WW2-Poland-2015

TRIP BOOK
POLAND 2015
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Westerplatte
Museum of the Second World War
Stutthof concentration camp
Wolf's Lair
OKH Mauerwald
The Museum of Coastal Defence
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Poljska
Rzeczpospolita Polska
Republika Poljska
Himna: Mazurek Dąbrowskiego
(prevod: »Mazurka Dombrowskega«)
- predsednik Bronisław Komorowski
- Ministrski predsednik Ewa Kopacz
- združitev: 10. stoletje
- datum pokristjanjenja[2]: 966
- ponovna razglasitev: 11. november 1918
Vstop v EU 1. maj 2004
- voda (%): 2,65%
Prebivalstvo
- ocena 2006: 38.128.000 (32.)
- štetje 2014: 38.483.957[3]
BDP (PKM) ocena 2006
- skupaj: 546,543 milijarde USD (23.)
- na prebivalca: 14.400 USD (48.)
Klicna koda +48
1 V dvajsetih lokalnih oblasteh se uporabljajo tudi beloruščina,kašubščina, litovščina in nemščina kot pomožni
jeziki uradovanja občin, vendar niso uradni jeziki.
2 Sprejem krščanstva imajo številni Poljaki, ne glede na svojo versko opredelitev, za enega najpomembnejših
dogodkov v zgodovini Poljske, saj je nova religija omogočila združitev območnih plemen.
3 Administrativno območje Poljske (območje administrativne razdelitve) - površina kopnega (311 904 km²) in del
ozemeljskega morja; območje ozemlja Poljske (po poljski zakonodaji) - 322 577 km²
Republika Poljska je obmorska država v Srednji Evropi, leži med Nemčijo na zahodu, Češko in Slovaško na
jugu, Ukrajino in Belorusijo na vzhodu, ter Baltskim morjem, Litvo in Rusijo (v obliki kaliningrajske eksklave) na severu.
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Njen položaj in dostopnost ozemlja sta pomenila, da se je na njenem ozemlju bilo mnogo vojn, in skozi stoletja so se
njene meje znatno spreminjale. Med letoma 1945 in 1989 je Poljska pripadala komunističnemu vzhodnemu bloku.
Državno ime Poljska (Polska) je bilo prvič uporabljeno v 11. stoletju, izhaja pa iz imena plemena Polanie, ki se je na
območju med Odro inVislo naselilo po propadu Rimskega imperija v 5. stoletju.
Zgodovina
Zgodovina poljske države sega v 10. stoletje, ko so se na ozemlju današnje Poljske začele združevati etnične skupine
pod upravo dinastijePiastov. V 12. stoletju je prej enotna država razpadla na več manjših teritorijev, ki so bili
leta 1241 razdejani v napadu tatarsko-mongolskeZlate horde. Pod dinastijo Jagelonov je Poljska stopila v zavezništvo
s sosednjo Veliko litovsko kneževino, kar je služilo za podlago dobi razcveta pod Poljsko-litovskim združenjem v 16.
stoletju (Lublinska unija in nastanek Republike obeh Narodov). V tej dobi so prebivalci dežele uvedli velik pomen
svobode in parlamentarnega političnega sistema, kljub temu da je večino pridobitev izkoriščala t.i. Šlahta(Szlachta),
premožen in vpliven sloj prebivalstva. Od takrat naj bi Poljaki visoko cenili svobodo kot zelo pomembno vrednoto,
zaradi česar sami sebe še danes imenujejo narod svobodnih ljudi.
Nemirna doba 17. stoletja, znana kot Potop, je prinesla švedsko zasedbo. V tem času so se – vse do leta 1699 - na
Poljskem bíle tudi mnoge bitke z Otomanskim imperijem, Rusijo, Kozaki, Transilvanijo in Prusijo. Naslednjih 80 let je
prineslo zaton centralne uprave ter šibkost nekaterih pomembnih institucij, zaradi česar je država zašla v skorajšnjo
anarhijo in vse večjo odvisnost od Rusije. Slednje je bilo zlasti posledica dejstva, da je v parlamentu Republike obeh
Narodov sleheren član lahko dal veto na vsako odločitev, množico teh pa je v prav ta namen podkupil ruski car. Tako
skozi glasovanje v parlamentu niso prišle reforme, ki bi nadalje razvijale državni sistem.
Poljska v 11. stoletju
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Poljsko-litovsko združenje na višku moči
1922
V razsvetljenstvu je pomembno vlogo za razvoj dežele igralo gibanje za politično prenovo, ki je napisalo prvo
evropsko ustavo leta 1791 (Ustava tretjega maja Republike obeh Narodov). Proces reformiranja se je zaključil z
razpadom Poljsko-litovske unije ter razdelitvijo poljskega ozemlja med Rusijo, Prusijo in Avstrijo v letih 1772, 1793
in 1795. To obdobje je zaznamovalo več vstaj Poljakov proti okupatorjem.
Država je bila novo oblikovana v času Napoleona, in sicer kot Varšavska vojvodina. Slednja se je po padcu
Napoleonove vladavine preobrazila v Kongresno kraljestvo, ki je temeljilo na liberalni ustavi. S časom so ruski carji
oklestili poljsko samostojnost in Rusija si je kasneje priključila kraljestvo.
Prva svetovna vojna je Poljski prinesla novo priložnost za samostojnost, saj so bile okupatorske države po vojni
politično in tehnično oslabljene. Zmagovalci vojne so se strinjali o razdelitvi, ki jo je v eni izmed Štirinajstih
točk predlagal ameriški predsednik Woodrow Wilson. Po predaji Nemčije 1918 je nastala nova država, Druga
poljska republika. Novo nevarnost suverenosti pa je pomenila Sovjetska zveza, s katero se je Poljska zapletla
v poljsko-sovjetsko vojno leta 1919 in po sporazumu ohranila samostojnost.
Druga poljska republika je trajala do druge svetovne vojne, ko sta si jo 28. septembra 1939 sporazumno razdelili
Nemčija in Sovjetska zveza. Poljska je v obdobju svetovne vojne doživela hude izgube na vseh področjih: izmed
evropskih narodov je v vojni po deležih prebivalstva padlo največ Poljakov, in sicer več kot 6 milijonov, od tega
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polovica Judje. Po vojni se je poljska država geografsko premestila proti zahodu, in sicer do reke Odre (zahodna
meja) ter Curzonove črte (vzhodna meja). Po tem premiku je Poljska izgubila 76.000 km2 (20 %) svojega
predvojnega ozemlja, ti premiki meja pa so pomenili obsežne migracije Poljakov, Nemcev, Ukrajincev ter Judov.
Povojno obdobje je na Poljsko prineslo komunistični režim, podoben vsem ostalim vzhodnega bloka; leta 1948 je
oblikovanje sistema postalinističnem režimu pomenilo novo totalitarno vladavino. Ljudska republika Poljska, kot
je bilo ime novi državi, je bila razglašena leta 1952. Štiri leta kasneje je politika države postala nekoliko bolj
liberalna, zaradi česar je bilo med drugim pomiloščenih mnogo zapornikov. Istega leta pa je prišlo tudi do krvavo
zadušene delavske vstaje v Poznańu, ki danes velja za prvo pomembno znamenje notranjega odpora proti
vzhodnemu komunističnemu sistemu in začetek dolgoletnega rušenja slednjega. Delavski nemiri leta 1980 so
vodili k ustanovitvi poljskega sindikata Solidarność, ki je s časom postal močna politična sila. Okrnil je
prevlado Komunistične partije in leta 1989 slavil zmago na parlamentarnih volitvah. Leto kasneje je kandidat
Solidarnosti Lech Wałęsa postal predsednik države.
Trda državna politika ekonomije po demokratizaciji v začetku devetdesetih je omogočila Poljski utrditev domačega
gospodarstva. Kljub posameznemu dodatnemu nazadovanju socialnih in ekonomskih standardov se je v tem
obdobju izboljšal demokratični vidik sistema, v primerjavi z drugimi vzhodnoevropskimi državami pa je Poljska
najhitreje dvignila svoj bruto-družbeni proizvod (BDP) na raven pred letom 1989.
Leta 1999 se je Poljska vključila v zvezo NATO, junija 2003 pa so Poljaki izglasovali tudi pristop k Evropski uniji;
slednja se je zgodila 1. maja 2004.
Geografija
Poljska skoraj v celoti leži na delu severnoevropskega Nemško-poljskega nižavja, povprečna višina države je 173
metrov. Južna meja poteka po gorovjih Sudeti in Karpati (tudi gorovje Tatra, kjer je najti najvišji vrh države, Rysy z
2.499 metri).
Država je največkrat razdeljena na pet naravnih topografskih območij. Največje izmed teh je osrednje nižavje, ki
se širi iz zahoda proti vzhodu. To je ravninsko področje, ki ga je nekoč prekrival celinski ledenik, danes pa so
nekoč jezerske kotanje že zasute s sedimenti. Osrednje nižavje seka več rek, med katerimi sta
najpomembnejši Odra, ki teče čez Šlezijsko nižavje, in Visla, ki teče čez nižavje vzhodnega dela osrednje Poljske.
Južno od tega nižavja je Malopoljsko višavje, ki je začetek višjih gora nekoliko južneje. Znano je po svojih
zalogah fosilnih goriv, zlasti premoga, ki so omogočile razvoj obsežne industrije v Šleziji. Po južni meji države se
razprostira visokogorje, ki ga sestavljajo Sudeti na zahodu in Karpati na vzhodu. Slednji predstavljajo najbolj
slikovito gorovje v državi. Severni del države prekriva veliko jezerno območje, ki so ga
oblikovali pleistocenski ledeniki, tu pa leži tudi znana Mazurija. Še bolj severno se dežela stika z Baltskim morjem,
tu pa je področje obalnih ravnic, napravljenih iz morskih sedimentov. Dva večja zaliva, ki jih je najti tu,
staPomorjanski in Gdanski. V bližini Gdanska reka Visla ustvarja obsežno rečno delto.
Poljsko prečka nekaj večjih evropskih rek: Visla (Wisła), Odra, Varta (Warta) in Bug. Pomembna lastnost je tudi
nekaj več kot 9.300 jezer, ki so posledica ledeniške dejavnosti in se v večji meri nahajajo na severu države, še zlasti
v Mazurskem vojvodstvu, ki slovi po svojih jezerih. Velik del površja dežele je pokrit z gozdovi.
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Vzroki za vojno
Nemčija, Italija in Japonska so se relativno pozno industrijsko razvile in so zaradi tega močno zaostajale v širjenju
kolonialnih imperijev glede na Veliko Britanijo in Francijo. Nemčija je bila poleg tega v prvi svetovni vojni poražena in
je na podlagi Versajske pogodbe ostala brez kolonij, Italija in Japonska pa sta bili kljub zmagi razočarani nad vojnim
izkupičkom.
Nacionalizem, ki je bil prevladujoča ideologija Evrope 19. stoletja, je povečal svoj vpliv v vzhodni Evropi, kjer so na
ruševinah treh starih monarhij – Otomanskega cesarstva, Avstro-Ogrske in Ruskega imperija– po pravici
do samoodločbe nastale številne narodne države. V večini primerov pa se meje novih držav niso ujemale z etničnimi
mejami, zaradi česar je bil pogost iredentizem in napetosti med narodi; medtem ko so bile druge novoustanovljene
države – Kraljevina SHS, Češkoslovaška in delno Poljska – večnarodne in tako obremenjene z notranjimi napetostmi, ki
so se kazale tudi v mednarodnih odnosih. Nacionalizem se je razširil tudi v Azijo, še posebej preko evropskih kolonialnih
sil. Prav tako se je nacionalizem izkazoval tudi kot rasizem, ki je imel pomembno vlogo v poslabšanju odnosov med
Japonsko in ZDA.
Tretji dejavnik, ki se je pojavil šele po koncu prve svetovne vojne, je bil zlom predvojnega gospodarstva, ki je temeljilo
na svobodni trgovini. Večina držav je po vojni namreč delovala avtarkično in protekcionistično, kar je bil povod za
številne spore med državami in za gospodarsko nestabilnost, ki je povzročila veliko gospodarsko krizo konec 30. let.
Novi dejavnik je predstavljal pojav dveh različnih ideologij, fašizma in komunizma, ki sta, vsaka na svoj način,
predstavljali radikalno alternativo povojni ureditvi in katerih nasprotja so se odražala tudi v mednarodni politiki.
Vojna je tako še okrepila močan kulturni in psihološki šok, ki so ga povzročile posledice prve svetovne vojne. Mnoge
države, še posebej tiste, ki so se imele za zmagovalke, so se poskušale izogniti vojni z diplomacijo kot edinim sredstvom
reševanja mednarodnih sporov, medtem ko je v javnosti teh držav prevladoval pacifizem in želja po ignoriranju
provokacij, ki bi lahko povzročilo nov svetovni spopad.
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Poljska kampanja (1939)
Nemška oklepnica Schleswig-Holstein obstreljuje polotokWesterplatte, Gdansk, 1. september 1939.
Datum 1. september – 6. oktober 1939
Prizorišče Poljska
Rezultat Nemška in Sovjetska zmaga; Poljsko ozemlje razdeljeno med Nemčijo in Sovjetsko zvezo.
Udeleženci
Druga poljska republika
Združeno kraljestvo
Nemčija
Sovjetska zveza
Slovaška
Francija
Poveljniki
Eduard Śmigly-Rydz
Wacław Stachiewicz
Józef Unrug
Józef Zając
Tadeusz Kutrzeba
Kazimierz Sosnkowski
Tadeusz Piskor
Stefan Dąb-Biernacki
Juliusz Rómmel
Stanisław Maczek
Stefan Rowecki
Władysław Anders
Wilhelm Orlik-Rückemann
Franciszek Kleeberg
Fedor von Bock
(Armadna skupina sever),
Gerd von Rundstedt(Armadna skupina jug),
Wilhelm Keitel
Walther von Brauchitsch
Franz Halder
Heinz Guderian
Wilhelm von Leeb
Hermann Göring
Erich Raeder
Mihail Prokofijevič Kovaljov (Beloruska fronta),
Semjon Konstantinovič Timošenko(Ukrajinska fronta),
Kliment Jefremovič Vorošilov
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François-Jean Darlan
Lord Gort
Edmund Ironside
Winston Churchill
Boris Šapošnikov
Semjon Krivošejn
Vasilij Ivanovič Čujkov
Ferdinand Čatloš
(Slovaška pehotna armada Bernolák)
Poljska:
39 divizij,[1]
16 brigad,[1]
4.300 topov,[1]
880 tankov,
400 letal[2]
