You up for a road trip? If you’re kicking it in Gdansk, you’re in luck because two amazing sights are just a car ride away.
You can go in either order, but for the purposes of this post, the first stop is the Gothic macabre town of Reszel. Though a small town with about 5,000 people, the city is famous for its 13th century fights with the Teutonic Knights. When they entered what was then the town of Resl, a Prussian tribe called the Barts stood their ground. The knights even built a fort at the turn of the century, but the tribesmen eventually beat them back and sent them packing. Having made a name for itself, the city continued to grow, building a castle in the late 14th century and a church with a 150-foot-tall tower that’s open to the public (for a fee, that is, just how Jesus would want it). Despite its close proximity to Nazi strongholds, the city got off relatively light in World War II compared to other Polish cities, which is why Reszel retains so much of its stunning, original charm.
Speaking of the Nazis, the second stop is the Wolf’s Lair, the largest wartime HQ for Germany’s mustached mafioso. If you saw the Tom Cruise movie “Valkyrie,” you know this is where Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg made his one-eyed attempt to blow the Fuhrer to smithereens, but to say more would ruin the ending for those getting the DVD on Netflix. Anyway, this was Hitler’s main hang, and the psycho freak naturally built the place up with airfields, railways, heating systems and generators. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget the important stuff: sauna, casino, movie theater…. Despite receiving 200,000 visitors annually, the Wolf’s Lair sucks in the information department, so be prepared to hire a guide or buy a guidebook at the entrance.
Okay, I said these places are a car ride away, but I didn’t say it was an easy ride. Both are about three hours by car, and some of the roads make the Amazon seem civilized. Nevertheless, the Wolf’s Lair and Reszel are in the same vicinity, so if you’re up for a day trip, you can easily hit both sights in one jaunt. And if you need a break before traveling back to Gdansk, you can always stay at the Ksiezycowy Kworek lakeside manor near the Wolf’s Lair. Rumor has it that Ewa Braun used to hole up here, and while this is B.S. probably spread the hotel itself, Nazi General Warlimont actually did stay there.
Sleeping in a bed once occupied by a Nazi? That’s the closest thing to evil as sleeping with your ex!
Images by Rapsak courtesy of Flickr.