Poland trip

[pzrmeyer2]

I am planning a trip to Poland next summer, and was hopeful I could get some info from some knowledgeable folks about some sites to visit. While of course I plan on checking some of the more famous (or infamous) locales, I am especially interest in places and sites that remain from their formerly German times, specifically old stretches of autobahn, the former Reichstrasse 1, the location of Bismarck's and Hindenburg's estates, Schlobitten castle, Grafin Donhoff's Friedrichstein estate, or even more obscure places that contain a trace of their former past. Can anyone provide some assistance of sites of note?

my thanks in advance

Erik

[John W. Howard]

Hello Erik:
You probably know about this book, but if you do not, I highly recommend it. I loved it; it gave me a new perspective on East Prussia. I have someone on this site to thank for recommending it to me. It's called THE VANISHED KINGDOM: TRAVELS THROUGH THE HISTORY OF PRUSSIA by James Charles Roy. You will find many places of interest described in the book. It is a mix of history and travelogue and works very well. I hope this helps. Best wishes.

[pzrmeyer2]

Ha! I forgot I actually own that one on my bookshelf! forgot it was there.... I will defintely consult it, thanks for the reminder.

Of course, Id still be interested in any guidance from a first person perspective...Pirx? TPMM? Torquez?

[Njorl]

There's nothing of pre-war German origin in my area I'm afraid.

Driving from Wroclaw/Breslau (PL) to Cottbus/Chociebuz (DE), in the area of Legnica/Liegnitz you'd enter old German Autobahn made of concrete slabs. I drove that way by night with falling sleet and don't know whether it's covered with tarmac or other asphalt, but you'd surely now what you'e drving on. Tur tur tur... it sounded like on the railroad

Visit Wroclaw/Breslau.

Regards,
Michal Jungiewicz

[pzrmeyer2]

There's nothing of pre-war German origin in my area I'm afraid.

Driving from Wroclaw/Breslau (PL) to Cottbus/Chociebuz (DE), in the area of Legnica/Liegnitz you'd enter old German Autobahn made of concrete slabs. I drove that way by night with falling sleet and don't know whether it's covered with tarmac or other asphalt, but you'd surely now what you'e drving on. Tur tur tur... it sounded like on the railroad

Visit Wroclaw/Breslau.

Regards,
Michal Jungiewicz

hey ! thanks very much Michal!!! I was also planning on retracing the old Reichsstrasse 1 from Kustrin/Kostryn to Danzig/Gdansk

[Richard Hargreaves]

Hi Erik,

Patricia Clough has written a travel book riding the old Reichsstrasse 1:

http://www.amazon.de/Aachen-K%C3%B6nigs ... 329&sr=8-1

Although she's English, there's not an English version of the book sadly.

There's plenty of German, or rather re-built German in Wroclaw/Breslau, although not a great deal from the NS era. The Ring/Rynek is stunning and hasn't change hugely since German days.

[pzrmeyer2]

many thanks Richard!!!!

[Rolf Steiner]

There's a commemorative park (presumably set up in communist era judging by the obligatory T34 on a plinth) just outside Gdansk, on the site of one of the very earliest head-to-heads. From what I remember, they've preserved the Polish blockhouse in the same state it was when the smoke cleared in '39, (OK, minus bodies and unspent munitions, but apart from that, pretty much). A bullet pocked cratered concrete wreck in other words. Didn't see much else of WWII-related interest while I was there apart from a fair few 'souvenirs' on sale at the flea market. Altho we're talking '92 here, I don't imagine those old trinkets are quite so easy to pick up now.

[Richard Hargreaves]

Hi Erik,

There's a bit more on Wroclaw/Breslau here:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 2&t=142876

If I go back, I'd like to go back with a city/battlefield guide because otherwise it's a very long-winded process trying to find the echoes of war.

[Jan-Hendrik]

Can anyone provide some assistance of sites of note?

Well, if you want to visit really all you mentioned I hope you take at least 3 or 4 weeks time for your trip

Only the polish part of Ostpreussen has enough interesting sites for 2 months to visit



Jan-Hendrik

[pzrmeyer2]

Can anyone provide some assistance of sites of note?

Well, if you want to visit really all you mentioned I hope you take at least 3 or 4 weeks time for your trip

Only the polish part of Ostpreussen has enough interesting sites for 2 months to visit



Jan-Hendrik

thanks J-H!

Ill be there around 2 weeks. what about the southern part do you find more interesting? I plan on getting a visa to visit the northern part...but are you saying there is nothing really left?

i really want to go to Heidemaulen, the small farming village where my mom was evacuated to from Berlin. its on the coast just south of Konigsberg.

[Jan-Hendrik]

I think you got me totally wrong, Eric

To the russian zone: have never ever been there so no comment from myself.

My Irony should have pointout that there is enough to see for many month' of travelling, especially for somebody from the States, thirsty to see real culture apart from Disneyland



Jan-Hendrik

[Pirx]

Hi.
I live in south west Poland (well, Oxford now ), and i 'm not expert about nothern Poland. If i was You and i would looking for WWII memorabilies than for wildlife i would choose Silesia. But if You want to cross border (oh, i forgot, there is no more border between Germany and Poland) in Kustrin, then you will find out that not much from former festung left. Better choose Franfurt/Oder - Slubice. Going east about 40 km near Swiebodzin turn north to Miedzyrzec - road nr 3 -, and find Międzyrzecki Region Umocniony http://www.petla-boryszynska.com/erkundungen.html
This is so called "ostwall" - this name is not correct, but who cares.
Much more intresting things You can find in south. Highway A18 Cottbus - Wroclaw is in 90% rebuild, so there is not too bad. But as each highway this one is boring. Just after 50 km from border You can find road to Zagan - Sagan (10 km from Highway) where You can find famous Stalag Luft III - GREAT ESCAPE. http://www.muzeum.eline2.serwery.pl/ind ... 22&lng=eng
And some tanks on streets:
http://www.panoramio.com/user/273627/tags/czo%C5%82g

Then If You want you can choose road from Zagan to Luban (Lauban) - not the gratest condition, but in Lauban was last succesfull German counterstrike http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_ysB3NE6Ex0
From there is just few kilometers to Tschoch castle - today Czocha. This is former Abwehra codebreaking centre - later under SS control.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... 0px-Czocha . Next - Furstenberg castle - last outside Berlin Headquater for Hitler and Himmler (it wasnt ready before wars end, but Todt still under construction in March 1945!) Then I would choose Klodko - former Glatz, and nearby Zloty Stok (Reichstain) and Srebrna Gora (Silberberg) with huge complex of forts, citadels , and underground factories. From this area i would go further to Wroclaw - very good road with some nice places to see.

[JägerMarty]

Hi Erik,

Patricia Clough has written a travel book riding the old Reichsstrasse 1:

http://www.amazon.de/Aachen-K%C3%B6nigs ... 329&sr=8-1

Although she's English, there's not an English version of the book sadly.

There's plenty of German, or rather re-built German in Wroclaw/Breslau, although not a great deal from the NS era. The Ring/Rynek is stunning and hasn't change hugely since German days.

Damm, wish that was available in English