Skupaj: 950.000[3]
Moč
Nemčija:
56 divizij,
4 brigade,
9.000 topov,[2]
2.500 tankov,[2]
2.315 letal[4]
Sovjetska zveza:
preko 33 divizij,
preko 11 brigad,
4.959 topov
4.736 tankov,
3.300 letal
Slovaška:
3 divizije
Skupaj:
1.500.000 Nemcev,[2]
Sovjetov preko 800.000
50.000 Slovakov
Vsega skupaj: preko 2.350.000[3]
Poljska kampanja (na Poljskem tudi Septembrska kampanja/Kampania wrześniowa in Obrambna vojna leta
1939/Wojna obronna 1939 roku; v Nemčiji pa poljska kampanja/Polenfeldzug, nemško operacijsko ime Fall
Weiβ/Zadeva Belo; tudi poljsko-nemška vojna leta 1939) je naziv za vojaško kampanjo, ki predstavlja začetni del druge
svetovne vojne.
Tretji rajh je 1. septembra 1939 napadel Poljsko po nemškem montiranem »poljskem« napadu; v
sestavo Wehrmachta je bila vključena tudi armada Bernolák marionetne Slovaške republike.
Poljska kampanja je zaznamovala začetek druge svetovne vojne potem, ko so poljske zahodne zaveznice, Velika
Britanija, Avstralija inNova Zelandija,[5] ki so se združile v zavezništvu proti Nemcem, 3. septembra
1939 Nemčiji napovedale vojno, kmalu pa so jim sledileFrancija, Južnoafriška republika in Kanada. Kampanija se je
pričela s 1. septembrom 1939, ravno en teden po podpisu pogodbe Molotov - Ribbentrop oz. t.i. pakta Hitler-Stalin,
na podlagi katerega je Sovjetska zveza 17. septembra napadla Poljsko in tako pripomogla še k hitrejšemu zlomu Poljske.
Kampanija se je končala 6. oktobra 1939, ko sta Nemčija in Sovjetska Zveza okupirali celotno Poljsko in je le-ta
kapitulirala. Kljub temu, da je Velika Britanija skupaj s Francijo napovedala vojno Nemčiji kmalu po njenem napadu na
Poljsko, je bilo v tem času izvedenih zelo malo direktnih vojaških operacij, temu stanju pa so rekli tudi pozicijska ali
sedeča vojna (Sitzkrieg).
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Po incidentu v Gleiwitzu (današnje Gliwice) so nemške enote vkorakale na Poljsko iz severa, juga in zahoda. Poljska
vojska, ki je bila razpšeno razporejena v obrambi svojih dolgih meja, se je bila prisiljena umakniti na vzhod. Po poljskem
porazu v bitki pri Bzuri v sredini septembra so si Nemci pridobili neizpodbitno korist. Poljske enote so se nato pričele
umikati proti jugovzhodu, sledeč načrtu za kasnejšo obrambo na t.i. Romunskem mostišču (poljsko: Przedmoście
rumuńskie), kjer bi počakale na pričakovano odrešitev Zaveznikov in nato izvedle protinapad.[6]
17. septembra 1939 je sovjetska Rdeča armada v sodelovanju z Nemčijo vdrla v vzhodne regije Poljske.[7] Sovjeti so
ciljali na svoj kos iz skrivnega dodatka v paktu Hitler-Stalin, ki je razdelila vzhodno Evropo pod vpliv Sovjetov ter
Tretjega rajha.
Aftermath
Poland's defeat was the inevitable outcome of the Warsaw government's illusions about the actions its allies would
take, as well as of its over-estimation of the Polish Army's ability to offer lengthy resistance.
Poland was divided among Germany, the Soviet Union, and Slovakia. Lithuania received the city of Vilnius and its
environs on 28 October 1939 from the Soviet Union. On 8 and 13 September 1939, the German military districts of
"Posen" (Poznan)—commanded by General Alfred von Vollard-Bockelberg—and "Westpreußen" (West Prussia)—
commanded by General Walter Heitz—were established in conquered Greater Poland and Pomerelia,
respectively.[86] Based on laws of 21 May 1935 and 1 June 1938, the German Wehrmacht shared its administrative
powers with civilian "chief civil administrators" (Chefs der Zivilverwaltung, CdZ).[87] German dictator Adolf
Hitler appointed Arthur Greiser to become the CdZ of the Posen military district, and Danzig's Gauleiter Albert
Forster to become the CdZ of the West Prussian military district.[86] On 3 October, the military districts "Lodz" and
"Krakau" (Cracow) were set up under command of Generalobersten (Colonel-Generals) Gerd von
Rundstedt and Wilhelm List, and Hitler appointed Hans Frank and Arthur Seyss-Inquart as civil heads,
respectively.[86] At the same time, Frank was appointed "supreme chief administrator" for all occupied
territories.[86] On 28 September, another secret German-Soviet protocol modified the arrangements of August: all of
Lithuania was shifted to the Soviet sphere of influence; in exchange, the dividing line in Poland was moved in
Germany's favour, eastwards towards the Bug River. On 8 October, Germany formally annexed the western parts of
Poland with Greiser and Forster as Reichsstatthalter, while the south-central parts were administered as the General
Government led by Frank.
German and Soviet troops shaking hands following the invasion
Even though water barriers separated most of the spheres of interest, the Soviet and German troops met on numerous
occasions. The most remarkable event of this kind occurred at Brest-Litovsk on 22 September. The German
19th Panzer Corps—commanded by General Heinz Guderian—had occupied the city, which lay within the Soviet
sphere of interest. When the Soviet 29th Tank Brigade—commander by S. M. Krivoshein—approached, the
commanders negotiated that the German troops would withdraw and the Soviet troops would enter the city saluting
each other.[88] At Brest-Litovsk, Soviet and German commanders held a joint victory parade before German forces
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withdrew westward behind a new demarcation line.[16][89] Just three days earlier, however, the parties had a more
hostile encounter near Lwow (Lviv, Lemberg), when the German 137thGebirgsjägerregimenter (mountain infantry
regiment) attacked a reconnaissance detachment of the Soviet 24th Tank Brigade; after a few casualties on both sides,
the parties turned to negotiations. The German troops left the area, and the Red Army troops entered Lviv on 22
September.
The Molotov–Ribbentrop pact and the invasion of Poland marked the beginning of a period during which the
government of the Soviet Union increasingly tried to convince itself that the actions of Germany were reasonable, and
were not developments to be worried about, despite evidence to the contrary.[90] On 7 September 1939, just a few
days after France and Britain joined the war against Germany, Stalin explained to a colleague that the war was to the
advantage of the Soviet Union, as follows:[91]
A war is on between two groups of capitalist countries... for the redivision of the world, for the domination of the
world! We see nothing wrong in their having a good hard fight and weakening each other... Hitler, without
understanding it or desiring it, is shaking and undermining the capitalist system... We can manoeuvre, pit one side
against the other to set them fighting with each other as fiercely as possible... The annihilation of Poland would mean
one fewer bourgeois fascist state to contend with! What would be the harm if as a result of the rout of Poland we
were to extend the socialist system onto new territories and populations?[91]
About 65,000 Polish troops were killed in the fighting, with 420,000 others being captured by the Germans and 240,000
more by the Soviets (for a total of 660,000 prisoners). Up to 120,000 Polish troops escaped
to neutral Romania (through the Romanian Bridgehead and Hungary), and another 20,000 to Latvia and Lithuania,
with the majority eventually making their way to France or Britain. Most of the Polish Navy succeeded in evacuating
to Britain as well. German personnel losses were less than their enemies (~16,000 KIA).
German soldiers removing Polish government insignia
None of the parties to the conflict—Germany, the Western Allies or the Soviet Union—expected that the German
invasion of Poland would lead to a war that would surpass World War I in its scale and cost. It would be months before
Hitler would see the futility of his peace negotiation attempts with the United Kingdom and France, but the
culmination of combined European and Pacific conflicts would result in what was truly a "world war". Thus, what was
not seen by most politicians and generals in 1939 is clear from the historical perspective: The Polish September
Campaign marked the beginning of the Second World War in Europe, which combined with the Japanese invasion of
China in 1937 and the Pacific War in 1941, formed the cataclysm known as World War II.
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The invasion of Poland led Britain and France to declare war on Germany on 3 September. However, they did little to
affect the outcome of the September Campaign. No declaration of war was issued by Britain and France against the
Soviet Union. This lack of direct help led many Poles to believe that they had been betrayed by their Western allies.
On 23 May 1939, Hitler explained to his officers that the object of the aggression was not Danzig, but the need to
obtain German Lebensraum and details of this concept would be later formulated in the infamous Generalplan
Ost.[92][93] The invasion decimated urban residential areas, civilians soon became indistinguishable from combatants,
and the forthcoming German occupation (both on the annexed territories and in the General Government) was one
of the most brutal episodes of World War II, resulting in between 5.47 million and 5.67 million Polish deaths[94] (about
20% of the country's "total" population, and over 90% of its Jewish minority)—including the mass murder of 3 million
Polish citizens (mainly Jews as part of the final solution) in extermination camps likeAuschwitz, in concentration camps,
and in numerous ad hoc massacres, where civilians were rounded up, taken to a nearby forest, machine-gunned, and
then buried, whether they were dead or not.[citation needed]
According to the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, Soviet occupation between 1939 and 1941 resulted in the
death of 150,000 and deportation of 320,000 of Polish citizens,[94][95]when all who were deemed dangerous to the
Soviet regime were subject to sovietization, forced resettlement, imprisonment in labor camps (the Gulags) or
murdered, like the Polish officers in the Katyn massacre.[a]
Misconceptions
There are several common misconceptions regarding the Polish September Campaign.
• False: The Polish Army fought German tanks with horse-mounted cavalry wielding lances and swords.
In 1939, only 10% of the Polish army was made up of cavalry units.[96] Polish cavalry never charged German tanks or
entrenched infantry or artillery, but usually acted as mobile infantry (like dragoons) and reconnaissance units and
executed cavalry charges only in rare situations against foot soldiers. Other armies (including German and Soviet) also
fielded and extensively used elite horse cavalry units at that time. Polish cavalry consisted of eleven brigades, as
emphasized by its military doctrine, equipped with anti tank rifles "UR" and light artillery such as the highly
effective Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun. The myth originated from war correspondents reports of the Battle of Krojanty,
where a Polish cavalry brigade was fired upon in ambush by hidden armored vehicles, after it had mounted a sabrecharge
against German infantry.
• False: The Polish Air Force was destroyed on the ground in the first days of the war.
The Polish Air Force, though numerically inferior, had been moved from air bases to small camouflaged airfields shortly
before the war. Only sometrainers and auxiliary aircraft were destroyed on the ground. The Polish Air Force,
significantly outnumbered and with its fighters outmatched by more advanced German fighters, remained active up
to the second week of the campaign, inflicting significant damage on the Luftwaffe.[98] The Luftwaffelost, to all
operational causes, 285 aircraft, with 279 more damaged, while the Poles lost 333 aircraft.
• False: Poland offered little resistance and surrendered quickly.
In the first few days, Germany sustained very heavy losses: Poland cost the Germans an entire armored division,
thousands of soldiers, and 25% of its air strength.[100] As for duration, the September Campaign lasted only about
one week less than the Battle of France in 1940, even though the Anglo-French forces were much closer to parity with
the Germans in numerical strength and equipment.[Note 8] Furthermore, the Polish Army was preparing
the Romanian Bridgehead, which would have prolonged Polish defence, but this plan was cancelled due to the Soviet
invasion of Poland on 17 September 1939.[101] Poland also never officially surrendered to the Germans. Under
Page13

