Bunker 1944

General Maczek’s 1st Polish Armoured Division liberates Roeselare and Flanders.

On September 7, 1944, the tanks of the 1st Polish Armoured Division entered Roeselare. The troops of General Stanisław Maczek drove the German army out of the city, thus ending four years of Nazi German occupation. The 1st Polish Armoured Division had advanced alongside the Allied army through Northern France, several weeks after D-Day. The Poles liberated a whole series of cities in Flanders and the Netherlands: in Ypres, Tielt, Ghent, Sint-Niklaas, and Breda, General Maczek’s division also played a crucial role.

Multimedia exhibition in an authentic WWII bunker

De goed bewaarde Duitse communicatiebunker in de Sint-Hubrechtsstraat, die tijdens WO II dienst deed als telefooncentrale, biedt een thuis voor deze expo.

The well-preserved German communication bunker on Sint-Hubrechtsstraat, which served as a telephone exchange during WWII, is the setting for this exhibition.

The exhibition tells the story of a fascinating episode from WWII, using photos, testimonies, authentic objects, and video footage. Several storylines are covered:

• the story of the bunker
• the liberation of Roeselare and Flanders
• the story of the 1st Polish Armoured Division and General Stanisław Maczek
• the role of the local resistance in Roeselare, including Simonne Brugghe
• the fate of the Polish soldiers after the war

Practical Information

The exhibition is available in Dutch, English, and Polish.

A visit lasts approximately 1 hour.

The bunker is not wheelchair accessible due to narrow passageways.

Opening Hours

During school holidays, from Wednesday to Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Groups can visit the exhibition throughout the year with a guided tour. The cost for a guide is €70.

Please book your group visit in advance via the Tourist Office.

Admission Fees

5 EURO

• Visitors aged 26 and over

3 EURO

• Groups of 15 or more paying visitors

1 EURO

• Visitors aged 19 to 25
• Holders of a teacher or student card

FREE

• Visitors up to and including 18 years old
• War veterans, military personnel, and defense staff
• Residents of Roeselare
• City guides of Roeselare with a valid guide card
• Employees of the City of Roeselare & OCMW Roeselare with a staff card