with friends from the Toruń Museum, we arranged a visit for the family of a former British prisoner of war. He served in the Queen’s Royal Regiment. Thomas Chappell arrived with his regiment in France in 1940 as part of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force). In May of that year, he fell into German captivity, and he spent the rest of the war in Toruń in Stalag XXA. Everything indicates that he was held in Fort XIII and the surrounding barracks. His family has just begun the search for documents, so the continuation will follow. Thomas, upon his return to Great Britain, remained silent about his time in Stalag, which is why our "POW Museum" will do its utmost to assist the family in finding information about him.

We had another visit from guests from Great Britain - the daughters of an English prisoner of war who was held at Stalag XXA Thorn. Wendy's father was captured in France while serving in the Cameron Highlanders. He spent nearly five years in the camp in Toruń and on various work details, mainly working for farmers. After many attempts, he finally managed to escape and make his way to England, traveling eastward through Odessa. He experienced much kindness from the Polish people. After touring our museum, the guests visited the site of the former camp, where they laid flowers at the memorial commemorating Stalag XXA/XXC. This visit was both an emotional journey into the family's history and an opportunity to commemorate the hardships endured by Wendy's father during the war.

Another visit with an inspiring story behind it is behind us. This time, a father and his son came to Toruń to see the place where their relative was held in captivity during World War II. It's remarkable how a journey through time can bring so much emotion and discovery. During their short but intense visit, our guests saw places that were once witnesses to dramatic events. One of the most fascinating aspects of this journey was going through a substantial number of cards and letters, which allowed for the establishment of a timeline and the locations of the detainee. The letters, notes, and other documents were like pieces of a puzzle that together painted a picture of life during wartime. During this remarkable journey, there were also anecdotes about daily life in the camp. Stories about daily challenges, moments of joy, and solidarity among prisoners shed new light on how people managed to survive even in the most difficult conditions. Although the visit was brief, it was incr...

We recently had the extraordinary pleasure of hosting a group of individuals from a far corner of the world - Australia. Their aim was to visit the places where their relative spent the period of captivity during World War II. It was an exceptional experience for us as they managed to see all the key locations, including the prison, which is almost inaccessible to those outside the realm of special services. It was there that the hero of this remarkable story resided. This visit left a profound impression on us. Not only did our guests provide us with fascinating insights into the fate of their relative, but they also brought along documentation that helped solve the mystery we've been working on since 2022. The Australian aspect of this story sheds new light on the fate of a Polish spy who escaped from Stalag XXA Thorn just before facing the death sentence. It's a tale full of emotions and dangers, which unfortunately we cannot elaborate on too much as it will soon find its co...

"Guide others as you would like to be guided" – these were the words imparted to me by my mentors. Since 2007, I have had the privilege of meeting hundreds of incredible individuals as a tour guide. Together, we have explored the underground wonders of Toruń and marveled at the cityscape from the tops of its towers. Each tour has been a unique and unforgettable experience, with its own captivating story. I am immensely grateful for the recognition "Guide of the year" I have received. It is a tremendous honor and serves as motivation for me to continue guiding for many more years to come. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. One aspect of my work as a guide that holds special significance for me is the opportunity to assist and prepare visits for families of prisoners of war held at Stalag XXA in Toruń and Stalag XXB in Malbork. These brave individuals endured unimaginable hardships during World War II, and it is my duty to ensure their stories are preserved and sh...

I am pleased to share with you the news of my latest article, which has been published in the Atlas of Toruń Fortress. This time, I focused on Fort XV, which served as a place of imprisonment for the prisoners of Stalag XXA during World War II, and its subsequent history as a Forced Labor Camp. In my article, I delve into the fascinating history of Stalag XXA, where Australian prisoners of war were among those held captive. Through in-depth research, source analysis, and eyewitness accounts, I sought to bring readers closer to the dramatic experiences of these prisoners and the conditions in which they lived. I recount their daily lives, the challenges they faced, and the exceptional bonds that formed among them in the difficult camp conditions. It is worth noting that the history of this place did not end in 1945. After the war, Fort XV was transformed into a Forced Labor Camp, where German and Polish prisoners were forced to perform various physical tasks. This topic was dealt with v...