The Second Stage of the Hunt - Education

Historical outline

Along with the outbreak of World War II Polish education was liquidated. German authorities ordered to close down private schools with Polish language. All children, regardless their nationality, aged 6/14 had to go to school with German language. Polish children couldn’t attend kindergartens, and Polish youth couldn’t belong to any organizations. Polish teachers weren’t allowed to work in education, a lot of them were arrested, sent to concentration camps or executed. In the face of closing down the schools it became necessary to start clandestine classes where children were taught Polish language, history and geography.

Eyewitness account

Thanks to my mother efforts, one day at the beginning of 1942 I became one of the students of Janina Rekowska. How many students Mrs Rekowska had in total I don’t know, it was top-secret, however, I took part in classes with two other kids, sister and brother Ewa and Marian Felczykowscy. We were studying Polish language, maths, history and geography.

The tuition took place in an apartment, I don’t know whose that was, in Rynek Staromiejski square, in a dining room, at a table which was usually set as for an afternoon tea with a cake – all for conspiracy. We got differently to the apartment, once from Rynek Staromiejski, another time from Chełmińska street. We left the apartment the same way and always one by one. The classes took place only in the afternoons, on different days, at different times because in parallel we attended German schools and also for conspiratorial reasons. The classes were held also in spring and summer time.

Our notebooks were usually hidden underneath T-shirts or in shorts for fear of meeting with a horde of German youth from Hitlerjugend who, just for fun, could hit children who didn’t wear uniforms with whatever they had on hand. My education finished in the middle of January 1945 and with good results, I guess, since in February 1945, after opening Polish public schools in Toruń, after the exam I took I became a fourth form pupil which I completed in June 1945.

Task 1

Again, you’re a step closer from your HERO, you’re doing great, he saw you…….there, in the church, hidden behind the column and then…….HE saw them……..not only HE’S being followed, you are also in great danger. HE couldn’t disclose HIMSELF, he had to escape fast,……………HE found a momentary shelter in a small room somewhere in the basement. Luckily there are still good people in this world. Some lady brings HIM a slice of bread everyday, or even a piece of cake sometimes. HE told me her name……it was something beginning with Rek……unfortunately the rest is illegible, you need to manage on your own from now on.
That’s the next task:
Find synonyms of the two words below which will form a password – the name of meetings which, among other places, took place in Toruń’s Old Town.
Sekretne, ukryte,……………………………….(the first word of the password)
Zestawy bielizny, książek, pościeli, garnków…………………(the second word of the password)
(The password is: clandestine classes)
Send the password to the computer base and wait for further instructions.

Education - task 1 for the computer base

What’s the day and time set for the secret meeting? Read the recipe to find out the day and time.

Mrs Rekowska’s Apple Pie
Marvellous
Outstanding
Nifty
Digestion-friendly
Appealing
Yummy
0,15 kg of sugar
0,20 kg of butter
Four cups of flour, some apples, six eggs, cinnamon, baking powder
Mix eggs with sugar, add flour, butter and baking powder. Make a dough and divide it into two parts. Spread one half over the baking tray. Put apples with cinnamon on top of it and cover with the second half of the dough. Bake for 3 quarters.

Task 2

Closer and closer, better and better. Yes, it was Mrs Rekowska who delivered food to your HERO, food which is so difficult to be gained. ………….The clandestine classes are taking place in her apartment. Thanks to people such as Mrs Rekowska young students have the chance to know the real history of our motherland and hone their mother tongue…………Your HERO unfortunately couldn’t stay there, HE couldn’t put her at risk………….however HE left you something that can take you to the place HE is hiding now.
In the film called: TROP nr 1 you can see an object. Explain how, using this object, Polish youth could mislead the enemy. Your answer can’t be longer than 5 words (use only nouns and adjectives).
Send your answer to the computer base and wait for further instructions.
If you like, ask your friend at the computer base to help you. He’s got the same film on hand.

Education – task 2 for the computer base

Tell the group in the territory to find the building where clandestine classes with Mrs Rekowska took place. Ask them to send a photo of the building. Mark it on the virtual map.

Historical outline

Książnica (the biggest library in Toruń) was seized by the Gestapo on 9th Sep 1939. Polish personnel were dismissed, the book collection was made available only to German people. In 1944 the most valuable books were taken away in 36 boxes, among other things there were 78 manuscripts, 74 incunabulums, 1567 prints from XVI-XVIII, rich Copernicus literature including the first edition of his masterpiece „De revolutionibus orbium coelestium”.
There were many school libraries destroyed, and the schools lost 26 000 books. The loss of public libraries amount to 97 % of the state before the war.

Eyewitness account

To work in Toruń’s Książnica (library) I was directed by the German “Arbeitsamt”. Slowly I started to look around the library. How much has been changed here! No trace of Polish books, instead of them there are German prints everywhere.
But Polish prints weren’t destroyed yet. They were thrown to the furthest store rooms of the library, lying there as dead material, allocated for scrap paper (…)

I was to look over prewar catalogues and find Polish books on set topics. I will translate the titles of the books into German. Then the books will be drawn to the present catalogues. Relief! And silent joy. Polish books will be back on shelves, although, presumably, not many of them.

After some time I became well trained in cataloguing. Then I didn’t even for a moment think that the lessons, which cost me so much torment, in close future would turn out to be so useful.

Książnica had also its underground life. Looking over Polish catalogues I was writing down in secret catalogue numbers of “books to read” . I would deliver the slip of paper to the caretaker, Mrs Gardzielewska would slip into the store rooms when nobody else was in the building and take out piles of Polish books. From her apartment the books were getting through to Polish families. After the hike the books were going back to their place.

Task 3

You are closer and closer to find out who your mysterious HERO is. Unfortunately HE couldn’t risk any longer and stay at the same place. HE couldn’t put Mrs Rekowska in risk,…….under cover of darkness HE got out of the basement and ran along some narrow street,……..HE stumbled on cobblestones and sprained HIS ankle, ……..another building, it’s cold, wet,……..pain…….some kind of boxes all around…..inside….surprising – books……..polish books.
Using provided coordinates find the location of the biggest library which existed in Toruń at number 16 during World War II.
Coordinates:
Wait for other instructions from the computer base – questions concerning the building location.

Education – task 3 for the computer base

Using the coordinates mark on the virtual map a building which during World War II was the biggest library in Toruń.

Below you’ll find a book card which fell out from one of the catalogues. Unfortunately the catalogue number is illegible. To reconstruct it you need to get the name of the street from the group in the territory – the street were the library was located.

Have you already got the name of the street? Now you need to assign numbers from 1 to 6 to each letter building the name of the street put in alphabetical order. The set of numbers that you’ll get is he catalogue number that you’re looking for.