The "Góra Śmiadowska" Fortified Group

Between Borne Sulinowo and Kłomino stretches a former military training ground. On its grounds you can come across the remains of various kinds of bunkers built by the Red Army. There you'll find mostly training bunkers, where soldiers honed their skills at capturing them.

To see a really interesting bunker hidden inside a hill, however, you have to go to Góra Śmiadowska (Buch Berge, 168 m above sea level). I drove out there in an old military off-road vehicle.

The site lies between Lake Śmiadowskie (Schmadow See) and Łączno, about 2 km south of Łączno. In the small village of Śmiadowo (Hochfelde) there is one of the most interesting sections of the northern flank of the Pommernstellung. There you'll find a fragment of the so-called Pomeranian Wall — three fortified groups (Werkgruppe): "Góra Śmiadowska", "The Road" and "May Hill".

The "Góra Śmiadowska" site was built in 1935–1936. It consists of 6 structures connected by underground passages, called poterns, which have survived in very good condition.

The total length of the passages is over 250 metres. The tunnels connected 6 shelters, separated by trapdoors. All the combat shelters were blown up, so the entrance to the underground has to be sought among the rubble.

The tunnels are in excellent condition. On the walls you can see the remains of electrical and telephone cables. Walking through the tunnels you have to be very careful of the trapdoors, the slippery surface and various kinds of animals.

The tunnels branch off every so often, leading to gun positions or ammunition rooms. Unfortunately the entrances to them are buried or blown up. At the end of one tunnel there is a shaft leading to the surface.

The last tunnel is very low. Above your head is a thick, rusted steel plate. Up the stairs you emerge to the surface.

At the end of the tunnels lies the least damaged complex. It is the only unburied entrance to the underground tunnels. Today this site is private property.