WORLD WAR II TOUR

MILITARY TOUR IN POLAND

THE LIBERATION OF GDANSK

The Liberation of Gdansk took place on 30 March 945. The loss balance of World War II was excessively harsh for this proud city. About 90 % of the historic centre was destroyed. The already severely damaged city was plundered and the act of destruction was systematically continued by the Soviet Red Army after the defeat of German troops. After the war Gdansk has changed completely its nationality structure. The German inhabitants in large part were relocated to West Germany and replaced by people from the former Eastern provinces of Poland which were annexed by the USSR. Here they started their life anew in a new home in Gdansk and Pomerania.

THE SIEGE OF WESTERPLATTE

The siege of Westerplatte – the first battle of World War II. It lasted from 1 to 7 September 1939. The attack began without warning when SMS Schleswig-Holstein – the Kriegsmarine battleship – opened fire on the Polish garrison. The battleship arrived for a ‘courtesy visit’ to the Free City of Danzig to pay tribute to German World War I sailors from ‘Magdeburg’ cruiser that sank in Baltic Sea in August 1914. Secret plans provided a completely different scenario for the visit.

GERMAN CONCENTRATION CAMP STUTTHOF (KL)

German concentration camp Stutthof (KL) was the first and longest functioning camp on-latter day territory of Poland. Estimated number of prisoners was about 110-127 thousand, incl. 49 thousand of women and children. Although Stutthof was the main camp for prisoners of Gdansk and Pomerania, prisoners from all over Europe had been transported there, too. The imprisoned people came from 26 nationalities. 65 thousand people died because of slavery work, starvation, diseases or inhuman conditions in camp.

DEFENCE OF POLISH POST IN FREE CITY OF DANZIG

Defence of Polish Post in Free City of Danzig – the attack at Polish Post started 1 September 1939 at 4:45, at the same time with the beginning of cannonade at Westerplatte by Schleswig-Holstein battleship. Defence of Polish Post lasted till evening. Campaigners of Polish Post were sentenced to death by Germans and executed by firing squad. The post employees not involved in the defence, were in large part arrested and placed to concentrations camps. The youngest victim of the attack at Polish Post was 10 years old foster child taken care by the housekeeper.

ORP BLYSKAWICA

Polish grom-class destroyer, took part in battles in Europe from the beginning to the end of World War II. These days, it functions as a part of Polish Navy Museum in Gdynia.

GDYNIA TORPEDO LAUNCH

Object where Luftwaffe torpedoes were tested. Torpedo launch was built in Gdansk Bay in 1941. After World War II most of the equipment was seized by Soviet army and transported to USRR. Currently, it is home for many spices of water fowl and object of expeditions for dives and lovers of water sports.

Hel which had been the main station of Polish Navy was attacked by German army in first day of World War II – 1 September 1939. Later on Hel Peninsula was intensively fortified by Germans between 1944 -1945. In the period of the Cold War, because of the strategic location, Hel once again became the most important base for Polish Navy. In those times the access to the town was limited for the civilians.

BLÜCHER WEAPON EMPLACEMENT

‘Blücher’ – German bunkers complex from 1930s, part of unaccomplished investment – trade and naval port which was launching to take over water transport between Reich and the enclave in East Prussia avoiding transit via ‘the Polish Corridor’. These days mysterious Blücher Weapon Emplacement functions as multimedia museum.

ROCKET LAUNCHER MUSEUM IN RABKA

Rocket Launcher Museum in Rabka – the Luftwaffe testing ground where Rheintochter rockets were tested during World War II.

DAG FABRIK BROMBERG

DAG Bromberg Company was built for the needs of III Reich military campaigns. The factory fulfilled 1/5 requisition of German army fighting on Eastern Front in TNT, smokeless powder and  nitro-glycerine. There were employed about 40 thousand slave workers. Many of them died because of penal work. In the complex of 7  factory buildings connected by system underground tunnels and passages we can find i.a. exhibition dedicated to Alfred Nobel.

GRUDZIADZ FORTRESS

Though, facing the advance of the Red Army, Hitler once again turned the city into a fortress. Severe fights aiming at maintaining the control of the city (Germans) and sizing Grudziadz (Russians) lasted from January to the beginning of March 1945. German army which during the siege occupied the Citadel capitulated eventually on 6 March 1945.

WOLF’S LAIR

Wolf’s Lair near Ketrzyn – General Headquarters of Adolf Hitler between 1941 and 1944, built before the invasion of USSR.

The assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler took a place in Wolf’s Lair on 20 July 1944. A bomb was placed by Claus von Stauffenberg. The explosion during the meeting caused only small injuries which were not harmful for Hitler’s life. As the meeting participants witnessed Hitler was saved by huge oaken table which counteracted the impact of the bomb.

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