As we drove through Warsaw city centre, Jeremy was in awe.
“I never knew Poland looked like this.” He said, leaning over me with his face pressed up against the window.
“Yeah,” I said, “it’s not all peasants and farmhouses as some people would have you believe.”
It was the most shocked I’d ever seen him be by a place. We’d travelled from Vilnius to Warsaw and arrived in the early evening. I already missed Vilnius, but I was happy to be back in Poland. When I first came in 2013, it was definitely a place that stole my heart. In addition to all the fascinating (and yeah, gory) history, I was amazed by all the delicious food. Nowadays Krakow is known as a foodie heaven, but back in 2013 that fact wasn’t as well known.
Our time in both Warsaw and Krakow was short – a few days in each. We weren’t initially intending to do any work in Warsaw. Jeremy wanted to sell some MTG cards for some extra cash, and I fully intended to eat all the food. Plus as a travel couple, I felt bad going without him.
But I literally couldn’t help myself. I remembered there were a few sites in Warsaw I’d missed out on last time, and was eager to go. Jeremy even had time to see a few with me. And go on his own DIY street art tour of Warsaw. Turns out travel couples can (and should) spend time apart!
Plus, I reminded myself, Poland is full of dark tourism. So, if you’re curious about what to do in Warsaw, and you’re inclined towards the darker side of tourism… Well, then read on, my friend! We’ve got memorial sites and museums in Warsaw to last you several days!
Why So Many Dark Tourism Sites in Warsaw: A Relatively Brief History Lesson
As I said, Warsaw is crammed full of interesting history. And there are so many cool things to do. Oh, and did I mention delicious food? I did, but I’ll stop now because we’re totally not a food blog.
Read: Our top food picks last year in our 2018 Year End Review
Because Warsaw was nearly destroyed during WWII, many sites that might today be sites of interest no longer exist. However, what there is to see and do in Warsaw is largely framed around their horrific struggles throughout WWII. And as dark tourists, we wanted to make sure we saw as much of it as we could.
So what actually happened during WWII?
If you’ve heard about the Holocaust (and if you haven’t, please go read a book immediately), then you know that Jews became Hitler’s main target. What you might not know is that even when Hitler was only starting to come to power, he made it clear that Poland was on his radar. Poland and the Polish people, Hitler declared, were inferior in every way.
Nazi Germany seized Poland on 1 September 1939, followed almost immediately by the invasion of the Soviet Union on 17 September. The two powers annexed Poland, and occupied their division until summer of 1941 when the Axis powers attacked the Soviet Union. From 1941 to the end of WWII, Poland was solely under German rule.
The Polish loss of life during WWII is incomparable. An estimated 5.4 to 5.6 million Polish citizens died under German occupation. Three million of those were Polish Jews who died because of the Holocaust and Hitler’s Final Solution. Approximately two million ethnic poles died from starvation, internment, or were massacred during riots and other mass executions perpetrated by the Nazis.
Hitler’s plan for Poland (and other Eastern European countries) was outlined in Generalplan Ost. Under Generalplan Ost, Hitler intended to wipe out the local populations through genocide and ethnic cleansing.
Those who were not murdered, were intended to be used as slave labour for the Germans.
But what about after WWII?
In 1945, after the end of WWII, and the fall of the Axis powers, the Soviet Union retook control of Poland (as they did the Baltics, and other former Soviet countries). The Soviets ruled Poland with their infamous iron fist.
Although they were a proud people, the Polish death toll during WWII had left many unwilling or unable to fight further. Despite their numerous uprisings against the Nazis, Poles were forced to welcome their new occupiers.
Unfortunately, under Soviet Rule, Poland suffered a further loss of life of an estimated 150,000 people.
In the 1970s, Poland faced a severe economic crisis, and protests broke out across the country. However, they would not be freed from Soviet rule until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989.
Dark tourism Memorial Sites & Museums in Warsaw
Today, Poland is thriving. As Jeremy observed, Warsaw, the capital, is a booming metropolis. And we loved every second we spent in the city. If you’re on the fence about Warsaw (or Poland in general), I would recommend you just take the plunge. Even if dark tourism isn’t your thing, Warsaw is teeming with culture, class, and so much to see and do.