German occupation, the Polish army continued to fight underground, as Armia Krajowa and forest partisans—Leśni.
The Polish resistance movement in World War II in German-occupied Poland was one of the largest resistance
movements in all of occupied Europe.
• False: Blitzkrieg was first used in Poland.
It is often assumed that blitzkrieg is the strategy that Germany first used in Poland. Many early post-war histories, such
as Barrie Pitt's in The Second World War (BPC Publishing 1966), attribute German victory to "enormous development
in military technique which occurred between 1918 and 1940", citing that "Germany, who translated (British interwar)
theories into action… called the result Blitzkrieg." This idea has been repudiated by some authors. Matthew
Cooper writes: "Throughout the Polish Campaign, the employment of the mechanized units revealed the idea that
they were intended solely to ease the advance and to support the activities of the infantry…. Thus, any strategic
exploitation of the armoured idea was still-born. The paralysis of command and the breakdown of morale were not
made the ultimate aim of the … German ground and air forces, and were only incidental by-products of the traditional
manoeuvers of rapid encirclement and of the supporting activities of the flying artillery of theLuftwaffe, both of which
had as their purpose the physical destruction of the enemy troops. Such was the Vernichtungsgedanke of the Polish
campaign."[43] Vernichtungsgedanke was a strategy dating back to Frederick the Great, and was applied in the Polish
Campaign little changed from the French campaigns in 1870 or 1914. The use of tanks "left much to be desired...Fear
of enemy action against the flanks of the advance, fear which was to prove so disastrous to German prospects in the
west in 1940 and in the Soviet Union in 1941, was present from the beginning of the war.""[43] John Ellis, writing
in Brute Force, asserted that "…there is considerable justice in Matthew Cooper's assertion that the panzerdivisions
were not given the kind of strategic (emphasis in original) mission that was to characterize authentic
armoured blitzkrieg, and were almost always closely subordinated to the various mass infantry armies."[103] Zaloga
and Madej, in The Polish Campaign 1939, also address the subject of mythical interpretations of Blitzkrieg and the
importance of other arms in the campaign. "Whilst Western accounts of the September campaign have stressed the
shock value of the panzers and Stuka attacks, they have tended to underestimate the punishing effect of German
artillery (emphasis added) on Polish units. Mobile and available in significant quantity, artillery shattered as many units
as any other branch of the Wehrmacht."[43] For the record, historically, Germany and Russia have always failed to
successfully invade Poland without each other's help despite each of these nations having a much larger population
than Poland.
Casualties and losses
Germany:[Note 2]
16,343 killed,
3,500 missing,[11]
30,300 wounded
Slovakia:
37 killed,
11 missing,
114 wounded[12]
Poland:[Note 4]
66,000 dead,
133,700 wounded,
199,700 total casualties,
694,000 captured
904,000 total losses
Soviet Union:[Note 3]
1,475 killed or missing,
Page14

