Saturday 24 September 2011

Bunker on Powiśle

Just across the road from Centrum Nauki Kopernik (Copernicus Science Centre) on the corner of Wybrzeże Kościuszkowe and ul. Leszczyńska is this WWII bunker. It was built by the Germans after the Warsaw Uprising to defend the depopulated city against the Red Army, which was massing across the river. According to Wikipedia, there are some 80 German bunkers from this time still in existence in Warsaw, mostly set up to defend the railway lines crossing the city.

This bunker has been recently restored; this and other such restorations suggest that Warsaw does not want to turn its back on its painful history. Unlike France, which still has to come to terms with the Nazi occupation (read this interesting article on the BBC website about the Atlantic Wall) Warsaw's streets, which ran with blood just two generations ago, remain as a testament to what had happened here, lest it should ever be forgotten.

Sadly, a walk around the bunker revealed no historical information, no plaque bearing dates or contextual details. I hope this will be rectified...

Incidentally, the Centrum Nauki Kopernik - which I have yet to visit (I came here with Eddie on the opening weekend but the queues were literally the longest I've seen in my life) proves that Poland can build outstanding museums. And just around the corner from here is Warsaw's first Bentley dealership.

This time last year:
Sunshine brings out the best in everything

This time three years ago:
There must be a better way (3)

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