Following Her Father's Footsteps Part 5

Today, TORUŃ DAILY PHOTO concludes its journey following the footsteps of Prvt. Leonard Green...

Glenn Standish in front of the POW graffiti

The graffiti drawn by POWs in the wash room

The Two Bath Stewards

Exploring the dark wash room

Reading some of the messages

A poem written by a British POW

An image of what appears to be a ship sinking. Was this a reference to a real WWII tragedy?

Following Her Father's Footsteps Part 5: The Washroom and Messages from the Past

We continued to follow Piotr down the long dark passage. Eventually, we reached a room with silence on the entrance wall. Flashing our torches around the room we soon came face to face with images from the past. It appears that our British POWs in Stalag XX-A were very artistic and talented! we continued onto a couple of other rooms where we read hand-written messages from the past. Incredibly fascinating!

Following Her Father's Footsteps Part 3

Toruń Daily Photo continues to follow the footsteps of Prvt.Leonard Green...

Rosalind Ridout, Piotr Olecki and Leon Wosik

Piotr takes us around the fort

Glenn holds the base of an original bottle from the 1940s

Another bottle...this time more intact!

Rusty tin cans left exactly where they were...over 70 years ago!

Leon and Piotr shows us some newspaper cuttings about Stalag XX-A

Leon Wosik with his photograph album

A decidedly creepy shot looking out of the fort

Part 3: Leon and Stories Galore!

En route to Fort XI, we made a short detour to pick up Leon Wosik. Leon is now in his early 80s and as a child often played with the POWs around the grounds of Fort XI. Having Leon with us...was like having a walking, talking, breathing part of history! He had a collection of photos and newspaper cuttings of Stalag XX-A. He also had many stories of what it was like to interact with both the POWs and the Nazi soldiers. Rosalind showed him the photos of her father Leonard, a tall strapping figure who looked very British...but believe it or not was also 100% Jewish! He managed to keep this big secret away from the Nazis and hence survived.

Walking around the exterior of the fort, we also came across intact bottles and rusty food cans...all dating back from WWII! It's amazing what you can still find at Fort XI.

Following Her Father's Footsteps Part 2

TORUŃ DAILY PHOTO continues its series of retracing the footsteps of Prvt. Leonard Green - a POW at Stalag XX-A...

The security guard forbids us entry...

...so we try to gain access from the rear

...past the old brick walls...

...and through thick foliage...

...but we were eventually stopped by the moat.

Part 2: Bureaucracy and a little disheartened

Following our time at the military ramp we headed off to Fort XVII which was the HQ of Stalag XX-A. It was here that the POWs were first registered before being sent off to the separate forts. In the late 1960s Leonard Green returned here and was photographed leaning against the wall overlooking the main railway station. His daughter Rosalind understandably wanted to recreate her father's photo. Unfortunately, we ran into a problem. The fort is now owned by a local cheese company, meaning it is private property and the security guard wasn't having any of it! Despite a 5 minute long negotiation with Piotr...we simply were not allowed to enter. Instead we were told to contact the manager and apply to visit in a week's time (not good as Rosalind was only here for one day!).

Being as determined as ever, Piotr tried to gain access by going around the rear of the fort...but we were met with a wide moat...and simply had to give up!

Following the Footsteps of Toruń's POWs: Fort XV

Images courtesy of Robert Cooper

Fort XV:

Toruń's Fort XV has had many uses. It was once a camp for Russian prisoners between 1919 and 1924 and was then home to the French POWs during WWII. After the war it was also used briefly as a camp for German prisoners. Now it is under private ownership and looking rather sorry for itself. It was originally built between 1881-1885 as an artillery fort but was then refitted as an infantry stronghold.

Many thanks to Robert Cooper for the images.

Following the Footsteps of Toruń's POWS: Inside Fort XIV (Stalag XX-A's Hospital)

All images courtesy of Robert Cooper

Inside Fort XIV (Stalag XX-A's Hospital):

Seriously ill prisoners were taken inside Fort XIV which acted as the hospital of Stalag XX-A. These images, taken a few weeks ago by Robert Cooper, show that there is still some evidence visible from WWII. Robert's father-in-law was a British POW at Stalag XX-A.

TORUŃ DAILY PHOTO thanks the Coopers for their kind permission in using their images.

Following the Footsteps of Toruń's POWs: Stalag XX-A Hospital

The main part of Fort XIV which was used as a hospital

Through the fence: a look at the former POW hospital

This small bunker lies at the entrance of Fort XIV

Original railings from Nazi times

Picturesque scenery at Fort XIV

Stalag XX-A Hospital:

Situated in beautiful grounds with its own private lake (well filled-in moat), you can find Fort XIV. Built between 1889 and 1893 as an infantry fort for the Prussian War, it was used by the Nazis as the POW hospital for Stalag XX-A.

Following the Footsteps of Toruń's POWs: Messages from the Past

This message is clear and direct!

A poignant reminder of war and death

The prisoners clearly had faith in their Prime Minister

This sums up life in Stalag XX-A!

The patriotic Scots...complete with kilt!

Each message tells a story...and leaves many unanswered

questions. Who was Bernard Smith? What happened to the German

he knocked out? And did he actually get out on May 15th?

Video footage of the WWII messages

Messages from the Past:

In other rooms of Fort XI there are literally hundreds of messages written by POWs from Stalag XX-A. Most of them are in English and some even include references to notable figures like Winston Churchill and King George VI. Each message tells a story...a personal story from WWII.

Following the Footsteps of Toruń's POWs: Inside Fort XI (Stalag XX-A)

View looking into the fort from the main entrance. A large hole

in the ground (out of shot) blocked our direct route

View from one of the many rooms

Due to the hole in the ground we had no choice but

to go through a hole in the wall...

...which had clearly been made with some sledgehammer!

The poorly lit tunnels and corridors

Modern graffiti on the walls of one of the cells. Here the prisoners

would have slept in bunk beds stacked 3 beds high.

Our guide Piotr leads us deeper into the fort

Light at the end of the long, dark tunnel

Inside Fort XI (Stalag XX-A):

With nothing but a torch and the periodic flash from my camera we walked through the endless maze of tunnels inside Fort XI. Dark, cold and very eerie, you really get a sense of what it must have been like for the prisoners held inside. You have to be very careful where you walk. There is a lot of rubble and blocks of stone scattered on the floor - remnants of what looters have already chipped away. Empty beer cans and bottles lie around. The fort is currently in a very sorry state...this is no tourist attraction. Yet, the main incentive for our little adventure was lying just around the corner. We were about to come face to face literally with history...