2,383 wounded[3]
or:
5,327 killed, missing and
wounded[13]
Total casualties: 59,000
Page15

Westerplatte
The transit depot
In 1925 the Council of the League of Nations allowed Poland to keep 88 soldiers on Westerplatte, which the Poles had
secretly increased to 176 men and six officers by September 1939. They were armed with one 75 mm gun, two 37 mm
Bofors antitank guns, four mortars and a number of medium machine guns. There were no heavy fortifications, but
several reinforced buildings and guardhouses equipped with heavy weapons hidden in the peninsula's forest.
The Polish garrison was separated from Free City of Danzig (Gdańsk) by the harbor channel, with only a
narrow isthmus connecting the area to the mainland. In case of war, the defenders were supposed to withstand a
sustained attack for 12 hours after which a relief from the main units of the Polish Army were to arrive.
The Polish garrison's commanding officer was Major Henryk Sucharski, the executive officer was Captain Franciszek
Dąbrowski.
Battle of Westerplatte
For more details on this topic, see Battle of Westerplatte.
Maj. Sucharski surrendering the Westerplatte post
On 1 September 1939, only minutes after the German Luftwaffe (Airforce) had begun the invasion of Poland by
dropping bombs in a series of raids on the city of Wieluń by Junkers Ju 87 Stukas, at 04:45 local time, the
battleship Schleswig-Holstein, then on a "courtesy visit" to the Free City of Danzig, opened fire on the Polish garrison
without warning. This was followed by an attack by Lt. Willhem Henningsen’s storm unit from the Schleswig-Holstein
and the "Wehrmacht pioneers." However, soon after crossing the artillery-breached brick wall, the attackers were
ambushed by the Polish defenders, with small arms, mortar and machine gun fire from concealed and well-positioned
firing points that caught them in a crossfire. Another two assaults that day were repelled as well, with the Germans
suffering unexpectedly high losses.
Over the coming days, the Germans repeatedly bombarded Westerplatte with naval artillery and heavy field
artillery along with dive-bombing raids byJunkers Ju 87 Stukas. Repeated attacks by 3500 German soldiers were
Page16

epelled by the 180 Polish soldiers for seven days. Major Henryk Sucharskihad been informed that no help from the
Polish Army would come. Cut off, with no reinforcements or chance of resupply, he continued his defense, keeping
the main German force stalled at Westerplatte and so preventing further attacks along the Polish coast.
On 7 September the Major decided to surrender, due to lack of ammunition and supplies. As a sign of honor for the
soldiers of Westerplatte, German commander, Gen. Eberhardt, allowed Major Sucharski to keep his sword while being
taken prisoner.
Post-war[edit]
The ruins of the defenders' barracks and guardhouses are still there. After the war, one of the guardhouses (#1) was
converted into a museum. Two 280mm shells from the Schleswig-Holstein prop up its entrance.
Westerplatte educational path
Educational path on Westerplatte was opened in June 2011 r. The educational trail on Westerplatte complements the
"Westerplatte: A spa – a bastion – a symbol" outdoor exhibition, focussing on the peninsula’s architecture and
topography.
Information boards along the path tell visitors about the peninsula’s appearance during the fighting of September
1939. They also serve as a guide to the buildings of the Military Transit Depot, which was situated here in 1926-39,
which makes it possible to take an interesting tour alone. There are historical photographs, etchings and maps on the
boards, as well as texts in Polish and English.
Information boards along the educational trail on Westerplatte Peninsula. Photo: R. Jocher
»A visit to Westerplatte is a historic venue from World War II. We saw the first shot holes from WWII and the
monument. Going by boat from the old city to Westerplatte is a nice trip.«
Page17

Museum of the Second World War
Museum of the Second World War
81-83 Długa Street
PL 80-831 Gdańsk
Tel: +48 58 323-75-20
Fax: + 48 58 323-75-30
sekretariat@muzeum1939.pl
Why Gdań sk?
It is not by happenstance that Gdań sk was chosen as the place where the Museum of the Second World War would be built. This choice seems perfectly justified by
the role Gdań sk has played in the history of Europe.
Following the First World War, Gdań sk acquired the status of a Free City under the protection of the League of Nations, and thus became suspended between Poland and Germany. Hitler
began making demands for its incorporation into the Third Reich in the autumn of 1938. Poland’s rejection of his claim opened the way to war. It was right here, on Westerplatte Peninsula,
that the Germans attacked Poland’s military outpost on 1 September 1939, the date which is generally considered as the beginning of the Second World War. It was in neighbouring Pomerania
that Nazi oppression of Poles began directly and was exceptionally harsh. Already on 2 September 1939, in nearby Stutthof, a concentration camp began to operate, with Gdań sk Poles as
its first inmates. The autumn of 1939 saw the first forced expulsions of Poles from Pomerania.
Page18

Powię ksz
German battleship Schleswig-Holstein, shelling Westerplatte on 1 September 1939
Then, in 1945, Gdańsk, neighbouring Gdynia and all of Gdańsk Pomerania became the setting for the great exodus of
Germans fleeing the Red Army. Gdańsk suffered severely during its siege and the first days of occupation by Soviet
troops; a large section of the city would need to be rebuilt, and evident wartime scars are visible to this day.
Resettlements of German civilians began shortly, just as thousands of Poles being driven out from territories annexed
by the Soviet Union poured in. Later, in December 1970 and August 1980, Gdańsk became a focal venue for anti-
Communist protests and the birthplace of a great freedom movement, Solidarity.
It would therefore have been difficult to find a more appropriate place in which most of the key developments of the
dramatic 20th century converged. Our museum’s location in Gdańsk is also contributing most tangibly to the
exceptional European museum-history landscape being created here. Its building will stand close to Westerplatte
Peninsula, the site of the war’s first battle, near the Polish Post Office, a symbol of the Poles’ resistance on the first
day of the war, and not far from the Stutthof Museum, the location of a Nazi concentration camp. The European
Solidarity Centre is also under construction nearby; it will not only recount the history of the Solidarity movement and
of other opposition forces in Poland and across East-Central Europe, but also tell much of the story of Communism
itself. This setting will give a clear symbolic dimension to our museum’s exhibition, which emphasizes the continuity
of the historical experience of this part of Europe.
The Museum of the Second World War is being built on a lot on Wałowa Street, near the centre of the city. It will be
located in a symbolic architectural space which is also historical significance – it is 3 kilometres across the water from
Westerplatte Peninsula, which was attacked in September 1939.
Construction is scheduled for completion in 2014. The space reserved for the permanent exhibition will exceed 7, 000
square metres. This exhibition will use the most modern methods available to present the Second World War not from
a grand, political perspective, but primarily through the fates of ordinary people. It will not be limited to the
experiences of Poles, but will also recount those of other nations.
The main exhibition is conceived as a cluster of three narrative blocs. “The road to war" will focus on depicting the
political powers, the logic behind and intrinsic force of totalitarian regimes, and their strategies of shaping mentalities
that resulted in the outbreak of war. Another theme, “The horrors of war”, gathers together archives, stories and
artefacts that describe the lives of ordinary people. This part of the exhibition provides an overview of acts of
Page19

esistance, citizens' ways of surviving in occupied cities, and also the atrocities and crimes of the Second World War.
It covers the Holocaust and other cases of genocide. The third part of the exhibition, “The war's long shadow”,
highlights the key long-term effects of the war. It presents the processes and consequences of post-war politics that
have established new frontiers in Eastern and Central Europe, as well as post-war migrations and resettlements.
Page20

Stutthof concentration camp
Muzeum Stutthof; 82-110 Sztutowo ul. Muzealna 6; tel:+48552478353; 798418024 fax:+48552478358;
email:sekretariat@stutthof.org;
State Stutthof Museum
ul. Muzealna 6
82 -110 Sztutowo
e-mail: stutthof@stutthof.org
Entrance is free.
Administration of the museum, Archives and Search Office open to the public:
Monday to Friday from 7.00 a.m to 3.00 p.m.
Exhibitions of the museum open daily:
from May 1st to September 30th: 8.00 a.m till 6.00 p.m
from October 1st to April 30th: 8.00 a.m till 3.00 p.m
Due to organisation and security reasons the last entry to the Museum is possible 30 minutes before closing time.
Information presented by permanent exhibitions is completed with documentary films concerning the time of Nazi -
ocupation.
Stutthof concentration camp
Map of KL Stutthof main camp after expansion. The German armaments factory DAW (Deutsche-Ausrüstungs-
Werke) to the right (outlined in red). Death gate marked with an arrow, next to the SS administration building
(below), part of the Stutthof Museum permanent exhibit
KL Stutthof Museum panorama, 2007
Page21

Operation
Period September 2, 1939 – May 9, 1945
Prisoners
110,000 with 85,000 dead victims
Stutthof was a Nazi German concentration camp in operation from September 2, 1939 following the invasion of
Poland in World War II. It was set up in a secluded, wet, and wooded area west of the small town of Stutthof (Sztutowo)
in the former territory of the Free City of Danzig, 34 km (21 mi) east of the city of Gdańsk. It was the first camp outside
German borders, and the last camp liberated by the Allies, on May 9, 1945. More than 85,000 victims died in the camp
out of as many as 110,000 inmates deported there.
German concentration camps in occupied Poland (marked with black squares)
The Nazi authorities of the Free City of Danzig were compiling material about known Jews and Polish intelligentsia as
early as 1936 and were also reviewing suitable places to build concentration camps in their area. Originally, Stutthof
was a civilian internment camp under the Danzig police chief. In November 1941, it became a "labor education" camp,
administered by theGerman Security Police. Finally, in January 1942, Stutthof became a regular concentration camp.
The original camp (known as the old camp) was surrounded by barbed-wire fence. It comprised eight barracks for the
inmates and a "kommandantur" for the SS guards, totaling 120,000 m². In 1943, the camp was enlarged and a new
camp was constructed alongside the earlier one. It was also surrounded by electrified barbed-wire fence and contained
thirty new barracks, raising the total area to 1.2 km² (0.5 sq mi). A crematorium and gas chamber were added in 1943,
just in time to start mass executions when Stutthof was included in the "Final Solution" in June 1944. Mobile gas
wagons were also used to complement the maximum capacity of the gas chamber (150 people per execution) when
needed.
Page22

Stutthof concentration camp in 2008 Entrance to the camp
Staff
The camp staff consisted of SS guards and after 1943, the Ukrainian auxiliaries. In 1942 the first female prisoners, and
German female SS guards arrived in Stutthof. A total of 295 Aufseherinen women guards worked as staff in the Stutthof
complex of camps.[2] Among the notable female guard personnel were: Elisabeth Becker, Erna Beilhardt, Ella
Bergmann, Ella Blank, Gerda Bork, Herta Bothe, Erna Boettcher, Hermine Boettcher-Brueckner, Steffi
Brillowski, Charlotte Graf, Charlotte Gregor, Charlotte Klein, Gerda Steinhoff, Ewa Paradies, or Jenny-Wanda
Barkmann. Thirty-four female guards including Becker, Bothe, Steinhoff, Paradies, and Barkmann were identified later
as having committed crimes against humanity. TheSS in Stutthof began conscripting women from Danzig and the
surrounding cities in June 1944, to train as camp guards because of their severe shortage after the women's subcamp
of Stutthof called Bromberg-Ost (Konzentrationslager Bromberg-Ost) was set up in the city of Bydgoszcz.[3]
Several Norwegian Waffen SS volunteers worked as guards or as instructors for prisoners from Nordic countries,
according to senior researcher at the Norwegian Center for Studies of Holocaust and Religious Minorities, Terje
Emberland.[4]
Prisoners
Inside the gas chamber
The first inmates imprisoned on 2 September 1939 were 150 Polish citizens, arrested on the streets of Danzig right
after the outbreak of the war. The inmate population rose to 6,000 in the following two weeks, on 15 September 1939.
Tens of thousands of people, perhaps as many as 100,000, were deported to the Stutthof camp including non-Jewish
Poles and Jews from all of Europe. These totals are thought to be conservative, as it is believed that inmates sent for
immediate execution were not registered. When the Soviet army began its advance through Nazi-occupied Estonia in
Page23

July and August 1944, the camp staff of Klooga concentration camp evacuated the majority of the inmates by sea and
sent them to Stutthof.
Conditions
Crematory building
Conditions in the camp were brutal. Many prisoners died in typhus epidemics that swept the camp in the winter of
1942 and again in 1944. Those whom the SS guards judged too weak or sick to work were gassed in the camp's small
gas chamber. Gassing with Zyklon B began in June 1944. Camp doctors also killed sick or injured prisoners in the
infirmary with lethal injections. More than 85,000 people died in the camp.
The Nazis used Stutthof prisoners as forced laborers. Some prisoners worked in SS-owned businesses such as DAW,
the heavily guarded armaments factory Deutsche Ausrüstungswerke (de) located inside the camp (see map). Other
inmates labored in local brickyards, in private industrial enterprises, in agriculture, or in the camp's own workshops.
In 1944, as forced labor by concentration camp prisoners became increasingly important in armaments production,
a Focke-Wulf aircraft factory was constructed at Stutthof. Eventually, the Stutthof camp system became a vast network
of forced-labor camps; 105 Stutthof subcamps were established throughout northern and central Poland. The major
subcamps were Thornand Elbing.
Research shows that the Stutthof concentration camp was a potential sources for human remains that Nazi Dr. Rudolf
Spanner used to make a limited quantity of soap from human fat.[5] The former prisoner of Stutthoff and Lithuanian
writer Balys Sruoga later wrote a novel Dievų miškas (The Forest of Gods) describing the everyday horrors of this camp.
Soap production from the bodies of victims
Evidence exists of small-scale soap production of soap made from human corpses in the Stutthof concentration
camp.[6] In his book Russia at War 1941 to 1945, Alexander Werth reported that while visiting Gdańsk/Danzig in 1945
shortly after its liberation by the Red Army, he saw an experimental factory outside the city for making soap from
human corpses. According to Werth it had been run by "a German professor called Spanner" and "was a nightmarish
sight, with its vats full of human heads and torsos pickled in some liquid, and its pails full of a flakey substance - human
soap".[7] This process was confirmed in 2006 by researchers from the Gdansk University of Technology[8]
Commandants
• SS-Sturmbannführer - Max Pauly - September '39 - August '42
• SS-Sturmbannführer - Paul-Werner Hoppe - August '42 - January '45
The evacuation of prisoners from the Stutthof camp system in northern Poland began in January 1945. When the final
evacuation began, there were nearly 50,000 prisoners, the majority of them Jews, in the Stutthof camp system. About
Page24

