News

The collections of the Central Museum of Prisoners of War have come to receive a donation of POW mementos of Lieutenant Eng. Marian Kamiński, a hero of the defensive fights on the Polish Coast in 1939, a POW of the oflags: II A Prenzlau, II E Neubrandenburg and II D Gross Born.

The valuable collection was personally donated by the officer’s son, whom representatives of our Museum took the opportunity to meet in Warsaw, where they took over the objects. The first contact between the donor and our institution was made at the beginning of 2025, following the former having read the press announcement of our collecting POW mementos. After the time necessary to order the family archive, they found their way to our collection, where they will be inventoried and secured.

The hero of the donated collection, Lieutenant Engineer Marian Kamiński (born in 1892), took part in two global wars, and in the interwar period served in the 2^nd Regiment of Kaniów Sappers stationed in Puławy. During the Defensive War of 1939 he commanded a platoon in the 127^th company of sappers being part of the Battalion of Land Defense of the Coast, which was commanded by Major Rudolf Fryszowski. Lt. Kamiński distinguished himself with courage during the fights on the Coast: constructing fortifications, and – facing a defeat, despite heavy German firing – successfully carrying out the order of blowing up the key bridge leading to Kępa Oksywska. He was wounded in action there.

Among the donated mementos, there are POW postcards sent between September 1939 and December 1944, addressed to his wife evacuated from Warsaw, photographs taken in the camp, a certification of his stay in captivity, identity card of a former POW, a POW identity sign and certification of passing an exam in the camp construction course that he had completed. The collection is complemented with portraits in pencil made by Lt. Kamiński and greeting cards with signatures of his companions in captivity, as well as valuable mementos of the prewar time: the document of his being nominated to the rank to lieutenant and a jubilee publication of the 2^nd Regiment of Kaniów Sappers.

We are very grateful to Andrzej Kamiński for his trust in us and enrichment of our collection with his father’s personal evidence of history.