A pilgrimage to Poland - answers and even more questions

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Visiting Poland for the first time, self-driving, we enter via a 'back door'. But there is a good reason for this. Stay with me. There will be tears, but importantly, some answers - and perhaps hope for the future.

On this visit we discover great new foods, the best shopping of the trip, and a city that should be on everyone's travel wish-list.

'Here's the ideal comfort food', I thought on Day One when this plate arrived on our restaurant table in a small hotel just over the border from Czechia.

Our first Polish meal at the Fryderyk Hotel, Nysa, where we were staying, turned out to be the perfect meal for me. I really needed some TLC that evening because I was certain that the next day would be a tough one. But more of that later.

We had no idea what to expect in Poland. The maps showed a large country, and somehow I expected flat fields, endless plains. Yet, as we approached the border on winding secondary roads, the countryside seemed to be channelling France, with rolling hills, and valleys dotted with villages.

Nysa, where we stayed overnight, is just a small lakeside place, population 44,000, and one of the oldest in the area, dating from the 10th century. It was formerly part of Upper Silesia, but that was before the borders were redrawn yet again after World War II.

Next day, the town was quiet in the early morning sunshine, and we explored it briefly. The cathedral (above) was decorated for a wedding and....

...streetside we admired these strawberries (incidentally learning the Polish name for them too).

However, we have come here not to sightsee (or go shopping) but to explore an important part of my family history, so we need to move on.

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Stalag VIIIB/344 - Lambinowice

Our destination is Stalag VIIIB/344 (Lamsdorf) at a place now called Lambinowice, about thirty minutes drive north-east of Nysa. That's not too far in a car on a sunny morning, but it would have seemed much further for my father and his fellow soldiers in 1943, brought by train, possibly, then marched in to begin indefinite imprisonment here.

I have come to put a face to the place where my dad unwillingly spent around two years of his life. This is where Allied Prisoners of War (POWs) who had been captured - Crete, in my father's case - were held for the remainder of the war. And, at the time he entered, who knew how long that would be!

Before our trip I discovered this museum online, and found it the best place to gain an overview. 

The museum has collected a vast range of photographs, memorabilia, models (as above) and art (see below) to recreate some of the atmosphere of this time. 

It is confronting but essential for those who did not live through this time. It makes it possible for visitors to gain an insight and understand something of what life in this camp had been like.

The collection is spread out over several rooms, and we pass silently between them, deeply moved, trying to make sense of it all. Visitors should allow several hours to fully absorb the carefully arranged exhibits.

The basic accommodation has been recreated (see above) but many soldiers were not so well provided for. We were told that Russian prisoners were given no materials at all and had to scrounge for something with which to build cover for themselves.

Allied troops had the 'protection' of the Geneva Convention, which at least meant they could receive Red Cross packages containing food, and write and receive letters.

The museum is a couple of kilometres from the site of the Stalag. It is easy enough to find, and this large annotated map shows the location of the various areas, although very little remains today.

Only a few abandoned buildings such as this (a guard post, maybe?) near the entrance, are standing.

My father was in the Australian 2/7th Field Ambulance and so he was allocated work in the camp's medical centre, the Revier. While this may have saved his life (many other prisoners were drafted into work parties, labouring in all weathers on nearby farms) he would still have found it depressing and heartbreaking. Like many returned servicemen, he never discussed this.

Here is the main entrance to the camp, nicknamed Chestnut Alley by the soldiers. This is where they were marched in - and finally marched out.

This is my favourite picture: that dark mark at the far end looks to me like a soldier (my father?) finally released and unsteadily making his way out. I checked the shot. It's really only a shadow, but it still gives me a shiver.

This part of Europe has felt the tramp of armies many times over the centuries - in two wars in the 20th century alone. Near to the camp we pass this huge cemetery of Russian and Serbian soldiers from World War I.

By this time, we have just one more place to see. This is the railway siding, called Annahof in 1945 when my father, finally liberated, climbed into a railway truck to begin his long journey home to Australia.

(My father, about to leave home to join the army in 1940)

My father writes in his pocket diary on Monday March 6th, 1945 the day he was released: 'The march to Annahof was not very eventful with only a few civilians to watch from their gardens. The heavy snow of yesterday had given way to slush and mud. The open spaces still had a thin white counterpane. At Annahof we were hustled into our respective cattle trucks after each receiving one loaf of bread and a small piece of margarine from an open wagon. Trucks were dirty and it took some time to settle ourselves'. 

