Exhibition ‘Memory buried beneath the surface. Archaeology of Westerplatte’

The exhibition covers the period from the mid-17th century, when a sandbank known as the Western Bank formed at the mouth of the Vistula River, to mid-1941, when the Westerplatte branch of the German Stutthof concentration camp for civilian prisoners was closed.

The location of the exhibition is not coincidental – it is the historic former Power Plant building of the Polish Military Transit Depot, renovated and arranged for exhibition purposes. The exhibition features the archaeological discoveries related to the site, the everyday life of the depot, the difficult and responsible service of Polish soldiers in the face of growing hatred of the Germans towards Polish presence in the area of the Free City of Gdańsk, and the camp for Polish civilian prisoners set up by the Germans after the seven-day battle (1–7 September 1939). The curators aim to make visitors aware that Westerplatte is not only a peninsula heroically defended by a small unit of Polish soldiers, but also the site of German crimes against Polish civilians. The exhibition also intends to highlight the symbolic significance of Westerplatte as the place where the Second World War began.

Start your visit at Westerplatte with the Visitor Centre [Centrum Obsługi Zwiedzających ‘Pole Bitwy Westerplatte’]. At the information desk, you will obtain information related to the history of Westerplatte. Assistance in planning the route, finding a guide and information will help discover the monuments in the area. The building overlooking the sea provides visitors with a rest stop. It is adapted for people with disabilities.