And besides, dark tourist or not, these are all incredibly important sites with invaluable history. Go visit them, and pass on their message.
If you are into dark tourism (and I have to assume you’re at least a little bit curious if you’re reading our blog), we found tons to do see and do in Warsaw for dark tourists like us (and you!). And we’ve put it all together for you in hopes that you get just as much out of Warsaw as we did.
Jeremy helped out, since this one is incredibly long, and is comments are in blue!
Palace of Culture and Science
“They say you get the best views of Warsaw from Pekin because it is the only place in the city where you can’t see it.” We are wandering around Warsaw with friends, and they are pointing out some of the main sites. We are currently stopped just outside of the Palace of Culture and Science.
“Pekin?” I ask.
“The building, it is called PKiN, so most Poles call it Pekin, the Polish word for Beijing. They hate the building.
This is not surprising, considering that PKiN is an everyday reminder of the Soviet rule. It is the tallest building in Warsaw, and as our friend suggests, visible from nearly anywhere in the city. It was considered a ‘gift’ from Stalin to the Polish people; a gift he forced them to build and pay for. PKiN was built in three years from 1952 to 1955, by both thousands of Russian and Polish labourers. During construction 16 of the workers died.
Nevertheless, ill will towards PKiN grew further when the Russians brought in to work were put up in special accommodations complete with swimming pool, cinema and a food court – all on Poland’s dime.
Under Soviet rule, the building housed dignitaries and internationally renowned artists, including the Rolling Stones and Leonard Cohen. The Rolling Stones played at PKiN during their 1967 European Tour, and it was the first rock concert held behind the Iron Curtain.
Today, the building remains in use as office space and exhibition centre. There are several museums in Warsaw, including The Dollhouse Museum (which we didn’t visit, but it sounds amazing), a cinema and even a university.
I’ll admit, it is kind of ugly. Especially during the day. At night, when it is lit up, it does hold some appeal.
TOMB OF THE UNNAMED SOLDIER
Located in the State Park in the centre of Warsaw, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial monument lies at the edge of a large, open square. At night, a single illuminated strip runs along the length of the square, right down the middle. If you follow it, you’ll be presented with an eternal flame, guarded constantly by two Polish soldiers. They stand in the only surviving part of the Saxon Palace, a large, ornate Baroque building destroyed by the Germans in WWII.
The monument commemorates all the unknown soldiers who have given their lives for Poland. The remains of only one unknown soldier are buried here; a young man who fell during the battle of Lemberg in 1919.
The guarding of the monument seems to be a lonely duty. It reminded me of the Buckingham Palace guards of London. Stoic, emotionless faces stare back at those wishing to take pictures. The guard changes every hour, on the hour, every day, all year. I was glad it was there, but equally glad I didn’t have to stay for that long!
Warsaw Ghetto Trail & other WWII Memorial sites
The Ghetto Trail is interwoven into Warsaw’s history.
During WWII, the Nazis built the largest Jewish ghetto in Europe in Warsaw. At one point, the Warsaw Ghetto housed over 350,000 Jews, both from Warsaw, and from outside of the city. The ghetto was only 3.4 km2 (1.3 mi2), and an average of 9.2 people live in each room.
Due to severe overcrowding, sanitation conditions were appalling and food shortages common. Many starved to death.
Throughout the summer of 1942, Warsaw underwent a Grossaktion. This was a mass deportation that moved more than 250,000 of Warsaw’s Jewish population from the ghetto to Treblinka Concentration Camp. Because of this Warsaw Ghetto’s numbers had decreased significantly to between 55,000 to 75,000. Nevertheless, an uprising was brewing. On 19 April 1943 the ghetto’s remaining occupants refused to surrender to Jürgen Stroop, the German SS commander and Police leader of Poland. Stroop commanded the entire ghetto be burned to the ground, block by block. By 16 May 1943, Warsaw Ghetto had been razed and a further 13,000 Polish Jews were dead. Those who did not die from smoke inhalation, were burned alive.
They knew they were doomed, but many were determined to die on their own terms.
Despite the losses, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the single largest Jewish resistance during WWII.
