WARTIME GUIDES

  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.

Garry, the grandson of a British prisoner of war, was seeking information about his grandfather's wartime history, about which he never had the chance to inquire further. He shared many interesting anecdotes and brought to light the story of his relative, who stood out with exceptional drawing talent. And here, a magnificent thread began, as during the museum tour, Garry stumbled upon sketches by his grandfather, which a family of one of the prisoners had handed over to us over 14 years ago. Fortunately, we were able to exchange information and enrich our knowledge that the prisoner whose family had previously visited Toruń was a close friend during Garry's grandfather's time as a POW. How many more such stories await discovery? Camp visits surpass any series or movie, and on top of that, they are real...

  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

It's incredible how many stories are still hidden in family albums and memories. Sometimes, guests from distant places bring stories so closely tied to our city. This was no different during Carol's visit, the daughter of an Australian prisoner of war from Stalag XXA, located in Toruń. Her father, Stanley, was a medic and stayed in Forts XV and XIV, where a hospital for prisoners of war operated. He fell into German captivity in Greece. He served with his knowledge and assistance in Toruń and the surrounding camps. He participated in the so-called "Death March," the evacuation of the camp to western Germany, but he joined from Białystok, where he volunteered as medical aid, wanting to remain true to his calling until the end of the war. Such a distant story also had a close ending because on one of the photos, Carol found her father. Thanks to this visit, we got to know the history of the camp in Solc Kujawski very well, which was quite difficult to establish until no