Fort VII – Museum of the Martyrdom of the People of Greater Poland

Above the gate of Fort VII on Polska Street in Poznań hangs the sign "Konzentrationslager Posen". This is not a military attraction but a place of remembrance: in 1939–1944 the Germans ran a camp here that they themselves called the "camp of bloody revenge" (Lager der Blutrache). Around 4,500 people died here, and at least 17,000 prisoners passed through its cells – mainly members of the region's elites and the resistance.

History: from Prussian fort to camp

The fort was built in 1876–1880 as one of 18 forts in the outer ring of the Poznań Fortress, originally named Colomb. During the Greater Poland Uprising against German rule, on the night of 5–6 January 1919, insurgents took it without firing a shot before attacking Ławica airfield, and between the wars it served as a depot for the 3rd Aviation Regiment.

The camp opened on 10 October 1939. Its prisoners were people from German proscription lists: veterans of the Greater Poland and Silesian uprisings, officials, professors, teachers, priests, scouts, artists and, later, members of underground organisations. Shortly after opening, the Germans set up an experimental gas chamber in one of the former artillery stores, where at least several hundred psychiatric patients were murdered – the chamber probably operated until January 1940. From March 1943 prisoners were moved to the camp at Żabikowo; the last left the fort on 27 April 1944, and the moat was roofed over to house Telefunken factory halls.

What you will see

The visit leads through the fort's courtyard, corridors and former cells, which hold an exhibition about the prisoners, camp conditions and the terror. Especially harrowing are the Stairs of Death – high, steep stone steps down which SS men pushed prisoners – and the cell of the former gas chamber. In 1963 it became the Mausoleum of the Martyrdom of the People of Greater Poland, with plaques listing the names of the murdered. Above the gate stands a wooden cross erected by survivors on All Souls' Day 1946. The museum officially opened on 16 April 1980, and in 2017–2023 it was renovated at a cost of over PLN 33 million. Since 2025 it has been a branch of the Martyrdom Museum in Żabikowo.

Practical information

• Opening hours (March–October): Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–17:00, Sunday 10:00–16:00; November–February: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–16:00; closed on Mondays. On 1 November the museum is open 9:00–19:00.
• Tickets: standard PLN 10, reduced PLN 5, free on Tuesdays. Guided tours cost PLN 70 in Polish and PLN 90 in English – book a slot in advance.
• For a self-guided visit, use the audio guide in the Movi Guide app.
• The museum does not recommend visits by children under 13; children and teenagers may only enter accompanied by adults.

Getting there

The entrance is from Polska Street (in the direction of Bukowska Street), with an information board before the turn-off. The nearest stops are "Polska" (request stop, about 600 m on foot) and "Bułgarska/Polska" (about 800 m); the fort is one stop from the Ogrody tram and bus terminus. There are bike racks at the museum. Bus numbers change, so check your route on the day.

Tripto tip

Set aside at least 1.5–2 hours and do not treat the fort as a quick photo stop. A guided tour or the audio guide adds the most, because the story of many cells is hard to grasp without commentary.