Grave Locations - Poland
Total Australian commemorations in Poland: 45 + 2 Australians in other allied units
RED - this indicates those cemeteries that have been completed.
BLUE - this indicates those cemeteries that have been offered for completion
BLACK - this indicates those cemeteries that have yet to be completed.
Status Current as of the 22nd May 2007
| Cemetery/Memorial | No. | Type | Volunteer | Status |
| Krackow Rakowicki Cemetery | 22 | WWII | Jill & Geoff Smith | Complete |
| Malbork Commonwealth War Cemetery | 3 | WWII | Michael Pegum | Complete |
| Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery | 20 | WWI & II | Jill & Geoff Smith | Complete |
| Australians serving in other allied units | ||||
| Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery | 2 | WWII | Jill & Geoff Smith | Complete |
Cemetery/Memorial Details
KRAKOW RAKOWICKI CEMETERY, Poland
Location:
Krakow is a large city in the south of Poland about 257 kilometres south-west of Warsaw on the main road 4. Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery, a large Military Cemetery which contains Polish, Russian and German graves as well as Commonwealth graves, is located east of the city. Follow the road 4 into the city and continue to the T junction at the end of the road 4. At this junction turn left along the road 7 (Al J Slowackiego) and follow this road round the town, then round a left hand bend and under the railway bridge where the road name changes to Al 29 Listopada. Take the first turning on the right after the bridge, called Prandoty, and the cemetery will be found along here on the left. The Commonwealth War Graves Plot is located through the entrance and to the left of the cemetery in the north-eastern corner of the burial ground.
Visiting Information:
11.5.01 - The renovation work begun in 2000 is still in progress and, therefore, visitors may find that the site is not up to our usual standard. We apologise to visitors for any inconvenience.
Historical Information:
At the end of the Second World War, the graves service of the British Army of the Rhine gathered together Commonwealth graves from all over Poland into three cemeteries, this being the largest. Those buried here died while prisoners of war during the German occupation, most of the graves coming from the cemetery at the large camp at Lamsdorf, Stalag VIIIB (after 1943 known as Stalag 344), where there was a hospital of 450 beds used only for Commonwealth prisoners. Before this hospital came into being the sick at Lamsdorf were treated at the hospital at Langenbielau: those who died were buried in Langenbielau Catholic Cemetery, and these graves were also moved to the Commonwealth plot at Krakow. Other graves brought into the cemetery were those of airmen who lost their lives during the Warsaw supply drop and the bombing of factories, railways and other strategic objectives. Some of these airmen were originally buried in Warsaw. There are now 483 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War buried or commemorated in Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery. There are also 24 non war graves, those of civilian internees (including two Imperial War Graves Commission gardeners) and 15 Polish war graves.
MALBORK COMMONWEALTH WAR CEMETERY, Poland
Location:
Malbork (formerly Marienburg) is a town on the River Nogat located in the north of Poland to the south-east of the city of Gdansk (Danzig), on the main road 50, and the cemetery is located to the west of the town. Follow the main road 50 through the town to the junction with the 514 to Gradziadz. Turn left here into Plac Slowianski. The cemetery is along here on the left, on the outskirts of the town.
Visiting Information:
11.5.01 - The renovation work begun in 2000 is still in progress and, therefore, visitors may find that the site is not up to our usual standard. We apologise to visitors for any inconvenience.
Historical Information:
The Second World War burials at Malbork are mostly of men who died while prisoners of war in the nearby camps. Stalag XXB was a camp of some size at Malbork itself, Stalag lA was situated at Stablack, between Malbork and Gdansk, Stalag 2A at Starogard, a few kilometres south of Stablack, and Stalag XXA, at Torun (Thorn), about 120 kilometres south of Malbork. When hostilities had ceased, the graves service of the British Army of the Rhine moved the graves from the local burial grounds to this war cemetery, together with other Commonwealth graves in outlying places in the area where their permanent maintenance could not be assured. The largest number came from Torun, and the next largest from burial grounds in Malbork itself and Gdansk. MALBORK COMMONWEALTH WAR CEMETERY contains 232 Second World War burials. There are also 13 First World War burials which were moved from Gdansk (Danzig) Garrison Cemetery in 1960. The cemetery also contains the MALBORK MEMORIAL, commemorating 39 First World War casualties buried in Heilsberg Prisoners of War Cemetery (changed in 1953 to Lidsbark War Cemetery) where their graves could no longer be maintained.
POZNAN OLD GARRISON CEMETERY, Poland
Location:
The city of Poznan is located in the west of Poland, on the main E30/2 road. The cemetery is situated to the north of the town in the district of Winogrady. Follow the E30/2 into the city and over the river. At the crossroads turn right onto the road number 196 (Gdynska) and follow this road to the next crossroads. At this junction turn right onto the road number 5 (Glowna). Follow this road to the roundabout and turn right into S.Wyszynskiego. Follow this road over two rivers to the next crossroads. At this junction turn right into Garbary and follow this road under the railway bridge, take the first left hand turning after the bridge called Al Armii Poznan. The cemetery will be found along this road on the right. (N.B. Al Armii Poznan is a one way street). The Commonwealth Plot is Section H, at the South-East end of the cemetery.
Visiting Information:
11.5.01 - The renovation work begun in 2000 is still in progress and, therefore, visitors may find that the site is not up to our usual standard. We apologise to visitors for any inconvenience.
Historical Information:
After the First World War, the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died in Poland as prisoners of war were gathered together in this cemetery. There are now 174 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. One of the burials is unidentified. Special memorials commemorate one casualty known to have been buried in Czersk Prisoners of War Cemetery, 29 known to have been buried at Szczypiorno Prisoners of War Cemetery and 18 known to have been buried at Pila (formerly Schneidemuhl) Prisoners of War Cemetery, all of whose graves could not be identified. The majority of the 283 Second World War burials in the cemetery are those of airmen, many of whom died in bombing operations on Stettin (now Szeczin). Also buried here are those involved in the mass escape from Stalag Luft 3, Sagan, in March 1944, and others who died while prisoners of war during the German occupation, at Stalag 8C, Kunaukr Sprottau, Stalag 21D at Poznan, Offlag 21B and Stalag 21B, both at Schubin. There are also 19 war graves of other nationalities in the cemetery, most of them Polish. The cemetery also contains the POZNAN MEMORIAL commemorating five RNAS armoured car ratings who died near Brezazany in July 1917 and whose graves were never located.
(Information: Commonwealth War Graves Commission)
Please contact the Archive Director for details and photographic requirements
australianwargraves@bigpond.com