The Museum of the Prison Pawiak

The Pawiak prison was built in the 1830’s to serve as a Tsarist prison. During WWII it was a prison of the Gestapo, the secret state police of the Nazi’s. It was the largest political prison in Poland and during the occupation of Poland totally 100.000 prisoners were locked up here. Over 37.000 of them were executed on the prison ground, while a further 60,000 were transported to extermination camps. People were kept in prison cells under horrible circumstances. Subterranean cells designed to house three people were often housed with more than 18 prisoners.

The prison was demolished with dynamite during the German retreat. Nowadays the prison is restored as a memorial of its victims. It houses photo displays, prisoners belongings and reconstructed cells.

For current visiting hours, please visit the website of the museum.

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Source

• Text: The Museum of the Prison Pawiak
• Photos: Lennard Bolijn