5,000 prisoners from Stutthof subcamps were marched to theBaltic Sea coast, forced into the water, and machinegunned.
The rest of the prisoners were marched in the direction of Lauenburg in eastern Germany. Cut off by
advancing Soviet forces the Germans forced the surviving prisoners back to Stutthof. Marching in severe winter
conditions and brutal treatment by SS guards led to thousands of deaths.
In late April 1945, the remaining prisoners were removed from Stutthof by sea, since the camp was completely
encircled by Soviet forces. Again, hundreds of prisoners were forced into the sea and shot. Over 4,000 were sent by
small boat to Germany, some to the Neuengamme concentration camp near Hamburg, and some to camps along the
Baltic coast. Many drowned along the way. A barge full of prisoners was washed ashore atKlintholm Havn in Denmark
where 351 of the 370 on board were saved on 5 May 1945. Shortly before the German surrender, some prisoners were
transferred to Malmö, Sweden, and released into the care of that neutral country. It has been estimated that over
25,000 prisoners, one in two, died during the evacuation from Stutthof and its subcamps.[11]
Soviet forces liberated Stutthof on May 9, 1945, rescuing about 100 prisoners who had managed to hide during the
final evacuation of the camp.
Stutthof trials
Elisabeth Becker, front row, left
The execution of Nazi guards of the Stutthof concentration camp on July 4th 1946. Left to right: Barkmann, Paradies,
Becker, Klaff, and Steinhoff
Main article: Stutthof trials
The Nuremberg Trials did not include staff of the Stutthof concentration camp. However, the Poles held four trials
in Gdańsk against former guards and kapos of Stutthof, charging them with crimes of war and crimes against humanity.
The first trial was held against 30 ex-officials and kapos of the camp, from April 25, 1946, to May 31, 1946. The
Soviet/Polish Special Criminal Court found all of them guilty of the charges. Eleven of them, including the former
commander, Johann Pauls, were sentenced to death. The rest were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.
The second trial was held from January 8, 1947, to January 31, 1947, before a Polish Special Criminal Court. Arraigned
24 ex-officials and guards of the Stutthof concentration camp were judged and found guilty. Ten were sentenced to
death.
The third trial was held from November 5, 1947, to November 10, 1947, before a Polish Special Criminal Court.
Arraigned 20 ex-officials and guards were judged; 19 were found guilty, and one was acquitted.
The fourth and final trial was also held before a Polish Special Criminal Court, from November 19, 1947, to November
29, 1947. Arraigned 27 ex-officials and guards were judged; 26 were found guilty, and one was acquitted.
Page25

Wolf's Lair
Gierłoż, 11-400 Kętrzyn, Poland
+48 89 752 44 29
Wolf's Lair - Wolfsschanze
Forest Gierłoż, Rastenburg, Poland
Entrance to the Führer Bunker at the Wolfsschanze.
Location within present-day borders of the Wolf's Lair.
Type
Blast-resistant camouflaged concrete bunkers
Site information
Owner
Open to the public
Polish Government
Yes
Page26

Condition
Destroyed
Built 1941
Site history
In use
Built by
Materials
Events
Third Reich
Hochtief AG
Organisation Todt
2 m (6 ft 7 in) steel-reinforced concrete
20 July Plot
Garrison information
Occupants
Adolf Hitler
Wolf's Lair (German: Wolfsschanze) was Adolf Hitler's first Eastern Front military headquarters in World War II.[1] The
complex, which would become one of several Führerhauptquartiere (Führer Headquarters) located in various parts
of occupied Europe, was built for the start of Operation Barbarossa - the invasion of the Soviet Union - in 1941. It was
constructed by Organisation Todt.[1]
The top secret, high security site was in the Masurian woods about 8 km (5.0 mi) from the small East Prussian town
of Rastenburg (nowKętrzyn in Poland). Three security zones surrounded the central complex where the Führer's
bunker was located. These were guarded by personnel from the SS Reichssicherheitsdienst and the Wehrmacht's
armoured Führer Begleit Brigade. Despite the security, an assassination attempt against Hitler was made at Wolf's Lair
on 20 July 1944.[1]
Hitler first arrived at the headquarters on 23 June 1941. In total, he spent more than 800 days at
the Wolfsschanze during a 3½-year period until his final departure on 20 November 1944.[1] In the summer of 1944,
work began to enlarge and reinforce many of the Wolf's Lair original buildings, however the work was never completed
because of the rapid advance of the Red Army during the Baltic Offensivein autumn 1944. On 25 January 1945, the
complex was blown up and abandoned 48 hours before the arrival of Soviet forces.[1]
Name
Wolfsschanze is derived from "Wolf", a self-adopted nickname of Hitler.[2] He began using the nickname in the early
1930s and it was often how he was addressed by those in his intimate circle. "Wolf" was used in several titles of
Hitler's headquarters throughout occupied Europe, such
as Wolfsschlucht I and II in Belgium and Werwolf in Ukraine.[3]
Although the standard translation in English is the "Wolf's Lair", the German Schanze actually translates as "sconce"
or "fortification".
Layout
Page27

The decision to build the Wolf's Lair was made in the autumn of 1940. Built in the middle of a forest, it was located far
from major roads and urban areas. The 6.5 km2 (2.5 sq mi) complex, which was completed by 21 June 1941, consisted
of three concentric security zones.[4] About two thousand people lived and worked at the Wolf's Lair at its peak,
among them twenty women;[4] some of whom were required to eat Hitler's food to test for poison.[5] The installations
were served by a nearby airfield and railway lines. Buildings within the complex were camouflaged with bushes, grass
and artificial trees planted on the flat roofs; netting was also erected between buildings and the surrounding forest so
from the air, the installation looked like unbroken dense woodland.[4]
• Sperrkreis 1 (Security Zone 1) was located at the heart of the Wolf's Lair. Ringed by steel fencing and guarded by
theReichssicherheitsdienst (RSD), it contained the Führer Bunker and ten other camouflaged bunkers built from 2
metres (6 ft 7 in) thicksteel-reinforced concrete. These shelters protected members of Hitler's inner circle such
as Martin Bormann, Hermann Göring,Wilhelm Keitel and Alfred Jodl. Hitler's accommodation was on the northern
side of Führer Bunker so as to avoid direct sunlight. Both Hitler's and Keitel's bunkers had additional rooms where
military conferences could be held.[1]
• Sperrkreis 2 (Security Zone 2) surrounded the inner zone. This area housed the quarters of several Reich Ministers
such as Fritz Todt, Albert Speer, and Joachim von Ribbentrop. It also housed the quarters of the personnel who
worked in the Wolf's Lair and the military barracks for the RSD.
• Sperrkreis 3 (Security Zone 3) was the heavily fortified outer security area which surrounded the two inner zones.
It was defended byland mines and the Führer Begleit Brigade (FBB), a special armoured security unit
from Wehrmacht which manned guard houses, watchtowers and checkpoints.
A facility for Army headquarters was also located near the Wolf's lair complex.[1]
Although the RSD had overall responsibility for Hitler's personal security, external protection of the complex was
provided by the FBB, which had become a regiment by July 1944. The FBB was equipped with tanks, anti-aircraft guns
and other heavy weapons. Any approaching aircraft could be detected up to 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the Wolf's
Lair. Additional troops were also stationed about 75 kilometres (47 mi) away.[4]
Reinforcements
Hitler meeting Reich CommissionerRobert Ley, automotive engineerFerdinand Porsche and ReichsministerHermann
Göring at the Wolfschanze in 1942.
Traudl Junge, one of Hitler's secretaries, recalled that in late 1943 or early 1944, Hitler spoke repeatedly of the
possibility of a devastating bomber attack on the Wolfsschanze by the Western Allies. She quoted Hitler as saying,
"They know exactly where we are, and sometime they’re going to destroy everything here with carefully aimed bombs.
I expect them to attack any day." [6]
When Hitler’s entourage returned to the Wolfsschanze from an extended summer stay at the Berghof in July 1944,
the previous small bunkers had been replaced by the Organisation Todt with "heavy, colossal structures" of reinforced
concrete as defense against the feared air attack.[7] According to Armaments Minister Albert Speer, "some 36,000,000
marks were spent for bunkers in Rastenburg [Wolf's Lair]." [8] Hitler’s bunker had become the largest, "a positive
fortress" containing "a maze of passages, rooms and halls." Junge wrote that, in the period between the July 20
assassination attempt and Hitler's final departure from the Wolfsschanze in November 1944, "We had air-raid
warnings every day [...] but there was never more than a single aircraft circling over the forest, and no bombs were
dropped. All the same, Hitler took the danger very seriously, and thought all these reconnaissance flights were in
preparation for the big raid he was expecting."[9]
Page28

No air attack ever came. Whether the Western Allies knew of the Wolfsschanze's location and importance has never
been revealed. For its part, the Soviet Union was unaware of both the location and scale of the complex until it was
uncovered by their forces in their advance towards Germany in early 1945.[10]
1. Office and barracks of Hitler's
bodyguard
2. RSD command centre
3. Emergency generator
4. Bunker
5. Office of Otto Dietrich, Hitler's press
secretary
6. Conference room, site 20 July 1944
assassination attempt
7. RSD command post
8. Guest bunker and air-raid shelter
9. RSD command post
10. Secretariat under Philipp Bouhler
11. Headquarters of Johann
Rattenhuber, SS chief of Hitler's security
department, and Post Office
12. Radio and telex buildings
13. Vehicle garages
14. Railway siding for Hitler's Train
15. Cinema
16. Generator buildings
17. Quarters
of Morell,Bodenschatz, Hewel, Vo
ß, Wolffand Fegelein
18. Stores
19. Residence of Martin Bormann,
Hitler's personal secretary
20. Bormann's personal air-raid
shelter for himself and staff
21. Office of Hitler's adjutant and
the Wehrmacht's personnel office
22. Military and staff mess II
23. Quarters of General Alfred
Jodl, Chief of Operations of OKW
24. Firefighting pond
25. Office of the Foreign Ministry
26. Quarters of Fritz Todt, then
after his death Albert Speer
27. RSD command post
28. Air-raid shelter with Flak and MG
units on the roof
29. Hitler's bunker and air-raid shelter
30. New tearoom
31. Residence of General Field
Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, supreme
commander of OKW
32. Old Teahouse
33. Residence of Reich MarshalHermann
Göring
34. Göring's personal air-raid shelter for
himself and staff, with Flak and MG on
the roof
35. Offices of the High Command of the
Air Force
36. Offices of the High command of the
Navy
37. Bunker with Flak
38. Ketrzyn railway line
Page29

Hitler's daily routine
When Hitler was in residence, he would begin the day by taking a walk alone with his dog around 9 or 10 am, and at
10:30 am would look at the mail which had been delivered by air or courier train.[4] A noon situation briefing, which
frequently ran as long as two hours, would be convened in Keitel's and Jodl's bunker. This was followed by lunch at
2 pm in the dining hall. Hitler would invariably sit in the same seat between Jodl and Otto Dietrich, while opposite him
sat Keitel, Martin Bormann and General Karl Bodenschatz, Goering's adjutant.[1]
After lunch, Hitler would deal with non-military matters for the remainder of the afternoon. Coffee was served around
5 pm, followed by a second military briefing by Jodl at 6 pm. Dinner, which could also last as long as two hours, began
at 7:30 pm, after which films were shown in the cinema. Hitler would then retire to his private quarters where he
would give monologues to his entourage, including the two female secretaries who had accompanied him to the Wolf's
Lair.[11] Occasionally Hitler and his entourage listened to gramophone records of Beethovensymphonies, selections
from Wagner or other operas, or German lieder.[1]
Notable visitors
• Antonescu, Ion (marshal) – Romania[12][13][14]
• Boris III of Bulgaria (tsar) – Bulgaria[15][16]
• Bose, Subhas Chandra (independence politician) - India[17]
• Bożiłow, Dobri (prime minister '43-44) - Bulgaria[18]
• Ciano, Galeazzo (minister of foreign affairs) – Italy[19][20]
• Csatay von Csatai, Lajos (general, ministry of war) - Hungary[21]
• Erden, Ali Fuat (general) - Turkey[22]
• Gailani, Rashid Ali al- (former prime minister) – Iraq[23]
• Gariboldi, Italo (general) - Italy[24]
• Graziani, Rodolfo (marshal) - Italy[25]
• Horthy, Miklós (regent) – Hungary[26]
• Jany, Vitéz Gusztáv (general) - Hungary[27]
• Kállay de Nagy-Kálló, Miklós (prime minister) – Hungary[28]
• Koburg, Kiril (prince of Bulgaria and Preslav, tsar successor) - Bulgaria[29]
• Kvaternik, Slavko (commander and minister of armed forces) - Croatia[30]
• Laval, Pierre (prime minister of Vichy regime) – France[31]
• Lukash, Konstantin/Константин Лукаш (general, chief of Staff of the Bulgarian Army) -Bulgaria[32]
• Luukkonen Fanni (army colonel, leader of the voluntary auxiliary organisation for women) - Finland[33]
• Mannerheim, Carl Gustaf (military leader and statesman) – Finland[34]
• Mayalde, Jose Finat y Escrivá de Romaní (Conde de Mayalde, ambassador to Third Reich) - Spain[35]
• Michov, Nikoła Michaiłov/Никола Михайлов Михов (general, minister of war) –Bulgaria[36]
• Moscardó Ituarte, José (general) - Spain[37]
• Mussolini, Benito (il Duce) – Italy[38][39][40][41]
• Nedić, Milan (general, prime minister) - Serbia[42]
• Öhquist, Harald (lieutenant general) - Finland[43]
• Ōshima, Hiroshi (general, ambassador to III Reich) – Japan[44][45][46]
• Ante Pavelic (Poglavnik, Ustasha leader of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina) - Croatia[47]
Page30