What would have been his thoughts, I wonder, if before climbing in, he glanced down these tracks and finally saw his path to freedom?

For those who also had a family member in this camp, contact the museum online or become a member of the Stalag VIIIB/344 Facebook group.

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Krakow - The Jewish Quarter

Many years ago I travelled in Israel, and formed a lifelong respect for Jewish people. Realising I had booked a hotel in Kazimierz, the Jewish Sector of Krakow (pronounced Krak-uf), I was pleased. 

The food was a plus as well...

... and places like this ensured we would not go thirsty while staying here! The range of vodkas and eau-de-vies in this corner wine shop was mind-blowing.

Next time - because I truly hope to return someday - I vow to spend more time in Krakow and relax and enjoy its wealth of eating places.

Just look at these restaurants and cafes, all within just a few blocks of our hotel.

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In many older European cities, walking is the only way to see a place properly - and with such good (and often carb-heavy) food on offer, we needed the exercise too. Near to Hotel Kazimierz III where we were staying, we discovered this map (above) and began to realise how rich Krakow is in its Jewish heritage.

'Righteous among the nations' - this fearless Polish man, Jan Karski, risked his life to try to stop the holocaust of Polish Jews.

His memorial stands near the Remuh Synagogue entrance.

This synagogue with its cemetery (one of the oldest in Poland) and plaques of remembrance is a quiet place for reflection.

Here is just part of a large wall of tributes to relatives who were taken and murdered in those terrible years. One states that one family lost 88 members in the holocaust.

No words...

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However, some words survived and were shared worldwide in the film Schindler's List.

Oskar Schindler was the owner of an enamelled goods factory during WWII and helped many Jewish people to escape and avoid capture.

The story of his bravery was only made public much later when, in 1993, Steven Spielberg's movie Schindler's List shared it with the world. The movie was shot almost entirely in Krakow and received seven Academy Awards.

Schindler's factory re-opened as a museum in 2010, and is a must-see for visitors. Allow plenty of time to see all the exhibits and photographs, and to absorb the great risks this man took. Ideally, book tickets online ahead of time as numbers are limited and queues are long.

The factory adjoins the Ghetto in which, from 1941, many Jewish people were forced to live. Tall walls prevented them from seeing the outside world, the rest of Krakow, where non-Jews went about their daily lives. As a further painful reminder, the top of the wall was crafted to resemble Jewish gravestones.

It was in this place that many were brought, suitcases ready for what they hoped would be relocation to a better place. Of course their suitcases remained, stripped of their valuables, and the people were taken, loaded onto railway carriages, never to return.

These 68 chairs have been lovingly crafted, covered with crochet, in the memory of these people. They remain empty as a poignant symbol of all those who would never again sit in this square.

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Eating in Kazimierz

Just around the corner from our hotel we find Pod Katarynka.

Finding somewhere to eat (and by that I mean eat well) in a new country is often difficult. We have made some real mistakes, but much of the time I seem to get a sixth sense about a restaurant. As we looked into this narrow room, we nodded in agreement.

There is no disappointment here. The meal, simple yet full of flavour, showcased wonderful combinations such as this barley, beetroot and goat cheese dish (above).

The other dish, a sort of pancake lasagne with a succulent goose and mushroom filling, was comfort food at its very best, especially when paired with crisp white wines and a gentle sountrack of instrumental music. I remember hearing played Loveliest night of the year... and thought YES!

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Next morning, at Ranny Ptaszek, over a breakfast dish that closely resembles shakshuka, we meet up with Magda Wojcik a food-loving local who is involved with local food festivals. Here is Magda's recent guide to Krakow....

She enthusiastically told us about the cooking workshops she organises and Restaurant Week when prices are reduced across the city. She told us that Reinvented Polish cuisine is also becoming popular and to watch out for places like Art Restaurant, near the Wawel Castle.

Extra good news: flat white coffees have arrived in Krakow too, as demonstrated at Ranny Ptaszdek!

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See the name on the serviette? Between Lambinowice and Krakow, we stopped for lunch at a roadside service station with a snack bar. Through a glass window near the counter I could see a woman making huge pancakes and smothering them with berries and cream. I had to order one. It was delicious and made for a very contented and sleepy afternoon.

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Exploring the old city of Krakow

Some people (over-tourists, I call them) complain that one 'old city' is like any other, and I can see their point.

