Work Goes on at Westerplatte. Power Plant Exhibition to Open Soon

Work on the Westerplatte exhibition is progressing rapidly at the Power Station exhibition. Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk is curating a one-of-a-kind exhibition, set to open in late April 2025. Preparations are in full swing at the historic Power Plant building on Westerplatte, where the interior is being transformed to tell the stories of heroes, soldiers' daily lives, and the dramatic history of the entire peninsula. Visitors will soon be able to immerse themselves in the history of this iconic site, a symbol of Polish resistance during World War II. 

It all started with research...
Since 2016, a team of archaeologists from the Museum of the Second World War has been conducting thorough and systematic excavations at Westerplatte. The research has brought to light significant details about the Military Transit Depot, which operated from 1926 to 1939. The team has identified and documented the remains of key depot buildings, including Guardhouse No. 5, the Officers' Villa, and the Old Barracks. By locating and analysing the craters left by bombing and artillery shells during the seven-day defence, archaeologists have gained new insights into the battle's course and the extent of the damage to depot structures. Additionally, archaeologists have discovered several previously unknown locations from which defenders fired at advancing German forces.

The excavations unearthed over 80,000 artefacts, dating from the mid-17th to the mid-20th century, offering a vivid portrayal of the peninsula's turbulent history. Many of these items are linked to the service of Polish soldiers at Westerplatte and the battles fought to defend the depot. Today, these artefacts stand as authentic witnesses to history and serve as unique mementoes of the Polish soldiers who fought and perished at Westerplatte in the early days of September 1939.

However, the most poignant discovery came in 2019, when the remains of nine Westerplatte defenders were found in forgotten graves, followed by the discovery of four civilians in 2024. The exhibition will honour these victims and heroes and pay tribute to them.

The creators' vision: symbolism and daily life
The exhibition will go beyond mere facts and dates. Its narrative will focus on archaeological findings tied to the history of the Military Transit Depot and the camp for Polish civilian prisoners that the Germans established after the fighting at Westerplatte ceased. The curators aim to highlight that Westerplatte was not only the site of a heroic defence by a small detachment of Polish soldiers, but also a location where German forces committed atrocities against Polish civilian prisoners of war.

The exhibition will also highlight Westerplatte’s symbolic role as the site where World War II broke out. It will trace the history of Westerplatte from the 17th century to the early 1940s, focusing on the daily lives of the soldiers at the Military Transit Depot and the challenging, vital service they performed amidst the growing German hostility toward any signs of Polish identity in the Free City of Gdańsk. Visitors will have the opportunity to view a reconstruction of a section of Guardhouse No. 5, which was part of the depot’s defence system built between 1933 and 1936, as well as a depiction of how the room likely looked on 2 September 1939, just before the Luftwaffe bombing raid. 

The exhibition’s core focus will be on the artefacts discovered during archaeological research. The exhibition's creators, including Filip Kuczma, head of the Archaeology Department, emphasized their intent to highlight the significance of authentic objects – “historical testimonies to the era.” Texts, graphics, reliefs, models, sounds, and archival films will provide additional context but will remain secondary to the exhibits themselves.

The exhibition primarily relies on the artefacts uncovered during archaeological research to tell its story. The exhibition's creators aimed to design a layout that highlights the significance of these authentic objects as “historical testimonies to the era.” According to Filip Kuczma, head of the Archaeology Department, texts, graphics, reliefs, models, sounds, and archival films will serve as supplementary elements, providing context to the exhibits themselves.

Curating the exhibition proved to be a challenging task. Out of the tens of thousands of excavated artefacts, the curators had to carefully select a few hundred that best represented the site’s history. "From the many themes we wanted to explore, we had to choose those that would most fully convey the complexity of Westerplatte's past," Kuczma explained.

The exhibition’s design will incorporate steel and glass elements in a way that corresponds with the building's historic interior. Interactive features such as screens, audio posts, and sound effects will offer visitors an immersive experience, allowing them to engage deeply with Westerplatte's history.

Towards the exhibition launch
Set to open in April 2025, the exhibition will encapsulate the story of Westerplatte’s defenders, the fate of the prisoners of the German labour camp, and the broader Polish experience of the 20th century. This significant site in Gdańsk deserves a modern museum that will help visitors understand and rediscover the complex and painful history of the peninsula – not only as a site of remembrance for Polish tragic war experience, but also as a venue for reflection on the courage and pride of the heroic defenders of Westerplatte.