Borne Sulinowo Museum: The Wehrmacht, the Red Army and Oflag II D

Borne Sulinowo is a town where ordinary streets and old military buildings hide a difficult 20th-century history. To understand it better, it's worth visiting the Borne Sulinowo Museum — the Izba Muzealna, a small local museum. It brings together evidence from different eras: from the region's military past to the story of the Soviet garrison and the German prisoner-of-war camp Oflag II D Gross Born.

This place helps you see Borne Sulinowo not just as a former closed military town, but as a place where the lives of thousands of people intersected.

Izba Muzealna — the town's history in museum exhibits

The museum is in the Culture and Education Building (Budynek Kulturalno-Oświatowy) at Aleja Niepodległości 28. It is run by the local school complex named after the Heroes of Oflag II D.

The exhibitions cover the history of Borne Sulinowo and its surroundings from the First World War to the present day. One of the main exhibitions, “Oflag II D, Gross Born, Borne Sulinowo”, focuses on the fate of the prisoners of war and the region's past.

The materials include historical documents, photographs and keepsakes donated by people whose families were connected to these events. The collection keeps growing thanks to residents and others who preserve family stories.

Objects like these matter for more than their value as exhibits. They help bring back the personal stories behind dry dates and the names of military units.

Oflag II D Gross Born: the prisoner-of-war camp

One of the most important chapters in the history of the Borne Sulinowo area is the German prisoner-of-war camp Oflag II D Gross Born, near today's village of Kłomino.

Before it was set up, the site already held a POW camp: first a transit camp, then one for enlisted men and NCOs. On 1 June 1940, Oflag II D — a camp for officers — was established here.

At first it held French officers. In May 1942 they were moved to another camp and Polish officers arrived in their place. At various times Soviet prisoners of war were also held in this German camp, enduring catastrophic conditions, hunger and high mortality. Their story is separate from that of the Soviet garrison stationed in Borne Sulinowo after the war.

In 1944 Polish soldiers were brought to the camp, among them participants of the Warsaw Uprising. For them the war did not end with the defeat of the uprising: ahead lay captivity, uncertainty and the struggle to survive far from home.

In January 1945 the Germans began evacuating the camp. Most of the prisoners set off west on an exhausting march to the camp at Sandbostel. Some of those who couldn't make the journey stayed behind; in early February they were liberated by Polish Army units.

The story of Oflag II D is not only about military operations. It is also the story of people who tried to keep their dignity and support one another in captivity. The camp had educational, cultural and sports activities, a library and underground publications.

You can read more about the fate of the Polish prisoners of war on the website of the Heroes of Oflag II D High School in Borne Sulinowo (in Polish).

From the museum to the site of the former camp

You can continue exploring the history of Oflag II D beyond the museum, at the site of the former camp near the Kłomino ghost town.

Traces of the past survive there today, and a memorial recalls the people held behind the camp fences. Researchers have also studied the remains of the camp's infrastructure in the forest, as well as a tunnel dug by French officers in an escape attempt.

The site should be approached with respect and care. It's important to remember that it is not an ordinary tourist attraction, but a site associated with war, captivity and loss of life.

If you're planning a trip, check in advance whether the memorial is accessible and how to get there safely. Don't enter ruined structures, and don't touch unknown objects that may remain on former military land.

Planning your visit

The Izba Muzealna is a good way to start getting to know Borne Sulinowo, especially when the weather isn't right for long walks outdoors.

Before you go, keep a few things in mind:

• Check the visiting hours. The institution's opening hours don't always match the exhibition's visiting hours, so it's best to confirm your visit in advance.
• Allow enough time. The documents, photographs and prisoners' stories deserve careful attention, not a quick glance.
• Combine the museum with a walk around town. Afterwards you can see the Officers' House and other buildings of the former garrison.
• Plan the trip to Kłomino separately. Not every place linked to military history has proper visitor access.

Up-to-date information about the museum, its location and contact details is on the Pomorze Zachodnie tourist portal (in Polish).

Borne Sulinowo — a town that remembers

The Borne Sulinowo Museum is worth visiting for anyone who wants to understand the history of Borne Sulinowo more deeply than an ordinary walk through its streets allows.

Behind the military architecture and the story of the closed garrison are the lives of people of many nationalities, and the experience of war, captivity and forced resettlement. The museum helps piece these scattered pages into a more complete picture.

If you're planning to stay a few days to explore the town's history without rushing, consider Slow Life Apartment as a place to rest between outings. See what the apartment offers, and find booking details on Airbnb.

Borne Sulinowo's history unfolds gradually as you explore its buildings, museums, forest roads and former military sites. And each of these stories helps you better understand a town that was once closed to most of the world.