Just over a year later, the Warsaw Uprising broke out.
So what does the Warsaw Ghetto trail Include?
Today, the Warsaw Ghetto Trail consists of several monuments commemorating Jews who died during WWII. It also includes remnants of the ghetto wall.
I have also included two monuments that commemorate the deaths of Poles during WWII.
I’ll be totally honest here, I haven’t actually seen everything on this list. Partially because we didn’t have time. But also because it was bloody cold, and as much as I love dark tourism, everyone deserves a break. However, I’ve mapped it all out below for those of you wanting to see them all!
I would include the following on a tour of the Warsaw Ghetto Trail (if one were doing in properly)
Umschlagplatz Monument – Umschlagplatz was the loading site where the Germans transported over 300,000 Jews to death camps across the country.
Miła 18 – Ulica Miła 18 was the headquarters to the Jewish resistance group, ZOB (Jewish Combat Organisation). Their leader was Mordechaj Anielewicz. When the bunker was discovered by the Nazis following the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, nearly 300 were hiding inside. They threw tear gas inside, and many surrendered. However, most leaders of the resistance group (including Anielewicz) committed suicide rather than be captured by the Nazis. Today, there is a commemorative stone on top of a mound made from the rubble of houses along Ulica Miła. It is known as Anielewicz’s Mound. In 2006, a further commemorative obelisk was added to the site.
Monument to the Ghetto Heroes – Located right next to the POLIN, this monument was built to honour those who died during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising on 1943.
The Chłodna Street Footbridge of Memory – During WWII (and prior) Chłodna Street was one of Warsaw’s busiest streets. Because of this, the Nazis cut Chłodna Street off from the ghetto. However, in doing so they divided the Warsaw Ghetto into a large and small ghetto. The large ghetto was north of Chłodna Street, while the small ghetto was to the south. In order to connect the two ghettos, a footbridge was built over Chłodna Street. For many, crossing it was the only time they saw beyond the ghetto walls.
Fragment of the Warsaw Ghetto Wall – There is only one remaining fragment of the wall left in Warsaw (though some were brought to Washington, DC and Jerusalem and can be seen at their respective Holocaust Memorial Museums). The remaining wall in Warsaw is located at 53 Sienna Street, although must be accessed via 62 Złota Street.
Warsaw Ghetto Wall Plaques – Although only one small fragment of the wall still exists, a series of 22 plaques marking the original location of the Warsaw Ghetto wall have been installed between Plac Defilad and Nowe Miasto (Warsaw New Town). These plaques were designed and created by Eleonora Bergman and Tomasz Lec.
Two additional WWII Memorial sites to include
Warsaw Uprising Monument – Monument to the Poles and died and were interned following the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Over 15,000 Poles were killed, while a further 15,000 were captured and became prisoners of war.
Monument to the Fallen and Murdered in the East – A monument commemorating those who lost their lives during the Soviet invasion during WWII. It also honours those Poles that died under future Soviet oppressions, and those who died in other Soviet countries such as the Ukraine due to ethnic cleansing by the Soviets. It was erected in 1995, after the fall of the Soviet Union, and after the final Soviet military personnel were evacuated.
This monument is often referred to as simply the Katyn Memorial, and even has a small replica at the Katyn Museum.
In addition to all of the monuments listed above, there are numerous other monuments dedicated to loss of life during Soviet incursions. You can easily spend a day hunting down Varsovian monuments.
Uprising Museum
The 1944 Warsaw Uprising was one of the most important resistance movements against the Nazis during WWII. The Uprising began on 1 August 1944 and continued until 2 October 1944.
It was the largest resistance movement against the Nazis during WWII.
But the toll was devastating. Although the exact numbers are not known, the loses on both sides were great. For the Polish resistance there were: 15,000-16,000 deaths, 5,000 injured and 15,000 taken prisoner. While the Nazis suffered between 8,000 – 17,000 deaths and missing soldiers and 9,000 wounded. However, in addition to those in the resistance that were killed in battle, a further 150,000 – 200,000 Polish civilians were rounded up and massacred and 700,000 were deported from the city. Over 25% of the city had been demolished during the uprising.
