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The bunker fortifications are one of the region’s biggest attractions. Built on Adolf Hitler’s orders, construction began on the complex during the summer of 1935 during a time when Germany was supposedly banned under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles from making any arms or preparations for war following the end of the Great War. The treaty also meant that Germany lost Alsace and Lorraine to France. Germany, despite being forbidden, wanted to launch an attack on France  to regain the Alsace and Lorraine territories. The main obstacle to this was an alliance between Poland and France. Poland’s military strength at the time was much stronger than Germany’s. Germany not wanting to have to fight on two fronts began construction as early as the 1920s of a defensive fortification system in what was then the East of Germany and now, of course, in Poland.

Initially the construction was limited to building water barriers, such as dams, opening- bridges and small bunkers. It included the ability to flood large areas at will.


When Hitler came to power in 1933 he decided to add three additional bunker systems: The Pomeranian Wall (Wał Pomorski)

World War II Bunker Complex

Click here to see Map of Bunkers

in the north; The Oder Position (Umocnienia Odry) in the south; The Fortified Front of Odra-Warta Rivers (Międzyrzecki Rejon Umocniony – MRU) in the middle.

The MRU complex consists of a line of over 40 bunkers, 26 of which interconnect with underground tunnels, some of which are open to the public for tours on foot or on bicycles. The underground system was supposed to be an independent and self-sufficient entity with railway stations, machinery rooms, engine rooms (electricity), barracks, workshops, ammunition stores, toilets, bathrooms, shafts (10-50 metres deep) and stairwells etc.

In 1938 construction was stopped. Germany, by now, was stronger than Poland and Hitler’s plans for World War II saw priorities change. Although still not completed, the East Wall was then stood to protect against attack from Russians.

During World War II the bunker system wasn’t used as originally planned. It remained largely unused. The Soviet army, when it came to it, had no problems dealing with the defensive system and it only took them 3 days to breach it.

If you joined up the dots on a map of the bunker system the line would pass within a few metres of our Guest House. In fact the nearest bunker (damaged) is less than one kilometre away from our location.

There are two parts of the fortifications open to the public in Pniewo and Boryszyn. Both are within 30 minutes drive from the Guest House. See map.


The Międzyrzecki Rejon Umocniony (MRU) or Międzyrzecz Fortified Region

also known as

Festung im Oder-Warthe-Bogen or Ostwall (East Wall)


Bunker Tour Slide Show