• Tiso, Jozef (Roman Catholic priest, President) – Slovakia[48]
• Tovar de Lemos, Pedro (2º Conde de Tovar, diplomat) - Spain[49]
• Toydemir, Cemil Cahit - (general) - Turkey[50]
Assassination attempt
Reichsminister Hermann Göring surveys the destroyed conference room at the Wolfsschanze, July 1944.
In July 1944, an attempt was made to kill Hitler at the Wolf's Lair. The assassination, which became known as the 20
July plot, was organized by a group of acting and retired Heer Army officers and some civilians who wanted to remove
Hitler in order to establish a new governance in Germany. After several failed attempts to kill Hitler, the Wolf's Lair -
despite its security - was chosen as a viable location. Staff officer Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg would carry a
briefcase bomb into a daily conference meeting and place it just a few feet away from Hitler.
However due to the reconstruction of the Führer Bunker in the summer of 1944, the location was changed to a building
known as the Lager barrack on the day of the strategy meeting. This alternate venue along with several other factors,
such as Hitler unexpectedly calling the meeting earlier than anticipated, meant Stauffenberg's attempt would prove
unsuccessful. At 12:43 pm, when the bomb exploded, the interior of the building was devastated but Hitler was only
slightly injured. Four other people present died from their wounds a few days later.
Before the bomb detonated, Stauffenberg and his adjutant, Lieutenant Werner von Haeften had already begun to
leave theWolfsschanze in order to return to Berlin. Their escape involved passing through various security zones that
controlled all access around the site. After a short delay at the RSD guard post just outside Sperrkreis 1, they were
allowed to leave by vehicle. The two officers were then driven down the southern exit road towards the military
airstrip near Rastenburg (at 54°2ʹ36ʺN 21°25ʹ57ʺE). However by the time they reached the guard house at the
perimeter of Sperrkreis 2, the alarm had been sounded. According to the official RHSA report, "at first the guard
refused passage until Stauffenberg persuaded him to contact the adjutant to the compound commander who then
finally authorized clearance". It was between here and the final checkpoint of Sperrkreis 3 that Haeften tossed another
briefcase from the car containing an unused second bomb. On reaching the outer limit of the Wolfsschanze security
zones, the two men were allowed to catch their plane back to army general headquarters in Berlin.
The attempted assassination of Hitler at the Wolf Lair was part of Operation Valkyrie, a covert plan to take control and
suppress any revolt in the German Reich following Hitler's death. However once news arrived from the Wolf's Lair that
the Führer was still alive, the plan failed as troops loyal to the Nazi regime quickly re-established control of key
government buildings. Von Stauffenberg, his adjutant Werner von Haeften and several co-conspirators were arrested
and shot the same evening.
Page31

On 20 August 1944, Hitler personally presented survivors of the bomb blast in the Wolf's Lair with a gold "20 July
1944 Wound Badge". Next-of-kin of those killed in the bomb blast were also given this award.
Demise
Enormous amounts of explosiveswere used to blow up the Wolfsschanzebunkers. Here the explosion has lifted a
bunker's roof, made of 2-meter-thick solid ferro-concrete.
In October 1944 the Red Army reached the borders of East Prussia during the Baltic Offensive. Hitler departed from
the Wolf's Lair for the final time on 20 November when the Soviet advance reached Angerburg (now Węgorzewo),
only 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) away. Two days later the order was given to destroy the complex. However the actual
demolition did not take place until the night of 24–25 January 1945, ten days after the start of the Red Army's Vistula–
Oder Offensive. Despite the use of tons of explosives - one bunker required an estimated 8,000 kg (18,000 lb) of TNT -
most of the complex buildings were only partially destroyed due their immense size and reinforced structures.
The Red Army captured the abandoned remains of the Wolfsschanze on 27 January without firing a shot: the same
day Auschwitz was liberated. It took until 1955 to clear over 54,000 land mines which surrounded the installation.[4]
Wolf's Lair
In the very heart of Mazurian forests we can find the ruins of Adolf Hilter's war headquarters. It’s a hidden town in the
woods consisting of 200 buildings: shelters, barracks, 2 airports, a power station, a railway station, air-conditioners,
water supplies, heat-generating plants and two teleprinters.
In 1944 more than 2000 people lived here. On July 20, 1944 count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg made a failed
assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler.
It was here that decisions were made about the use of prisoners in the German armaments industry and about the
construction of new death camps. Here also murderous decisions were taken regarding the fate of many nations of
Europe.
Among those who resided and worked here were : Adolf Hitler, Hermann Goring, Heinrich Himmler, Martin Bormann,
Wilhelm Keitel, Joseph Goebbels, Dr. Fritz Todt, Albert Speer and others.
Wolf's Lair is available to the public from 8.00 am until dusk.
Our guests are welcome in a hotel and restaurant, placed in the former building of Hitler’s personal security
headquarters - the perfect place for visitors of nearby attractions and an excellent base for leisure seekers in Mazurian
Page32

forests. While visiting Wolf's Lair you can also visit surrounding: Wegorzewo, Swieta Lipka, Reszel Castle,Mauerwald,
Ketrzyn or Giżycko.
During your stay, have some rest in hotel's reception lounge, where you can enjoi a hot or cold beverage, cable TV,
magazines and free WI-Fi. Visitors can either hire a licensed guide or visit the headquarters on the designated trials on
their own.
We invite you also to our climatic restaurant located in former bunker, serving delicious regional, Mazurian cuisine. In
the summer season, for all guests visiting the historic ruins a beer garden and snack bar is open daily. The restaurant
can seat up to 80 guests at a time.
We assure free parking for hotel guests.
Suffering from lack of adrenaline? Want to test your sniper abilities? Visit our new shooting range in General Jodl's
Staff bunker (number 17) here at the Wolf's Lair. Both adults and children are invited to test their abilities with airsoft
replicas of historical WWII weapons and air-guns. Our shooting range is open daily, throughout the day. Visit us - such
an opportunity doesn't come often!
On the grounds of Wolf's Lair and in surrounding areas there is also a possibility of organizing integration parties,
corporate and extreme events, rallies , historical reconstructions and all kinds of organized events - please visit the
"Integration Headquaters" and see a completely new offer - www.kwatera-integracji.pl.
The pictures currently on our website were made by ZALUSKart - check out our photographer's portfolio
- http://zaluskart.com.
In the tourist season (April - October) we invite you to take part in tourist rides. A military truck and a German VW
Kurierwagen are stationed the Wolf's Lair in both of which you can explore the surrounding bunkers in the second
Page33

security zone. You can also take a picture dressed up in appropriate clothes beside a mini-collection of second war
memorabilia.
Staying in Wolf's Lair, you can visit also local aeroclub "Land of Lakes", nearby the former headquarters, where you
can order scenic flight-trips and take part in numerous air events. The surrounding lakes and forests invite anglers,
bikers, mushroom pickers, water sport, wildlife, off-road and horseback riding lovers and many more! From the nearby
Wegorzewo (30km) you can take a picturesque trip following the old German railway track by manual or motor trolley.
If you travel with your camper or tent, you are welcome in our closed camping - with access to electricity and shower
facilities at your disposal.
Parking area, hotel and restaurant are monitored 24h with CCTV cameras. There is also 24h security on the spot.
Wolf's Lair is open 24/7 all year round, but to explore it better come between dawn and dusk.
The restaurant is also open throughout the year, seven days a week. Opening hours are dependent on the season:
Please call to make sure, because those hours tend to change.
For groups it is possible to order a meal or organize events at other times.
The bar at the hotel reception is open 24 hours a day throughout the year.
» GUIDES - CONTACT
[PL] Adamkowicz Sławomir sławek.a@poczta.onet.pl 510 878 767
[PL] Borkowska Zenobia borkowska.zenobia@onet.eu 510 378 711
[PL] Burdyło Dorian dorian750@wp.pl 697 966 686
[PL] Cwalina Marzena jaroslaw63@onet.pl 693 086 691
[PL] Dragun Marek maurycy68@interia.pl 601 662 159
[PL][FR]Dziadek Henryk henryk.dziadek@wp.pl 606 776 732
[PL][DE]Dziadek Irena irena.dziadek@wp.pl 606 827 755
[PL] Dziemianczyk Bolesław 663 342 313
[PL] Filipczuk Władysława wlfi@wp.pl 606 224 132
[PL] Frontczak Dariusz 89 676 2713
[PL] Frontczak Genowefa 516 099 468
[PL][RUS]Grygorczyk Roscisław 660 095 983
[PL] Jasowicz Krzysztofa kjasowicz@poczta.onet.pl 506 948 706
[PL][DE]Kołakowski Kazimierz 693 221 517
[PL][EN]Korowaj Jadwiga jagoda@poczta.onet.pl 601 677 202
[PL] Krupa Ryszard ryszard.krupa@wp.pl 503 895 828
[PL]Małkowski Ryszard ryszard39@onet.eu 608 652 501
[PL] Masłon Andrzej andrzej@pomazurach.pl 511 596 717
[PL][DE]Matuszczak Zygmunt matuszczak.z@intaria.pl 515 140 828
[PL][EN]Michałowski Waldemar michal5@wp.pl 604 878 825
[PL] Nowicka Elwira elwinow@interia.pl 889 926 862
[PL] Ojdym Kazimiera k.ojdym@interia.pl 600 116 633
[PL][RUS]Ostrowski Jan janostrowski1@poczta.onet.pl 601 236 940
[PL][RUS][DE][EN]Puciato Czesław cpuciato1@wp.pl 666 288 261
[PL] Rawski Stefan stef-raf@wp.pl 517 405 588
Page34

[PL] Sadowska Mieczysława 600 649 336
[PL][DE]Sieminski Stanisław stansem@wp.pl 604 205 229
[PL] Sobczak Andrzej sas191@op.pl 513 051 897
[PL][DE]Szynkowski Jerzy szynk@wp.pl 605 052 865
[PL]Wojciechowski Waldemar biuro@grupadoradcza.com 89 751 4660
[PL][DE]Zduniak Jan jan.zduniak@wp.pl 609 481 371
[PL]Żurowski Stanisław 89 751 0574
[PL][DE]Zarzecki Jarosław jaroslaw.zarzecki@xl.wp.pl 692234395
Reservations: +48 (89) 752 4429 Fax: +48 (89) 752 4432, kontakt@wolfsschanze.pl Wilcze Gniazdo j.v. Sp. z o.o. Gierłoż,
11-400 Kętrzyn
Hitler's stay in Wolf's Lair
Hitler came to Wolf's Lair with his adjutants on 24 of June 1941. He spent over 800 days here. Life of all residents
focused around him. In 1944 more than 2000 people lived here, among them only 20 women (Eva Braun never visited
Wolf's Lair)
Residential buildings were constructed in a relatively modest but functional way. There was a small room to work in
lit mostly by daylight which had basic equipment like wooden cabinets, shelving for files, tables, chairs and stools.
Most of the rooms had parquet floors.
Führer's working day begun with receiving reports from the battle fronts.
Between 9.00 and 10.00 Hitler would go out with his dog for a walk which no one could disturb without special reason.
At approximately 10.30 Hitler would begin looking through the morning mail which was delivered to headquarters
from Berlin by aircraft or courier trains.
Page35

Consultation was at about 12.00 . After meetings Hitler would have lunch. Until September 1942 he ate meals in the
dining room of casino I and later in his bunker. The number of guests during a meal at the casino was limited and
consisted of people closest to Hitler.
“Evening meetings” were held at about 18.00 during which problems of airspace war were mostly dealt with. Those
meetings lasted for approximately one hour and usually took place in Hitler's work room.
The dates of Hitler's visits in Wolf's Lair: June 24, 1941 - July 16, 1942, November 1, 1942 - November 7, 1942,
November 23, 1942 - February 17, 1943, March 13, 1943 - March 19, 1943, May 9, 1943 - May 21, 1943, July 1, 1943 -
18 July 1943, July 20, 1943 - February 27, 1944, July 14, 1944 - November 20, 1944.
Localization and construction
The decision about the construction on the site was taken in autumn 1940. The following considerations had decided
about the location of the headquarters right here: closeness to the former Soviet Union border of the Kętrzyn forest
/this had an important psychological meaning (the Barbarossa plan foresaw an attack against the Soviet Union)/, East
Prussia was one of the most fortified districts of the Third Reich, there were many fortresses in this area (Giżycko,
Toruń, Kłajpeda, Pilawa) and there were also the so called 'fortified areas' with entrenchments and barbed wire.
The area selected for the headquarters was located far from major roads in an old forest which formed a natural shield
all year round. Also the Great Mazurian Lakes were a natural barrier against land troops.
The stated in many guide books overall number of employees /3000 to 5000 / seems to be severely underestimated.
Prof. F. Seidler in the monograph about F.Todt says that in programming assumptions the construction of the main
field at Hitler's headquarters projected to hire 50 thousand workers (20, p. 352). Peter Hoffmann in a letter to the
author of this guide indicates that on 20 July 1944 (the day of the attack on Hitler) about 5 thousand labourers worked
in the headquarters. The author of this publication - despite the widely circulated rumours about hiring prisoners of
war and forced labourers - didn't find any documents confirming that opinion.
Page36

Protection and masking
Reich Security Service (RSD) was responsible for Hitler's personal security. RSD consisted of two Groups. There were
10 officers of criminal service and a dozen of Hitler's personal guards in each of them. RSD officers had an injunction
to stay away from each other during service and not to talk without need and above all not to come into Hitler's shelter
unless it was dictated by the need to review workers at the facility. When Hitler was outside his shelter the RSD officer
had to be so far from the Führer that the forthcoming person could be stopped without disturbing Hitler.
Führer's Armored Battalion (FBB) which until July 1944 had grown to the size of a regiment, was responsible for
external protection of the headquarters . It was equipped with tanks, anti-aircraft guns and heavy weapons. A unit of
landing troops stationed near Gołdap in a distance of approximately 75 km from Ketrzyn. Any aircraft would be
detected in a radius of 100 km from Wolf's Lair.
A specialized gardening company "Seidenspinner" from Stuttgart was responsible for masking. Most buildings
constructed here had flat roofs 10 to 30 cm deep. They were filled with earth in which bushes, grass and artificial trees
were planted. There were metal bows in the shape of the inverted letter U on the edges of the roofs. Masking grids
were stretched between them and the surrounding trees. The effectiveness of masking was tested with the use of
aerial photographs - it gave the impression of a dense forest.
Very sophisticated psychological masking was also used. All the people working in the construction of Wolf's Lair had
civilian passports. Up to 21 June 1941 Russian linear aircraft flying between Berlin and Moscow was allowed to fly over
the site. This way it was suggested that buildings constructed in the forest could not have any real military significance.
Page37