Following the capture of the remaining resistance soldiers, the Nazis leveled a further 35% of Warsaw city, block by block. Just as they had done following the Ghetto Uprising. This meant that since the 1939 Nazi invasion through to January 1954 to over 85% of the city had been demolished by the Germans.
Understandably, the Poles wanted to commemorate this amazing feat, and to ensure we remember what they went through. When I first visited Warsaw in 2013, the Uprising Museum was top of my list. And it didn’t disappoint.
Throughout the museum are photos of those who fought and died, and those massacred. There is footage showing the astounding amount of damage to the city, showing before, during and after the war, as well as modern day Warsaw.
Although a large focus is of course the Warsaw Uprising, the museum also delves further and discusses resistance during Poland’s communist era, as well.
History buffs and dark tourists beware, this one could take up most of your day.
Museum entry is 25 PLN, or free on Sundays.
Powązki Cemetery
It is a joke between us that we often manage to find ourselves staying nearby to something dark tourism adjacent. Warsaw was no exception. Our accommodation was literally around the corner from Powązki Cemetery.
So naturally, we had to check it out. And we’re glad we did. Some of the gravestones within are truly fantastic. I am firmly of the belief that cemeteries are often works of art, and Powązki Cemetery definitely supported that. Plus it was free!
While there are several cemeteries within Poland (including a Military cemetery with a very similar name), this is by far Warsaw’s most famous cemetery. It is estimated that over one million people have been buried within the Powązki necropolis since it was built in 1790.
Although there are many famous Polish people buried within Powązki, perhaps most recognisable to non-Poles are the Chopin family. In fact, five of his family members and two of his former piano instructors are buried there.
Jewish Cemetery on Okopowa Street
Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery is conveniently located next to Powązki Cemetery (although it is about a 15 minute walk to get between entrances). It is referred to largely as the Jewish Cemetery, and the one you will be directed to by Google and by Varsovians. This is because it is the only Jewish cemetery in Warsaw still in use today.
Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery, established in 1806, is one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in the world, and houses around 300,000 graves. Although over 250,000 of them are marked, it also includes mass graves for victims of the Warsaw Ghetto (including both Jews and non-Jews killed during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Wola Massacre). Like most Jewish cemeteries in Europe, it was closed during WWII, however the Nazis continued to use it to house the bodies of the aforementioned mass executions, as well as others that took place throughout the city.
One of the quirkiest things about Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery is that almost every single gravestone is buried pointing away from the entrance. This is not seen anywhere else in Europe. Most Europeans once believed that if the dead were to rise, they could more easily leave the cemetery if they were already facing the entrance. However, a Varsovian Jew was accidentally buried the wrong way in 1819. The then-current rabbi decided everyone else would be buried in this manner to avoid embarrassing the man buried backwards.
The Jewish cemetery was certainly busier than Powązki when we visited in November, though by no means overrun. It was very peaceful walking through the rows of graves, although many have been lost to time. Please keep in mind while visiting that men must cover their heads and there is a small entrance fee of 10 PLN. The cemetery is not open on Saturdays.
POLIN: The Museum of the History of the Polish Jews
Okaaaaaay, so I haven’t actually been here. Shut up. I have the worst luck with this place.
When I first visited, the museum had not yet opened (though I believe it opened only weeks later). And when we returned in November 2018, I managed to show up (on the last day we were in Warsaw) when they were closed. Turns out they are closed on Tuesdays, go me for checking!
But I’ve only heard great things about the POLIN, so I’m recommending it to you, too!
POLIN was resurrected on the former site of the Warsaw Ghetto. And while it does focus heavily on WWII, it also covers the general history of Polish Jews. Which, by the way, dates back over 1,000 years.
And they’re responsible for some pretty awesome things, like bagels (biegels), q-tips and the Commodore 64.
The point is, you should visit the POLIN Museum in Warsaw. And then you should tell me how wonderful it is.
The Katyn Museum
In the Spring of 1940, the Soviet secret police executed 22,000 Polish citizens at multiple sites across the Soviet Union. While more than half were soldiers and policemen, the rest were civilians – the Polish intelligentsia.
In an attempt to control the future of Poland by depriving it of a future containing well-educated people, the Russians committed one of the largest lesser-known atrocities of World War 2.
