Pawiak Prison was built in the 1830s during the period of Russian rule in Poland and became a symbol of terror during the Second World War. Under Gestapo control, it was used to imprison, torture and execute Polish political prisoners and members of the resistance. Around 100,000 people were held there, and approximately 40,000 lost their lives.
Today Pawiak is an important memorial with an exhibition devoted to the suffering and courage of those who risked their lives for freedom. The original prison buildings were destroyed by the German occupiers during the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944, but surviving basement areas now house the museum.
The exhibition provides insight into occupation-era terror and the resistance of the prisoners. Its location near the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes makes it possible to include Pawiak in a broader memorial route devoted to wartime persecution and Jewish resistance in Warsaw.
Discover this history on our cultural tours to Warsaw or as part of our school trips to Warsaw.