Destruction of Wolf's Lair
In October 1944 Red Army troops reached the eastern border of East Prussia. Therefore, on 20 November 1944 the
main headquarters were moved to Zossen near Berlin. Two days later the decree to destroy Wolf's Lair was issued and
it was executed during the night on 24/ 25 January 1945 . Huge concrete blocks were flying in the air at a distance of
20-30 meters. As witnesses stated, as a result of the explosions ice cracked on the nearby lake Siercze. It is estimated
that around eight tonnes of TNT were used to destroy one bunker.
On January 27 1945, Red Army troops took over Wolf's Lair without a single shot.
The securing of the minefields lasted until 1955. More than 54 thousand landmines were discovered and secured. It
was necessary to secure 72 hectares of forest and over 52 hectares of land altogether. The Polish population settling
after the war near Ketrzyn, used construction materials – which had often not been used during the construction of
Wolf's Lair - for their own economic purposes. From here they exported brick, reinforced steel, panelling, pieces of
stone, copper and aluminum pipes and masking grid.
Assassination attempt 20.07.1944
Stauffenberg along with his adjutant Werner von Haeftenem appeared in Wolf's Lair in the morning of July 20. Their
plane from Berlin landed near headquarters at about 10.15. Stauffenberg announced that he wished to refresh himself
and change his shirt. John von Freyend made his room available to him. Haeften came together with Stauffenberg to
the designated area to help and prepare explosives.
Each explosive (made in England) had a single chemical starter working with a 10-minute delay. Getting detonators
working turned out to be quite complex and lengthy. "It was necessary to first press copper scales which consisted of
glass ampoules with acid. Acid had to destroy the wires in a specified time, tensioning spiral feathers with starter pins.
It had to be done very carefully in order not to press the tensioning wires. Then checking whether the detonators were
still tight was done through a hole and then the fuse was removed and the starter inserted."
Page38

A few minutes before 12.30 Stauffenberg went to the barrack for the meeting. On the way John von Freyend offered
to help Stauffenberg carry the briefcase, but the colonel refused. However, just in front of the barrack he passed the
briefcase to him, wanting it to be as near Hitler as possible. They came to the barrack when the General Heusinger
was discussing the situation on the Eastern Front. John von Freyend asked Admiral Voss to move to other side of the
table to make place for Stauffenberg. The briefcase with explosives was placed outside the right bracket table at a
distance of about 2.5 - 3 meters from Hitler. After several minutes had passed Stauffenberg announced that he had to
make a phone call. The phones were in a neighbouring room. His adjutant went with him. At the time when
Stauffenberg and his adjutant got into the car the explosion shook the ground.
Driving near the barrack they saw clouds of smoke, charred papers rotating in the air, injured and running people.
They managed to leave the zone without difficulty: the car's passenger was a widely recognized person - his military
career, wounds from Africa and position made him highly respected. At 13.15 they flew away back to Berlin.
Stauffenberg and Haeften landed in Berlin convinced of the success of their mission. Gen. Olbricht announced the
launch of the operation "Valkyrie". The putsch attempt lasted approximately 7 hours and collapsed at midnight. Count
Claus von Stauffenberg was arrested and sentenced to death the same night at about 0.30 . He was executed
immediately.
Explosives planted by Colonel Stauffenberg destroyed the interior meeting hall. There were broken chairs, glass and
papers everywhere and only a small piece of the solid oak table remained. There was a hole in the ground about 1.5
m in diameter on the spot where the bomb was placed.
At the time of explosion there were 24 people in the room. Hitler stood in the middle of the table's length, turned to
face the three open windows on the shorter barrack wall. He was leaning on the table with his head on his hands.
Page39

The participants of the meeting described the explosion as a powerful blow of air, accompanied by loud noise and
flames. Almost everyone was thrown on the floor by the impact, but no one was thrown through the window as some
studies indicate. Suddenly someone cried: "Where is the Führer?" -- it was Keitel. After several seconds he found Hitler
and helped him leave the premises.
Prof. von Hasselbach put on the first bandages and then prof. Morell took over Hitler. The Führer’s right elbow was
bleeding, but the arm functioned normally. His skin was slightly scratched on the left hand. No serious damage of the
hearing organ was detected apart from the breaking of the eardrum. Führer was clearly excited. He said that he had
been aware for a long time that there were traitors surrounding him. Three hours after the attack Hitler was already
able to welcome Mussolini at the local railway station (the visit of the Italian leader in Wolf's Lair lasted only 2.5 hours).
As a result of the explosion the stenografer and three generals were mortally wounded. The majority of participants
had to be treated in hospital due to injuries such as broken eardrums or brain shock. Professor von Hasselbach looked
after the patients.
"The experts researching the effects of bomb explosions agreed with the fact that the quantity of the explosive brought
by Stauffenberg to the meeting would have killed all participants if it had been held in the concrete bunker. Because
the meeting was held in a barrack, injuries were relatively small " (14, p. 476).
On July 21 at about 1.00 A.M. a night radio broadcast Hitler's speech : "... German companions, I don't know how many
times already someone planned and made an attempt to kill me. If today I speak to you, I do it for two reasons: First,
I want you to hear my voice to let you know that I'm alive and healthy. Secondly, I want you to learn more about the
crime, which has nothing equal in the history of Germany. A small group of selfish, devoid of conscience and at same
time murderous, foolish officers planned a plot to remove me together with my military command. The bomb planted
by Colonel Count von Stauffenberg exploded 2 meters from my right hand... I survived entirely without damage except
for minor scratches, bruises and burns. I accept this as a confirmation of my tasks commissioned by Providence to
continue to pursue my goal in life as I did until now. The group of people represented by those traitors has nothing in
common with Wermacht or the German Army. This time we are going to make even in the National Socialists’ style! "
(7, p. 324).
The rest of the speech was a mixture of vulgar insults ended with the announcement that traitors will be mercilessly
removed.
Page40

To investigate the events and detect further conspirators Himmler set up a "special committee” on July 20, The
Protocols of the results were directed to Himmler, who in turn submitted them to Hitler or other Nazi leaders. About
700 people were arrested in all. Approximately 180 people were killed - 89 of them in Plötzensee.
Page41

OKH Mauerwald
Former Supreme High Command of the German Army Field Headquarters
The Supreme High Command of the German Army (Oberkommando des Heeres) field headquarters in Mauerwald is
the biggest complex of undestroyed bunkers from the times of World War II. Some of the preserved air-raid shelters
are as high as 9 metres, which makes them a unique example of fortifications of that era. One of the bunker types to
be seen here was designed by Adolf Hitler himself.
Beside the “Wolf's Lair”, the field headquarters at Mauerwald was one of the seats of the political and military
leadership of the III Reich built in East Prussia for the purpose of leading a war against the Soviet Union (Operation
“Barbarossa”).
The building began in autumn of 1940 and lasted till late May/early June 1941. However, further developments
connected with the war lasting much longer than expected would go on until the end of 1944.
The 250 hectares (ca. 620 acres) of mixed forest hide over 200 buildings of different types – from wooden and brick
to concrete bunkers with 2 to 7-metre thick walls and ceilings.
The headquarters was divided into three security zones: “Quelle”, “Fritz” and “Brigitten Stadt.” “Quelle” – “Source”
was the seat of the the Quartermaster's Department of the army. “Fritz” – “Frederick” was devoted to the structures
of the High Command of the German Army. “Brigitten Stadt” – “Bridget Town” was occupied by auxiliary services
(mostly staff support and communication). The communication centre for the headquarters was located here.
From among the hundreds of officers and generals of the General Staff who lived here and planned the operations
against the Soviet Union, two names stand out. These are colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and field marshal Friedrich
Paulus, the commander of the 6th Army defeated at Stalingrad.
Why it was built
Since the beginning of World War II till mid-1941, the German army conquered Poland, France, Belgium, Holland,
Luxembourg, Norway, Greece and Yugoslavia... Rommel's “Afrika Korps” fought successfully in Africa. Together with
its allies, Germany controlled nearly all of Europe. England, although weakened, was the only one to resist. The only
dangerous enemy was the Soviet Union, preparing a war on Germany.
In the summer of 1940 Hitler decided to invade the Soviet Union and ordered his General Staff to draft a plan of a
lightning-fast conquest code-named “Operation Barbarossa.”
In order to direct the campaign effectively, it was decided that a network of temporary seats of military and political
leadership be set up near the border with the Soviet Union. East Prussia was chosen.
Mauerwald came to be the field headquarters of the Supreme High Command of the German Army and the
Quartermaster's Department of the army. The General Staff was responsible for drawing up plans and coordinating
the activity of the armed forces in the east. By contrast, its subordinate bodies responsible for intelligence, personnel
affairs, transport etc., including the Quartermaster's Department, supervised over all the theatres of war.
Description
The construction began in autumn of 1940. Just as in the case of the “Wolf's Lair”, the building works were carried out
under the pretext of building an “Askania” chemical plant. And just as there, Organisation Todt and private firms would
take care of the construction. The headquarters was ready for use in May 1941. The various sections of the staff moved
in with the onset of the war against the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941.
Page42

The code name “Mauerwald” comes from the forester's lodge located nearby. The headquarters was divided into
three security zones: “Quelle” (“Source”) for the Quartermaster's Department of the Army, “Fritz” (“Frederick”) for
the High Command of the German Army and “Brigitten Stadt” – (“Bridget Town”) for the auxiliary services and the
communication centre.
This little town with its water and sewage system, two boiler houses, transformer stations and generators, occupied
ca. 250 hectares (620 acres) of land. There was a railway station inside and the streets had names. 29 reinforced
concrete shelters and over 200 masonry and wooden buildings were built.
In the summer of 1944 three of the shelters were reinforced, and then two other before the Germans fled. This is also
when the construction of a gigantic, 74 × 37 metre shelter began.
Various sections of the General Staff started leaving Mauerwald in late summer of 1944. First front-line units entered
the HQ in November. The Soviet Army entered Mauerwald in January 1945.
The inhabitants
It is estimated that around 1500 people lived here. This figure includes non-commissioned officers, officers and
generals of the General Staff, soldiers of the auxiliary forces as well as maintenance and security personnel. Many of
the low-rank positions in the staff and communication service were occupied by women.
The most famous inhabitants include: Walther von Brauschitsch (commander of the Army), the successive Chiefs of
the General Staff, generals Franz Halder, Kurt Zeitzler and Heinz Guderian or Deputy Chief of the General Staff Friedrich
Paulus, later to become the commander of the 6th Army defeated at Stalingrad. Claus von Stauffenberg lived here for
one and a half years (June 1941 to January 1943).
Social life
Unlike “Wolf's Lair” with its spartan lifestyle, much time at Mauerwald was devoted to relaxation and social occasions.
After work, the inhabitants would meet not only in the canteens or the Soldier's Home but they would also visit each
other in their living quarters. They would organize birthday or names day parties and attend saunas or the cinema.
The officers enjoyed swimming and boat trips on Lake Mamry. The local aristocracy would invite them to local estates.
Horse riding was very popular. There were three stables here with horses ready to ride.
An example of the relaxed atmosphere at Mauerwald is the meeting of the two famous field marshals: Erich von
Manstein and Erwin Rommel. They had not had a chance to meet, and they did at Maurewald. Manstein, summoned
from the front, used a free moment to swim in the lake. When he and his adjutant swam away from the shore, Rommel,
accompanied by a couple of officers, came to the lake. Manstein, who swam naked, came up to the shore, greeted
Rommel and went out of the water. Rommel's officers had hidden away the clothes of the swimming officers but field
marshal Manstein kept his poise talking to Rommel, naked.
Visits
Adolf Hitler visited Mauerwald four times but his visits didn't usually last longer than a couple of quarters of an hour.
Two of the visits were on the account of the Chief of the General Staff, general Hadler: his birthday (30 June 1941) and
the fortieth anniversary of his joining the army (14 July 1942). In August 1941 Hitler visited Mauerwald accompanied
by the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini. Three months later he came to an exhibition of winter equipment and
uniforms.
Other important guests included: admiral Miklós Horthy (Hungarian dictator), general Ion Antonescu (Rumanian
dictator) and marshal Carl Mannerheim, the Finnish army commander-in-chief.
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The Plot of 20 July
Many of the officers of the The Supreme High Command of the German Army either supported the anti-Nazi resistance
or joined it. The most notable inhabitants of the headquarters who joined the resistance were: colonel Stauffenberg,
colonel Mertz von Quirnheim and generals Hellmuth Stieff, Eduard Wagner and Erich Fellgiebel. All of them were either
killed or committed suicide.
The plotters working at Mauerwald had been preparing an attempt to kill Hitler probably as early as in 1943. General
Stieff kept explosives in his quarters. For fear of being unmasked, major Kuhn and lieutenant Hagen buried them near
the Organization Department building . In yet another place they hid documents connected with the preparations of
the assassination. When the security services in the headquarters learnt about it, the explosives were discovered but
it turned out impossible to find out who had hidden them. The documents were not found. In Spring of 1945 Russians
uncovered the documents. They knew about them from Kuhn, whom they had captured.
On the day of the attempt on Hitler, general Stieff flew from Berlin to the “Wolf's Lair” with Stauffenberg. From the
airfield near Rastenburg (today Kętrzyn), Stieff rode to Mauerwald together with Haeften – Stauffenberg's adjutant.
Haften stayed there for around an hour and then left for the “Wolf's Lair.”
Sightseeing
The Supreme High Command of the German Army field headquarters in Mauerwald is located by Lake Mamry, the
second biggest lake in Poland. To the north, the headquarters borders with the unfinished Masurian Canal. One of the
sluices nearby is the biggest object of this kind in Poland. The 29 undestroyed shelters make Mauerwald a unique
example of fortifications in Europe.
Opening hours
The site is open daily during the summer season 10 am –18 pm . Sightseeing during the winter upon prior
arrangement.
Make sure you don't miss the “Wolf's Lair” – the biggest and the most important field headquarters of Adolf Hitler and
the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.
The former SS hotel houses a hotel and a restaurant – a great base for excursions to the Masurian Lake District.
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The Museum of Coastal Defence
Wieża Kierowania Ogniem
Helska 16
84-150 Hel
Poland
The Museum of Coastal Defence in Hel was established by the "Friends of Hel" society in buildings formerly occupied
by the German "Schleswig-Holstein" 406 mm battery: the B2 gun emplacement and the range-finder tower. The
Museum was opened to visitors on 1st May 2006. The aim of the museum is to show the military history of Hel and
the Polish Navy. A number of thematic exhibitions show the heroism of the defence of Hel in 1939, and the
development of the Polish Navy through history. The development of naval armaments and communications over the
last fifty years is shown in detail.
The museum is dedicated to the memory of Zbigniew Przybyszewski - the commander of the peninsular battery named
after H. Laskowski. He was the hero of the 32 days of the defence of Hel in the autumn of 1939. After surrendering, he
was a prisoner of war in many camps and oflags. After the war he returned to Poland. He rebuilt the Polish Navy. He
was appointed commander of the torpedo-boat division, and afterwards the commander of the 31st division of coastal
artillery in Redlowo. In 1947 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander, and in 1949 was appointed Chief
of Artillery in the Polish Naval High Command. He was sentenced to death and executed in 1952 after false charges
were brought against him in "the trial of the seven commanders". In 1956 he was rehabilitated.
After conquering Hel, the Germans came fully to appreciate the military significance of the Hel peninsula. For 32 days
they had been unable to take it, despite the fact that they had a powerful fleet and air force at their disposal. For this
reason, in late 1939 they started to build heavy coastal artillery emplacements at a point about 1.5 km from the centre
of the town of Hel, naming them after the battleship "Schleswig-Holstein", which had played a sinister role in Polish
history. By early 1941, three emplacements for 406 mm coastal guns, a rangefinder tower and two munitions
magazines had been built. Shells weighing more than a ton could be fired over a distance of 56 km. Towards the end
of 1941 when the situation on the eastern front changed radically, it was decided to close down the battery and the
dismantling of the guns was begun. Guns from Hel were transported to France, and set up on emplacements in
Sangatte near Blanc Nez as the Lindemann battery, from which point by November 1942 they were shelling Great
Britain.
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Gdańsk
Gdańsk (German & many English language publications: Danzig), is the largest city and capital of the Pomeranian
Voivodeship in northern Poland. A strategic and highly influential port for nearly a thousand years, Gdańsk was a
stronghold of the Teutonic Knights, and later became an influential city within the Hanseatic League during the Middle
Ages.
Largely destroyed in the Second World War, Gdańsk was splendidly rebuilt in the aftermath as one of Europe's most
beautiful port cities. Today, Gdańsk has a population of 460,000, and is Poland's largest northern city, drawing
numerous visitors into its historic city centre, its outstanding museums, and to its expansive beaches spread along
the coast of the Gulf of Gdańsk, making it a popular summer destination for many Poles and foreign visitors alike.
In addition to tourism, Gdańsk is also the republic's principal seaport, handling large amounts of imports and exports
from the city's harbour. The city, along with neighbouring Sopot and Gdynia to the north, is part of the Tricity
(Polish: Trójmiasto), an urban conurbation of nearly 750,000.
Understand
As Poland's main northern port at the mouth of the Vistula River, Gdańsk is a key departure and arrival point for
visitors and trade along the Baltic. especially to and from Scandinavia. Along with trade, shipbuilding was a key
signature of the city's economy in the past. While trade remains a key component to Gdańsk's economy, the
shipbuilding industry has declined in recent decades, giving way to tourists seeking the historical charms and scenic
nature of thePomeranian coast.
The Golden Gate and the Long Lane is a central part of the city.
History
First recorded as a settlement in 997, Gdańsk was likely founded by Duke Mieszko I of the Piast dynasty, capitalizing
on Baltic trade routes as well as establishing a Piast presence on the Pomeranian coast. In the 12th and 13th centuries,
the town expanded to the north and south as it outgrew its original borders. As Piast Poland politically disintegrated
due to inheritance issues, the town became one of the centers for the independent Duchy of Pomerelia. Under its
duke, Swietopelk II, Gdańsk was granted Lübeck city rights in 1235 as German-speaking merchants took up residence
Page46