This was the Katyn Massacre, so named after the site of the first discovery of the mass graves resulting from the incident. The Katyn Museum is a memorial to the victims of that time.
Related: The Katyn Museum: Remembering a Forgotten Massacre
Pawiak Prison
On approach, the Pawiak Prison museum looks more like a modern art installation than a detention centre. Reconstructed on the foundations of the former prison, much of it has been compiled from debris that survived its demolition. (By demolition, I mean the Nazis blew it up shortly before they left Poland. Did they not think they would be back…?).
During WWII the original building was used as a Gestapo prison. Hundreds of thousands of people passed through during its operation, many on their way to concentration camps. Today, the remnants of the original gate still stand, but are eclipsed by a large, metallic tree sculpture adorned with epitaph plates. This is the “Monument Tree of Pawiak” – replica of a tree that was standing throughout the Gestapo occupation of the building.
Inside, one half of the museum is dedicated to the history of the prison. Artfully laid out display cabinets showcase former prisoner and guard uniforms and equipment. There are many pieces of artwork and literature, and a full scale model of the former prison.
The other half contains three of the surviving original cells. These give you an idea of the conditions the inmates were forced to endure. Some are equipped with replicas of the original items that would have been found. Others have been turned into memorials with flowers and pictures of former inmates.
When we visited, the museum was hosting at least three different groups of school children. While wandering the former cells, suddenly we were flooded by a sea of bodies streaming through the only door into the area. This, I imagined, was pretty much the opposite of how the Nazis must have seen the future of their internment centre. That idea certainly helped as we waded through dozens of excitable teenagers to get to the exit!
Mausoleum of Struggle and Martyrdom
I’ve saved the best for last because for me, it was probably the highlight of our dark tourism tour through Warsaw. This little gem is located on the site of the former Szucha Gestapo Prison on Szucha Avenue (or, aleja Jana Chrystiana Szucha).
The atmosphere of the mausoleum was on point. After you purchase your tickets at the door (10 zł), you descend a set of stairs and are welcomed by a large screen. The screen is filled with many alternating faces. They are the faces of those who were slaughtered at the Szucha Gestapo Prison.
The faces transform into other images, and a voice starts to recount the horrors that once occurred in the mausoleum. Those interned at Szucha were either transferred from Pawiak Prison, or brand new prisoners. Most people who ended up at Szucha went there to die. They would die either under interrogation, or as a result of the injuries sustained during those interrogations. During the Warsaw Uprising, thousands of Poles were executed, and their bodies burned at Szucha, or neighbouring buildings.
As with Pawiak Prison, the precise death toll of Szucha Gestapo Prison is unknown. However, what is known is that when they opened the sealed mausoleum after the war, they found ashes weighing 5578.5kg. They were moved, along with several tons of ashes found throughout the city, to the Warsaw Insurgents Cemetery.
The “best”, really?
Despite being fairly well versed on the Holocaust, I hadn’t heard anything about Szucha. In fact, the whole two hours we were there, no one else entered. So I suspect it’s fairly off the beaten tourist trail – whereas others on this list are not. Even my Polish friend, who said that throughout school they visit all the sites in the city, admitted this one was less popular even among Varsovians and other Poles.
I suspect this is because the place still feels repugnant. Although the museum is well designed – and 100% worth your time – you can feel evil reverberating through the air. Not unlike Birkenau.
At one end of the long corridor is a silhouette of a man falling as he is beaten, and then standing up again and again and again. Throughout the corridor, you can see and hear the boots pacing back and forth just above your head. Much like those incarcerated here would have. It was eerie, but effective.
As I said, we spent a good two hours here (maybe even a little more). But that’s because we read literally everything available. A few of the walls are lined with computers, which each hold several pages of further information. As dark tourists, we think it’s important to read as thoroughly as possible in places like this. We also, personally, feel it is a show of respect to the lives lost to spend the time where possible educating ourselves further. If this isn’t your bag, or it doesn’t resonate with you as much, you could easily spend significantly less time here.
Have you been to Warsaw? Did you seen any of these wonderful sites? Are there any we missed out on? Let us know in the comments!