There are the mandatory horse-drawn carriages (a bit too non-PC for my liking), cobbled streets, fountains, a Main Square, a cathedral or two - and so it goes. 

If you judge Krakow by that list, then yes, it is like so many others, especially throughout Europe.

However, Krakow has some additional selling points. For starters, it was not too badly damaged by WWII (read this to see why...). This means that what looks old, really is old here, some places dating back a millennium or more.

This is not in any way a criticism of those cities that were almost razed in the war, and which have courageously and painstakingly recreated their cities.

The Rynek (square) 200 metres square, is also one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, ideal for almost any event...

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Magda, our new foodie friend, was emphatic during our cafe breakfast that we should (I think she might have used the word MUST) visit the city market, Stary Kleparz, Krakow's oldest continuously operating marketplace.

So we caught a tram, using a ticket with a 20-minute expiry that allows transfers between routes. Bad luck if you have a slow connection - but we made it with about a minute to spare. There is no subway in Krakow but we could have also used this on a bus or train. 

Markets are the ideal place to see local produce and products - like these smoked goat and cow's milk cheeses, made upcountry in homes, and even available with honey to serve with them.

Asparagus was in season and as it was June, so were all the other early summer stone fruits.

However, one of the best experiences is within the large building at the top of the square. Here we are looking out at the cathedral and the square from the Cloth Hall, basically a 14th-century shopping mall.

I promised you the best shopping, and it is here you will find it. While there is a sprinkling of standard 'souvenirs', many of the offerings are of high quality: amber from Poland's far-northern beaches, wood carvings, woven goods, candles, enamelled goods, puppets, dolls, scarves and other accessories, and much more. It would be impossible to list the range. 

To give you an idea - here is my handmade souvenir, bought at the Cloth Hall, and now added to my collection of chefs.

Look closely and you will see Gordon making a cameo appearance, above, in this photo. He is as fascinated as I am by the flock of pigeons, another common sight in old city squares. He was probably waiting for them to scatter and improve his shot, but the Hejnal (pronounced hey-now) the hourly bugle call had the same effect.

St Mary's Basilica has to be one of the most beautiful cathedrals I have seen. Consecrated in the early 14th century, and while maybe not as over-decorated as many, the breathtaking ceiling of stars and the suspended crucifix evokes deep reverence. Photography is not permitted, but we were given permission by cathedral staff to take a few shots, even though we were sure this was one place we would never forget. 

Outside, in the square, the horses were still at work...

..but we were hungry and opted for a true Polish snack - sausage, bread and mustard - while watching the passing parade from our vantage point under a shady cafe umbrella on the edge of the square.

Every city has its buskers and many try to excel with better costumes and effects. We particularly liked this reflective fellow.

No visit to a major European city is complete without at least dropping-in to its Castle. After all, these ancient and massive buildings have been the lynchpin of control and power for centuries. Until 1596, Krakow was the capital of Poland, before the status was handed on to Warsaw.

Krakow's 1000-year-old cliff top castle area is referred to as Wawel Castle. It can be reached on foot through a shady riverside park, or by taxi or bus.

You need time to explore the castle itself, the cathedral, crypts and Crown Treasury or climb the 137 winding steps of the 15th-century Sandomierska Tower for an overall view of the city and river. Allow the best part of a day to take it all in, then, by way of light relief - meet the resident dragon. 

This beastie is the symbol of this city. Krakow is named for Krak, the humble cobbler who, on the king's orders, tricked Smok, the maiden-eating dragon, into consuming something that made him explode. In reward, Krak married the king's daughter, later became king and, as they say (quite literally in this case) the rest is history.

This looming statue may not look like a dragon right now - but every few minutes smoke and light spews from its open mouth. It is called 'the dragon's fire' and costs three zloty (around one Australian dollar) to see it. Or watch the VIDEO on this page.

To get in the full mood for it, descend the stairs at the castle wall and make your way through the dim and creepy grottoes, before exiting at river level.

All of this is great for children, and so it's no surprise there are stalls selling the dragon's soft and cuddly equivalent (below) - minus the flames of course.

Perhaps this, better than many other things, represents the charm of this city, built on lore and legend, a survivor of terrible times, and yet still able to  smile and enjoy daily life, confidently facing the future.

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This is the only Polish word I learned in Krakow - Dziękuję Ci - thank you, but it says it all, I think.

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For more details about Krakow...

Words and photos: ©Sally Hammond

Video© Gordon Hammond