Mass Grave of 446 Prisoners of KL Auschwitz in Rybnik

A mass grave in the forest by the Ruda

In the forest behind the additional car park of the Ruda bathing area in Rybnik is a war mass grave of 446 prisoners of the German Auschwitz camp, murdered during the death march. The figure of 446 is given by the Katowice branch of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), and the grave is listed in the Register of Memorial Sites of the Silesian Voivodeship under number 33/23.

Historical background

The death march began in January 1945, when the Germans ordered the evacuation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp and its subcamps. According to the IPN, the order covered 56 thousand prisoners. On the stretch of the march to Wodzisław Śląski alone at least 600 people died, and researchers estimate that around 15 thousand prisoners died in the marches in total. One of the groups numbered 2500 people and was taken by train from Gliwice to Leszczyny, from where it was marched on foot; on the section from Czerwionka to Racibórz about 1000 prisoners lost their lives.

Practical information

The site lies in a forest, away from any buildings. Every January, representatives of the IPN and the city authorities lay flowers and light candles at the war graves along the route of the march. For details on the care of the grave and how to reach it, consult the Register of Memorial Sites of the Silesian Voivodeship or the Katowice branch of the IPN.