in the growing town. By the end of the 13th century, Gdańsk was reincorporated into the reformed Polish kingdom
under Przemysł II. A conflict between Poland and Brandenburg in 1308 led to the intervention of the Teutonic Knights,
a German Roman Catholic military order that had established a political presence to the east in Prussia. Originally
allied with Poland, the Knights turned against their former allies and seized Gdańsk, insinuating a massacre of many
of the town's residents.
Under the Teutonic Knights, Gdańsk (then increasingly known by its German name of Danzig) was consolidated into
a monastic state. Initially stagnating under the order's religious militarism, the Knights realized Danzig's importance
to Baltic seagoing trade could no longer be ignored. Teutonic controls over the town were relaxed by the mid-14th
century, as the town was allowed to join the Hanseatic trading alliance. Now within the Hanseatic League, a degree
of prosperity arrived, yet discontent with Teutonic rule remained under the surface. 53 of the region's prominent
nobles and clergymen in 1440 formally signed into the Prussian Confederation, a group opposing the rule of the
Teutonic state. After the Thirteen Years' War's conclusion in 1466, which saw Polish forces defeat the Knights, the
town was reincorporated back into the Polish kingdom, although endowed with significant autonomy.
By the 16th century, ethnic Germans constituted a majority in Danzig, with Slavic Polish and Kashubians a minority.
Despite initial suppression by the deeply Catholic Polish state, Danzigers largely embraced Protestantism as the
Reformation spread from northern Germany. During this period, one of the high points of the Renaissance in Poland,
Nicolaus Copernicus visited and worked in the city, with the abstract of his work, Narratio Prima published first in
Danzig in 1540. Danzig's prosperity, however, would be severely interrupted by both the Thirty Years' War and the
Swedish Deluge between the 1630s to 1660, causing the city to decline. Danzig faced yet another crisis in 1734 when
besieging Russian and Saxon soldiers forced the city into a humiliating surrender after the city sided with Stanisław I
over Augustus III during the War of the Polish Secession. Danzig fiercely resisted the First Partition of Poland by the
nearby Kingdom of Prussia in 1772, though it was later annexed by the Prussians in the Second Partition of 1793.
Briefly a Napoleonic client state from 1807 to 1814, Danzig remained in the Prussian kingdom, and later the German
Empire, for over the next hundred years. Under Prussia and Germany, Danzig industrialized, becoming a key German
commercial port.
With the collapse of the German Empire and the rapid creation of the Second Polish Republic at the end of World
War I in 1918, tensions between the new Weimar and Polish governments ran high as both groups laid claims over
Danzig. Concurring with ethnic Polish uprisings against Weimar German rule in Silesia at the end of the war, the Treaty
of Versailles forcibly split Danzig from the rest of Germany, establishing a semi-independent Free City of Danzig
administered by a high commissioner from the League of Nations with an elected local assembly. The treaty
additionally established a customs union between the free city and Poland, as well as giving Poland rights over all
railways within the free city's territory. In response to the treaty and semi-international rule, the German majority
rapidly grew deeply critical of the free city's creation, resenting its political separation from Germany. Popular anger
spilled into a wave of anti-Slavic sentiment felt throughout the city in the 1920s and 1930s, targeting the city's Polish
and Kashubian minorities. The Nazi Party gained an electoral foothold over the city beginning in the early 1930s,
whose regional platform called on the unification of Danzig with the rest of the Third Reich.
The opening salvos of World War II began at Westerplatte, on the city's outskirts, on 1 September 1939 when the
German battleship Schleswig-Holstein attacked the Polish military battery there. The Nazis quickly stormed the city,
although they met fierce resistance from Polish units, particularly at the city's Polish Post Office. Many members of
the city's Slavic minority of Polish and Kashubians were forcibly arrested and executed afterwards. During the war,
the German concentration camp of Stutthof, located 34km (21 mi) east of Danzig in the present town of Sztutowo,
served as the the killing ground of an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 people, many of whom were ethnic Poles and
Jews. By the war's conclusion in 1945, Danzig was largely in ruins and occupied by the Soviet Red Army. Approved
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during the Yalta Conference, Danzig (now under its Polish name Gdańsk again) was annexed by Poland. The city's
ethnic German majority were expelled at the war's conclusion, leaving the city open to Polish resettlement.
Under communism, Gdańsk became a major shipbuilding centre and port for the Eastern Bloc. Dissatisfaction with
the regime was particularly strong in the city and elsewhere inPomerania, manifesting itself visibly with popular
protests against severe price hikes in 1970. In Gdańsk, shipyard workers were gunned down by police and army units.
Despite the clampdown, mass protests against price spikes surfaced again in 1976. In 1980, responding to the Lenin
Shipyard's firing of worker Anna Walentynowicz for participating in a non-governmental worker's union, Solidarity
(Solidarność) was organized to protest the regime. Led by electrician Lech Wałęsa, the Catholic-inspired labour union
quickly spread across the country, forcing the Polish government to enact martial law in 1981. Despite efforts to
contain the movement through police and military means, Solidarity grew only more emboldened by the draconian
response, forcing the government into negotiations by 1989 which eventually led to the peaceful downfall of the
regime later that year.
Following the end of communism, Gdańsk opened its doors to the world, and has in recent decades become a growing
tourist attraction. While remaining one of the Baltic's most important port cities, Gdańsk has benefited highly from
its charming historic old town streets, many museums, and its excellent access to the popular coastline of the Baltic.
Tourist information
Get in
The terminal of Lech Wałęsa Airport.
Transport from airport to city
Bus 110 connects passengers from the airport to Wrzeszcz train station. Bus 210 & N3 connect passengers from the
airport to Gdańsk Główny train station (the main station and closer to the centre). All buses are local buses and can
take 35-50 minutes depending on traffic. The fare is PLN3 if a ticket is bought from a ticket machine, news stand
or Bilety shop, and PLN3.40 if the ticket is bought from the driver. Although the ticket has a picture of a tram on it,
it's also valid for the bus. Make sure to get on in the right direction at the airport, because the bus goes in two
directions from there.
On the way to the airport, the bus picks up on the other side of the road, near the front of the Scandic hotel (look for
the signs that have the 110 on them). From the tourist office in the tunnel, turn left, walk until you are outside and
head right, go up the stairs, turn right, and the bus shelters will be in front of you.
Taxis[edit]
Avoid the unofficial rip off taxis who will pounce on you as soon as you have cleared security, unless you know how
to deal with them. A taxi to or from the airport and the city centre should cost around PLN50-60 but will cost more
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in the evenings or at weekends. Taxi drivers will be waiting in the arrivals hall offering fixed price transfers, PLN60-70
is not unreasonable for a late evening (after 22:00) transfer to the centre of Gdansk.
By hire car[edit]
MPA. Poland, ☎+48 51 518-1161 (info@mpapoland.pl, fax: +48 58 554-9393), [1]. Personalised car hire with
driver, or rental cars to self drive. edit
See
Gdańsk's main attractions are mainly confined to the Śródmieście district, the city's central quarter. Within
Śródmieście, many locations are subdivided into the Main Town (Główne Miasto) and the Old Town (Stare Miasto).
Several major attractions are also outside of the immediate city centre.
The Neptune Fountain in the Long Market (Długi Targ).
Artus Court.
The Long Bridge (Długie Pobrzeże) embankment along the Motława River.
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The SS Sołdek moored on the Motława River.
Main Town Hall standing over the Long Lane (Ulica Długa) at night.
Main Town (Główne Miasto)[edit]
• Long Lane (Ulica Długa), [2]. One of Gdańsk's most popular places for tourists, the Long Lane has been one of the
city's most principle streets since the Middle Ages, flanked by the Golden Gate on one end and the Green Gate
on the other. All throughout the Long Lane are numerous restaurants, cafes, shops, and impressive Mannerist
and Dutch-inspired architecture. edit
• Long Market (Długi Targ)). Located between the end of the Long Lane and the Green Gate, this impressive square
was once home to Gdańsk's elite in previous centuries, and is today a popular meeting point for locals and tourists
alike. edit
• Main Town Hall (Ratusz Głównego Miasta), Długa 46/47, ☎+48 58 767 91 00, [3]. Mo closed, Tu 10:00-13:00, We
10:00-16:00, Th 10:00-18:00, F-Sa 10:00-16:00, Su 11:00-16:00. A Gothic-Renaissance building dating to the 14th
century that formerly housed the city's government, this structure was expanded and remodelled over the next
four centuries, becoming the structure seen today. Badly damaged in World War II, architects made Herculean
efforts to save the town hall from certain demolition, repairing the building to its former glory. Today, the building
hosts a branch of the Historical Museum of the City of Gdańsk; its 50m (164 ft) tower is open for tourists in the
spring and summer months, providing spectacular views of the city. PLN10/5. edit
• Artus Court (Dwór Artusa), Długi Targ 43-44, ☎+48 58 767 91 80 (dwor.artusa@mhmg.pl), [4]. Mo closed, Tu
10:00-13:00, We 10:00-16:00, Th 10:00-18:00, F-Sa 10:00-16:00, Su 11:00-16:00. Taking its name from the
legendary King Arthur, the Artus Court was the meeting location between knights, merchants and aristocrats in
the Middle Ages and early modern era. Constructed in Dutch-inspired Mannerist architecture dating to the early
17th century. The structure was rebuilt after damage from World War II, and is today a branch of the Historical
Museum of the City of Gdańsk. edit
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• The Maiden at the Window (Panienka z okienka), ul. Długi Targ 43. Located atop the New Jury House, a Gothic
and Baroque home for the city's merchant class situated next to Artus Court on the Long Market, the Maiden at
the Window appears from its upper portal every day at 13:00. The Maiden's automated figure, turning and
looking at crowds below, represents Hedwiga, a beautiful 17th century young Gdańsk woman imprisoned by her
evil uncle within the building. The 1891 novel The Maiden at the Window by Polish novelist Jadwiga Łuszczewska
has since crystallized Hedwiga's image for generations of Polish readers. edit
• Neptune Fountain (Fontanna Neptuna). Situated in the center of the Long Market, the Neptune statue dates to
1549, while the fountain originates from 1633. Hidden away and miraculously surviving World War II intact, the
fountain has since become a popular meeting point in the centre of the Main Town. edit
• Żuraw Crane, ul. Szeroka 67/68, ☎+48 58 301 69 38 (edukacja@nmm.pl), [5]. Tu-Su 10:00-16:00. Built between
1442 to 1444, the Żuraw is one of the best intact cranes from medieval Europe. Along with handling cargo arriving
on the Motława River, the Żuraw also acted as a city gate and a defensive fortification. Today, the Żuraw is a
prominent tourist attraction belonging to the National Maritime Museum. 5zł. edit
• Long Bridge (Długie Pobrzeże). This long embankment along the Motława River is lined with picturesque brick
buildings, apartments, and moored vessels. The embankment is a popular location both day and night for
visitors. edit
• Golden Gate (Brama Złota). Built between 1612 to 1614 to replace an earlier 13th century city gate as the
brainchild of Abraham van den Blocke, a Flemish architect who lived in Gdańsk in the early 17th century, the gate
was constructed in a Dutch Mannerist style. The gate was destroyed in the last stages of World War II by Soviet
shelling, yet was completely rebuilt in the 1950s. Today, the Golden Gate is a popular attraction at one end of
the Long Lane. edit
• Green Gate (Brama Zielona), ul. Długi Targ 24, ☎+48 58 307 59 12 (zielona.brama@mng.gda.pl), [6]. Tu-F 09:00-
16:00, Sa-Su 10:00-17:00. Situated between the Long Market and the Motława River, the Green Gate was built
between 1564 to 1568 as the residence of the Polish monarchy in Gdańsk. Inspired after Antwerp City Hall, the
building was designed by Reiner van Amsterdam and represents the enormous Dutch and Flemish influence on
the city in the 16th and 17th centuries. Today, the Green Gate serves as one of the branches of the National
Museum in Gdańsk. PLN10. edit
• Golden House (Złota Kamienica). Another one of Abraham van den Blocke's creations, the Golden House was
built between 1609 to 1618 for the city's merchant elite. Long considered one of the city's most beautiful homes,
the Golden House includes statues of two Polish kings, as well as four statues of Cleopatra, Oedipus, Achilles and
Antigone waving at people below from the roof. edit
• St. Mary's Street (ul. Mariacka). A narrow cobblestone medieval street in the heart of the Main Town, this street
is entirely surrounded by old apartments, many of which are still residences or converted into pleasant
restaurants and hotels. edit
• St. Mary's Gate (Brama Mariacka). Situated at the beginning of St. Mary's Street looking out at the Long Bridge
embankment and the Motława River, St. Mary's Gate is a late Gothic brick structure dating to the 15th century.
Destroyed in 1945 during heavy fighting between German and Soviet forces, the gate was meticulously rebuilt in
the 1950s. Today, the gate stands as one of the buildings for the Gdańsk Museum of Archaeology. edit
• SS Sołdek, ul. Ołowianka 9-13, ☎+48 58 301-8611 ext. 327, [7]. The first ship built in Poland after World War 2,
theSołdek was launched in 1948, becoming operational in the following year. In her over thirty years of service,
the Sołdekhauled 3.5 million tons of cargo across Europe's seas before becoming a museum ship in 1985. Today,
the Sołdek is part of the National Maritime Museum, moored along the quayside of the Motława River in the city
centre. edit
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• Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre (Gdański Teatr Szekspirowski), ul. Wojciecha Bogusławskiego 1, ☎+48 58 304 00
20(gts@teatrszekspirowski.pl, fax: +48 58 322 08 45), [8]. Built over the site of a 17th century theatre, the
Shakespeare Theatre opened to the public in 2014. Commemorating the historical legacy of Shakespeare in
Gdańsk, whose plays were regularly performed in the city during the early 1600s, the theatre also includes a fully
retractable roof. Performances are regularly scheduled in the theatre, in both Polish and English. edit
• Uphagen House, ul. Długa 12, ☎+48 58 301 23 71 (dom.uphagena@mhmg.pl). Mo closed, Tu 10:00-13:00, We
10:00-16:00, Th 10:00-18:00, F-Sa 10:00-16:00, Su 11:00-16:00. The Uphagen House was purchased by prominent
city merchant Johann Uphagen in 1775. The house was passed among successive generations until it became a
museum in 1911. Before the Red Army entered the city, German historians wisely removed its furnishings and
interior for safekeeping before the home was destroyed in fighting in 1945. Lovingly restored in the 1990s with
its original interior, the Uphagen House is an excellent venue for visitors to see upper class life in Gdańsk in the
18th and 19th centuries. The Uphagen House is a department of the Historical Museum of the City of Gdańsk.
Old Town (Stare Miasto)[edit]
• Old Town Hall (Ratusz Starego Miasta), ul. Korzenna 33/35, ☎+48 58 301 1051 (sekretariat@nck.org.pl, fax: +48
58 301 1957), [9]. M-Su 10:00-18:00. Constructed between 1587 to 1595 in Dutch Mannerist architecture, the
Old Town Hall served as the home for the city's municipal government in the early modern era. Among those
who worked in the building was astronomer, brewer, city councillor and mayor Johannes Hevelius. Miraculously
surviving World War 2 virtually intact, the Old Town Hall is today the home of the Baltic Sea Culture Centre. edit
• Great Mill (Wielki Młyn), Wielkie Młyny 16. Built by the Teutonic Knights in 1350, this pre-industrial mill harnessed
canal-directed water power to process countless tons of grain and flour for centuries, used continuously until the
end of World War II, when the mill was destroyed. Rebuilt in the 1960s, the mill has since become a small
shopping center. In 2014, a new fountain was installed in front of the mill. edit
• Polish Post Office Museum (Muzeum Poczty Polskiej), ul. Obrońców Poczty Polskiej 1/2, ☎+48 58 301 76
11(muzeum.poczty@mhmg.pl), [10]. Sa & M closed, Tu 10:00-13:00, We 10:00-16:00, Th 10:00-18:00, F 10:00-
16:00, Su 11:00-16:00. Although an unceremonious building today, this Polish Post Office has been collectively
seared into Polish historical memory due to the events of September 1939. Meant originally to serve the Polish
postal service within the predominantly German-majority Free City of Danzig, the post office acted as the Polish
government’s presence in the semi-independent city state. The building came under attack from German units
during the Nazi invasion. Against overwhelming odds, its postal workers fought off its attackers for several hours
before capitulating, with its survivors summarily executed by the Germans afterwards. Today, the Polish Post
Office is an extension of the Gdańsk City History Museum, as well as a national memorial to its courageous and
indefatigable defenders. edit
• Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970 (Pomnik Poległych Stoczniowców 1970), Plac
Solidarności. Built during a brief political thaw in 1980, this towering memorial commemorates striking shipyard
workers killed by police and army units during coastal strikes in 1970. The memorial was the first of its kind in
the communist world to visibly commemorate victims of the regime. edit
• Westerplatte, ul. Mjr. H. Sucharskiego, ☎+48 58 343 6972 (westerplatte@mhmg.pl), [21]. Etched into world
history, Westerplatte is the location of the opening exchange of salvos of World War 2 when. in the early morning
hours of 1 September 1939, the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein engaged the Polish coastal battery and
military transit depot on the narrow Westerplatte Peninsula, a crucial chokepoint at the mouth of the Dead
Vistula leading into Gdańsk's harbour. The Polish defences withstood the Nazi sea and land assault for six days
before surrendering on 7 September. Today, Westerplatte is a national memorial and museum site dedicated to
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its stoic defenders, and is one of the few locations in Poland to retain its original German name. The site is
maintained by the Historical Museum of the City of Gdańsk. edit
• Wisłoujście Fortress, ul. Stara Twierdza 1, ☎+48 58 351 2244 (twierdza@mhmg.pl), [22]. Mon-Sun: 09:00-
16:00.Situated on the Westerplatte Peninsula on the Dead Vistula 8km (5 mi) from the city centre, the old
Wisłoujście Fortress dates from medieval times, though the present star-shaped fortification dates largely from
the 17th century as it served to protect Gdańsk from a surprise naval attack. Today, the fortress has been partially
restored, with its tower and circular brick walls intact, and is today administered by the Historical Museum of the
City of Gdańsk. edit
• Museum of the Second World War (Muzeum II Wojny Światowej), ul. Długa 81-83, ☎ +48 58 323
7520 (sekretariat@muzeum1939.pl, fax: +48 58 323 7530), [28].Scheduled to open in 2015, this museum will
document the historical account of the Second World War, particularly from the Polish perspective, as the global
conflict's first shots were on the outskirts of the city in September 1939. Presently, construction is underway on
its sizeable future home by the port, yet in the meantime the museum offers exhibitions in other locations. edit
• Historical Museum of the City of Gdańsk (Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Gdańska), ul. Długa 46/47, ☎+48 58 767
9100 (kancelaria@mhmg.pl), [29]. Spread across several locations throughout the city, the Historical Museum
chronicles the over 1,000 years of Gdańsk's history. The museum's main facility and offices are located within the
Main Town Hall in the Long Market. edit
• souvenirs. edit
Eat
Mid-range[edit]
St. Mary's Street (ul Mariacka) is a popular dining and lodging location in the Main Town.
• La Cantina, ul. Dębinki 7d/1 (up from Neptune Fountain), ☎ +48 58 342 42
90 (biuro@trattorialacantina.pl), [41].10:00-22:00 daily. Located away from the city center near the medical
university, La Cantina offers visitors Italian cusine. edit
• Goldwasser, ul. Długie Pobrzeże 22 (on the waterfront just behind Długi Targ), ☎ +48 58 301 88
78(kamienica@goldwasser.pl, fax: +48 58 301 12 44), [42]. Hearty Polish and Kashubian meals served
with goldwasser. The restaurant also offers hotel rooms for visitors. edit
• El Paso, Stary Rynek Oliwski 7, ☎+48 58 552 06 41 (restauracja@el-paso.com.pl), [43]. A fusion restaurant serving
Mexican and Spanish-themed cuisine. edit
• Pierogarnia U Dzika, ul. Piwna 59/60 (on Piwina), ☎+48 58 305 26 76 (pierogarnia@onet.pl), [44]. One of the
bestpierogarnia (Polish dumpling kitchens) in the city, this location is a large restaurant with outside seating on
the street behind the Long Lane. Dzik is Polish for "boar", signaling to visitors that boar skins and stuffed animals
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abound in the restaurant. Try the specialty pierogarnia dzika (wild boar with dumplings ) at around 22 zł, other
fillings also available. Beer 9 zł. edit
• Soda Cafe, ul. Chmielna 103/104 (across the river after Długi Targ), ☎ +48 58 305 12
56 (sodacafe@wp.pl), [45]. Tasteful orange interiors and very tasty food. Try the "Walking on the Moon" goose
breast for 21 zł. The lower level night club is open from 19:00 "until the last guest leaves". Expect plenty of dance
music from the early 1990s, but the punters are up for a good bit of jigging and it's definitely a good laugh with
the drink prices not expensive at all. edit
• Swojski Smak, ul. Heweliusza 25/27, ☎+48 58 320 19 12 (restauracja@swojskismak.pl), [46]. Good value Polish,
Kashubian, and Italian cusine, in a nicely decorated venue. edit
Drink
Gdańsk is often associated with goldwasser, a root and herbal liqueur that has been produced since the 16th
century. and is considered today as the city's official alcoholic drink (although a variety of German and Polish
companies produce it now). Based from vodka, goldwasser is creamy and consists of small flakes of 22 or 23 karat
gold floating in its bottles. One of the most popular brands is the German-produced Danziger Goldwasser. Cheaper
yet well-made alternatives include Gdańska Złotówka or Złota Woda.
Gdańsk's other popular drink before the Second World War was Stobbes Machandel, consisting of juniper vodka.
After the expulsion of ethnic Germans, it was rejected and somewhat forgotten due to association with the
Wehrmacht's presence in the city, yet today has been staging something of a comeback. There is a special ritual to
be followed while drinking a shot of machandel by taking a dried plum as a snack.
A panorama of Gdansk.
Bars[edit]
• Brovarnia Gdańska, Szafarnia 9 (on the other side of the river next to the old city), ☎+48 58 320 19
70 (informacja@brovarnia.pl), [52]. An atmospheric brewpub located within a restored 18th century granary
next to the Gdańsk Marina. Beer: 10 zł. edit
• Buffet, Doki 1 (entrance through the Historic Gate at pl. Trzech Krzyży), [53]. 12:00-23:00 daily. A lively club and
bar on the premises of Gdańsk's famous shipyards, with nteresting interiors harkening back to the communist
era. Parties. edit
• Yellow Submarine, ul. Długi Targ 39/40 (near the Neptune Fountain), ☎+48 58 301 22 33 (menager@yellowsubmarine.pl),
[54]. Beer 8 zł for .5l and żurek soup 9 zł. The Yellow Submarine includes a pulsating nightclub
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downstairs in the evening, yet during the day, the venue is a great place to catch the sun with a refreshing
Tyskie. edit
• Cafe Kamienica, ul. Mariacka 37/39, (info@cafekamienica.com), [55]. Mon-Thr, Sun: 11:00-23:00, Fri-Sat: 11:00-
01:00. Reviewed by Lonely Planet, the Kamienica offers coffee and cakes on the atmosphereic St. Mary's
Street. edit
• Bar Sphinx, Długi Targ 31/32, ☎+48 58 346 37 11. A popular bar on the Long Market. Beer: 9 zł. edit
• Cafe Absinthe, ul. Św. Ducha 2 (in the theatre building, on the square), ☎ +48 58 320 37
84 (cafeabsinthe@gmail.com), [56]. A small bohemian bar, open nearly 24 hours, frequented by artists, actors,
and eccentric locals among others, often getting crowded with people dancing on tables or on the bar. Truly a
sight to behold on busy nights. edit
• Loft, ul. Młyńska 15 (near Jacks Tower), [57]. A nice late bar, gallery and club with no entry charges, free food
after 23:00 (weekends), good music and good young crowd.Beer: 6 zł, tatanka 8 zł. edit
• Old Gdansk Beer Pub & Caffe, ul. Piwna 56/57 (in the heart of the Main Town), ☎+48 69 422 51 00, [58]. 12:00-
02:00 daily. A relaxed bar and cafe with music and atmosphere. Beer: 9 zł, snacks 5-10 zł. edit
Sleep
The Hotel Królewski at the waterfront.
Mid-range
• Hotel Willa Litarion, ul. Spichrzowa 18, ☎+48 58 320 25 53, [63]. This small modern hotel is in the centre, just
150 m from the Długi Targ market. Comfortable, carefully arranged rooms with bathrooms have: TV, telephone,
free wireless internet. Prices begin at 255 zł per night. edit
• Hotel Parnas, ul. Spichrzowa 27, ☎+48 58 320 12 75, [64]. A quiet, small and elegant hotel run by an older
gentleman. Rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated. In the heart of the city. Prices from 300 zł per night. edit
• Villa nad Potokiem, ul. Potokowa 21E, ☎+48 58 348 03 41, [65]. Small B&B in quiet area of Tricity Landscape Park
protection zone. Comfortable rooms with a bathrooms, internet connection, TV. Friendly atmosphere created by
young couple who run the place. Prices from 140zł per night. edit
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