# Poznan, Poland - A Mini Roadtrip - April 2012 (Pic Heavy)



## rectory-rat (May 9, 2012)

A few weeks ago I spent a little time in Poznan, Poland. My reason for being there wasn’t really urbex’y, so I didn’t really get that much time to look around. I did devote one day though, and despite failing to get any internals of much due to my being there in the middle of the day, and there being loads of people around, I have a few shots and write ups to share 

My splore day was an interesting one. A total lack of organisation (and good dose of stupidity!) on my part led to me trekking about 30 miles through forest in totally unsuitable clothes to find these places. My map reading skills fail, so I soon left roads behind, and a few hours later found myself, totally knackered, in the middle of the Biedrusko military zone. Thankfully, the first soldier I came across didn’t shoot me, but pointed me in the direction of a bus stop and muttered a bus number to me in Polish. I did eventually get home that night! 

So, some mini splore reports for you:

MORASKO CHURCH/NORDHEIM MANOR:

Morasko region covers a large but little urbanised area to the North of the city of Poznan. Much of it is covered by the Morasko Meteorite Nature Reserve, a large forested area covered with depressions thought to be ancient meteorite craters. 

A mansion was built in Morasko in 1783–1786, in late Baroque style. Between 1857 and 1887 (with the region now under Prussian rule) the mansion was extended and a park was laid out around it. At the beginning of the 20th century Morasko was given the German name Nordheim, a name which the manor retains to this day. The west part of the mansion is now in disrepair, while the east part is used as a convent by the Missionary Sisters of Christ the King.













In 1945 Morasko became the Catholic parish seat. The former Protestant church became the parish church, the Church of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist (it was larger and in a better state of repair than the Catholic church). The former Catholic church became disused and remains so to this day.
















This building seems to be a church as well, but I can find nothing about it











OWINSKA:

Owinska is a small village again within the district of Poznan. The first derelict building you come across is the Palace, situated within the ‘English Park’. It is the work of the celebrated Berlin architect Friedrich Schinkel, and is built in classical style. It looks to have been derelict for some time.
































Futher into Owinska, hidden within the trees, is a site with a rather darker history. I have taken the history in italics below from www.deathcamps.org. 
_
Owinska’s Mental Home was the oldest hospital for mental ill people in the Wielkopolska region. 
The German army occupied Owinska in mid-September 1939. The mental home was taken over by the Gau-Selbstverwaltung of Poznan. A Nazi commissioner was put in charge of the mental home. The new chief demanded a list of all Owinska patients and forbid discharging anyone from the hospital. The staff was told that Owinska mental home should be closed and all patients transferred to other hospitals. 
The SS Sonderkommando Lange was ordered to Owinska for exterminating all patients. 

In the second half of October 1939, the first patients were picked up by military trucks, under surveillance of SS men. 1-3 trucks left Owinska Mental Home every day. The staff of the hospital didn't know where they went and why. 
At first all men were deported, followed by the women, finally 78 children were sent to death on 11 November 1939. Until 30 November 1939 the Owinska Mental Home was empty, apart from a few persons for economic affairs.

A lot of the patients were killed in a primitive gas chamber at Fort VII in Poznan. Later mobile gas chambers (gas vans) drove the people to Murowana Goslina. During the drive all victims were killed by exhaust fumes. 

Each incoming truck at Fort VII held around 25 persons. After their arrival they were brought into a gas chamber which was installed in a bunker in the court of Fort VII. The closed door was sealed with clay. The prisoners had to stay in the gaschamber when the SS installed gas cylinders with (probably) carbon monoxide besides the entrance. When all victims were dead, a special group of regular prisoners were forced to open the door and to remove the killed persons. The corpses were loaded onto trucks and driven away. 

The names of the victims are still unknown because all documents have been destroyed obviously. The Fort VII commanders were: SS-Sturmbannführer Herbert Lange (10-16 October 1939), SS-Hauptsturmführer Hans Weibrecht (16 October 1939 until June or July 1940), SS-Hauptsturmführer Kühndel (summer 1940 until 1941) and SS-Obersturmführer Hans Walter (1943 until 1944). Between 1941 and 1943, the camp was led by these men (commanders or deputies): Langes, Mollendorf, Wagner and Werner. 

