Latest news with #LublinVoivodeshipConservatorofMonuments
Miami Herald
a day ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Tree cutting reveals forgotten WWII bunker in Poland — but a mystery lingers
In a forest of southern Poland, a team of workers chopped down trees and hauled away bushes to clear a path for a new road. Their efforts revealed a forgotten World War II bunker, previously overlooked by archaeologists — but questions linger. Ahead of highway construction, archaeologists surveyed a stretch of land near Tomaszów Lubelski using light detection and ranging scans. They identified several trenches and other buried earthworks but nothing above ground, the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments said in a June 12 Facebook post. With the archaeology survey done, workers began cutting down trees in the forest and soon uncovered a forgotten Soviet bunker from WWII hidden in the overgrown bushes, officials said. Photos show the ruined stone structure, which sat on a hilltop and likely allowed soldiers to observe and attack a nearby road. Originally, the bunker had a square shape, measuring about 18 feet on each side. Based on historical sources, officials identified the structure as a single-room anti-tank bunker, likely armed with an anti-tank gun and occupied by four people. The structure was part of a larger Soviet fortification system, known as the Molotov Line, built in 1939 to 1940 along the border of Nazi-controlled land. The newfound bunker was partially destroyed, likely blown up from the inside either by retreating Soviet soldiers in 1941 or by Polish soldiers after WWII, officials said. The mystery of what exactly happened there lingers. Photos show what remains of the 85-year-old bunker near Tomaszów Lubelski, including its side walls, front face and gun port. Tomaszów Lubelski is a town in southern Poland, near the border with Ukraine and a roughly 185-mile drive southeast from Warsaw. Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments.
Miami Herald
05-06-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Very rare 300-year-old artifacts found under monastery floor in Poland. See them
In a city of eastern Poland, a team got to work renovating a historic monastery. As part of the project, they removed the old wooden flooring — and uncovered some very rare 300-year-old artifacts. A team of archaeologists began renovating the former Basilian monastery in Chełm in 2024, a project that's both research and construction, the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments said in a June 5 Facebook post. Recently, workers removed the flooring on the first level and found hundreds of discarded items underneath used to fill in the ground, officials said. Archaeologists identified some of these fragments as very rare pieces of heraldic slab tiles. The 300-year-old tiles were custom-made for the monastery's stove and had a personalized design, officials said. Photos show two of the glazed green and brown tiles. At the center of the tiles is a coat of arms, identified by archaeologists as the emblem of Józef Lewicki, the Uniate bishop of Chełm from 1711 to 1730. Several initials, such as an 'I,' 'L' and 'CH,' were also linked to Lewicki. The rest of the design includes hanging bell-like figures, ribbons and a tool-like item, photos show. Culture officials described the artifacts as sensational and a discovery like no other. Archaeologists plan to inventory the tile fragments, reconstruct as many as possible and continue studying the finds. The historic monastery in Chełm is currently part of the campus of the Marian Sanctuary on Chełmska Mountain and used for residential purposes, according to the church. Chełm is a roughly 150-mile drive southeast from Warsaw and near the border with Ukraine and Belarus. Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Defeated soldiers buried WWII flag in Poland forest. Duo found it 85 years later
World Defeated soldiers buried WWII flag in Poland forest. Duo found it 85 years later A pair searching the forest near Zielone found the hidden banner, pennant and ribbons of a regiment defeated in WWII, officials said. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments A group of soldiers knelt in a forest of southern Poland in the fall of 1939 and buried several flags. They'd been defeated by invading Nazi German forces but didn't want anything to happen to their important emblems. The plan worked. Their flags stayed hidden for 85 years — until now. Maciej Podgórski and Piotr Szynala headed into a forest near Zielone in early May to search for World War II relics, the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments said in a May 6 news release. The pair expected to find at least something, but what reemerged left them stunned. Officials said the duo dug up a pile of fabric wrapped in a tarp, as seen in a photo. The banner of Poland's 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment found near Zielone. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments Podgórski and Szynala immediately contacted archaeologists, who identified the fabric items as a banner, pennant and ribbons from WWII-era Polish troops. The banner belonged to the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment, officials said. Photos show the front and back of the square flag. Its red and gold design features several wreaths, eagles and shield emblems. The banner was the best-preserved artifact, likely because it was made of high-quality materials, such as gold and silver threads, officials said. The underside of the banner from Poland's 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment found near Zielone. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments Podgórski and Szynala also found a pennant and ribbons belonging to the 21st Mountain Infantry Division, officials said. Photos show the front and back of the fabric items. The main pennant has a blue-black hue with three central emblems, all quite worn. The three ribbons are dark red with some gold text and gold edging. Traditionally, the pennant was given to a regiment within the 21st Mountain Infantry Division with the highest shooting achievement and transferred annually, officials said. The pennant was given to the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment in 1938 and was still in its possession when WWII broke out in 1939. The pennant and ribbons of Poland's 21st Mountain Infantry Division found near Zielone. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments The 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment was stationed in southern Poland and fought against the invading Nazi German forces during the outbreak of WWII. The regiment suffered heavy losses and by mid-September 1939 formally ceased to exist, instead merging with other units, officials said. The regiment's surviving soldiers reported hiding the banner, pennant and ribbons by wrapping them in tarps and burying them in the forest near Zielone 85 years ago. In the 1960s after WWII ended, the veterans unsuccessfully tried to find the flags. The underside of the pennant and ribbons of Poland's 21st Mountain Infantry Division found near Zielone. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments Now, the historic flags have been taken to a nearby museum and transferred to professional conservators, officials said. Officials suspect some other artifacts from the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment may still be buried in the forest near Zielone and hope to conduct a professional excavation. Zielone is a village in southeastern Poland, near the border with Ukraine, and a roughly 180-mile drive southeast from Warsaw. Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments. Aspen Pflughoeft McClatchy DC Go to X Email this person Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Minerva University where she studied communications, history, and international politics. Previously, she reported for Deseret News.
