News

After a short break, the Museum is back with its ‘Łambinowice Museum Meetings’ series. This year’s first speaker was Dr. Piotr Stanek, head of the CMJW’s Research Department. The topic of the meeting, which took place on 19 March, was connected with our historical calendar – as only two days before, we had commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Stalag 344 Lamsdorf.

The event began with a short welcoming speech given to the guests by Dr. Renata Kobylarz-Buła, Deputy Director of the Museum, followed by a lecture, filled with interesting information, delivered by Dr. Piotr Stanek, who, additionally, prepared a presentation rich in photographs and maps. This made it easier for the audience to understand the complexity of the subject, which undoubtedly were the military operations around Lamsdorf in the late winter of 1944. This issue was particularly underpinned in the presentation, which was a good idea as there are several ambiguities about the ‘liberation of Lamsdorf’. Above all, Dr. Stanek stressed that the strategic aim of the Red Army was not the stalag itself, but to prevent the Wehrmacht units from further fighting.

Other questions brought up at the meeting concerned the events of January 1945, i.e. the start of the evacuation of the Lamsdorf prisoners-of-war, the course of the so-called ‘death marches’, recollections of the British, and the predicament of the prisoners remaining in the camp found themselves as well as their fate just after the liberation. A valuable complement to the lecture was film footage of the Russians’ entering Stalag 344 Lamsdorf - made mainly for propaganda purposes, what Dr. Stanek emphasised, sharing his doubts over some of the shots (they might have been arranged to show the extent of the crime).

The meeting was enriched by a quiz in which the audience could demonstrate their just acquired knowledge. They did excellently in these not easy questions, and were rewarded with small gifts. Traditionally, more questions were asked and interesting conversations resounded after the meeting while light refreshments were served.

We would like to thank you for your high attendance and active participation at the meeting!