WARTIME GUIDES

 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...

In the first days of November, we especially commemorate those who are no longer with us. I visited the monument of Stalag XXA you all know and, on behalf of our community, took the liberty of lighting a symbolic candle. As you can see, I was not alone, and I am very pleased that residents also remembered this. Please also see the photos of Toruń's cemeteries, which were illuminated by the glow of candles on November 1st.

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...

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...

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 ...

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 valuabl...

November in Poland is a unique time dedicated to reflection and remembering those who have passed away. It's a month when cemeteries glow with the light of thousands of candles, and memorial sites take on special significance. Toruń, a city with a rich and diverse history, also holds painful memories from World War II that are worth exploring—especially the stories of the prisoners of war from Stalag XXA. Memorial Sites Dedicated to the Prisoners of War In addition to its famous landmarks and charming Old Town, Toruń is home to places that remind us of the tragic fate of thousands of POWs held in Stalag XXA. This German-run prisoner-of-war camp housed soldiers from the Allied forces, including British, Russian, and Italian troops, who endured some of the harshest conditions during the war. One of the most significant memorials in Toruń is the monument dedicated to the victims of the Stalag XXA POW camp . In November, when the city is enveloped in a spirit of remembrance, this monum...