During the war Owinska Mental Home was converted into barracks for SS men. In course of the German army's retreat the building was burned down partially in the summer of 1944. The hospital never has been reactivated. 
For many prisoners Fort VII was a temporary prison. Later they were brought to other concentration camps, mainly to Auschwitz, Dachau, Ravensbrück and Groß-Rosen. The last remaining prisoners were sent to the Zabikowo camp. 

Most probably the Nazis killed around 10,000–15,000 persons at Fort VII by torture, executions and gassing. Only 479 victims can be proved. Today Fort VII is a memorial of martyrdom
_
































INDUSTRIAL UNIT:

I came across this place in central Poznan as I was walking to what became my local shop. I know nothing about it, and it isn’t overly interesting, although provided a couple of nice photo opportunities.
































Thanks for looking in guys! 

-RR


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## flyboys90 (May 9, 2012)

Crikey you did some milage there,great tour thanks for sharing and I had a chuckle at your encounter with the soldier!


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## UrbanX (May 10, 2012)

Wow, I'm surprised at the quality of their abandonned architecture, I thought it would be a lot more brutalist! 
Fantastic photos and write up! Keep them coming!


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## rectory-rat (May 10, 2012)

flyboys90 said:


> Crikey you did some milage there,great tour thanks for sharing and I had a chuckle at your encounter with the soldier!



Thanks  Yeh that was pretty funny now I look back at it, scared shitless at the time though! It was a really good trip 



UrbanX said:


> Wow, I'm surprised at the quality of their abandonned architecture, I thought it would be a lot more brutalist!
> Fantastic photos and write up! Keep them coming!



Thank you  There are some really great sites out there, seemingly often in pretty good condition. I'm kicking myself now for not trying harder to make access. Back out there for a couple of days after Berlin in Auguct though!! 

-RR


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## a_little_feisty (May 10, 2012)

I am here in Poznan at the moment . . . have been here all week and come here a lot with my job . . . never get the chance to explore though, which I'm even more gutted about now having seen these pics!


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## Stussy (May 10, 2012)

Excellent photos, some great buildings there, shame you couldn't get into the mansions, hopefully there would still be some great features in them!!


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## rectory-rat (May 10, 2012)

a_little_feisty said:


> I am here in Poznan at the moment . . . have been here all week and come here a lot with my job . . . never get the chance to explore though, which I'm even more gutted about now having seen these pics!



It's a pretty good area for exploring, I could have easily made a week of it if I'd been able to. If you do get a chance to splore it any time, check out the old station, it'll be closing in a matter of months (as you probably know) as they move into the new one, and might make a good explore. 

Oh, and also, if you happen to be staying in the area with the Mercure, Sheraton and a load of other hotels, there's a grand old mansion on that main road just five minutes walk to the North on the left...should you get a chance 



Stussy said:


> Excellent photos, some great buildings there, shame you couldn't get into the mansions, hopefully there would still be some great features in them!!



Thank you very much  I know, I think there probably would be, I'll be making more of an effort next time 

-RR


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## Sshhhh... (May 10, 2012)

Fantastic buildings! Sad story about the residents of the Owinska mental hospital tho


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## Ninja Kitten (May 10, 2012)

that lot are just brilliant!! what an amazing time you must of had..really cant wait to hit some of europe!


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## rectory-rat (May 11, 2012)

Sshhhh... said:


> Fantastic buildings! Sad story about the residents of the Owinska mental hospital tho



Thank you  I know, what also struck me was that there were so many places like this. Everyone knows of Auschwitz, very few know that much the same went on on a smaller scale across the country 



Ninja Kitten said:


> that lot are just brilliant!! what an amazing time you must of had..really cant wait to hit some of europe!



Thanks very much!  I really did have a great time, so pleased I decided to go now. It was all rather spur of the moment - I was sat in a first year A level exam and decided I needed to escape to somewhere, booked the tickets that night and ended up there two weeks later!  Europe's great, can't wait to be back 

-RR


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