Rockets and Resistance

Stretch your legs and visit the interesting Regional Museum of Dębica. Housed in a former cavalry barracks from the end of the 19th century, the museum offers thoughtful displays on local history, covering topics such as archeology, ethnography, history, art and military .
I found that one of the exhibitions set the scene well for an understanding of the regions involvement in World War Two, describing how the city and area survived under the Nazi occupation.
This exhibiton also shows how Dębica and Poland in general was placed in a no win situation during the war, describing how many local inhabitants were subsequently deported Siberia and Kazakhstan by the Communist authorities that swept in after the defeat of the Germans.
Open Hour: Sunday: 14:00 - 17:00 Saturday: 09:00-12:00 Tuesday - Friday: 08:00 - 15:30 Monday: closed

Prior to my Polish trip, I was familiar with the Nazi V2 rocket testing & launching facility in Peenemünde, Germany. I also knew that this facility was partly destroyed by the British RAF bombers in 1943. What I did not know, however, was that much of the facility was relocated out of reach of Allied bombers at the remote Blizna.
Amazingly, the testing & launch facility has been partially recreated on the orignal site at Blizna. The site, which was operated from November 1943 till early July 1944, witnessed 139 V-2 launches.
It is fascinating to see the V2 rocket that takes center stage in this open air museum, along with other pieces of military equipment from that era. However, it is the stories of the Polish resistance movement and their attempt to report on the rockets that really grabs the attention.
Soon after relocating to Blizna, the local resistance fighters had identified what was going on at the location and had relayed this information back to London. Once rocket firing commenced, these partizans managed to steal pieces from fired missiles before the Germans managed to recover them. These fragments were then smuggled to hidden laboratories in Warsaw and studied.
The most sensational story, however, occurred around 20 May 1944. This was when a rocket fired from Blizna landed over two hundred miles away in Sarnaki in an almost intact state. The local Polish resistance managed to secure it before the Germans, then dismantle and smuggle the parts across Poland and subsequently to Britain!
Open Hours Tuesday - Saturday: 08:00 - 16:00 Sunday: 10:00 - 14:00 Monday: Closed

Whether you love traditional Polish foods, like their, hearty soups or their equally tasty sausages, or whether you prefer hamburgers and pizzas, this restaurant will please all tastes and set you up for your further adventures in the afternoon with a full and contented stomach.
Open Hours: Tuesday - Thursday: 11:00 - 22:00 Friday: 11:00 - 23:00 Saturday: 13:00 - 23:00 Sunday: 11:00 - 21:00 Monday: Closed

When the V2 testing site at nearby Blizna was hurriedly constructed, it was the workers from the forced labor camp set up here in Pustków that were used.
This brutal camp was established in 1940 and operated until 1944, and oversaw the deaths of more than 15,000 people (7,500 Jews, 5,000 Soviet prisoners and 2,500 Poles). This was also the location of Waffen SS military training ground.
The current museum has reconstructed several buildings, such as the guardhouse, guard towers, barbed-wire fence as well as a barrack for soldiers and a barrack for prisoners. There are various exhibitions set up in these barracks and provides a very moving recount of the history of the German occupation in the area.
Open Hours Tuesday – Friday: 08:00 – 15:30 Saturday – Sunday: 12.30 – 16:00 Monday: closed

After learning so much about the regions involvement in the Second World War, it seemed only right to pay respects to the many who were taken by this conflict prematurely.
This cemetery contains the graves of more than 32 victims of the Gestapo, 33 Polish soldiers who were killed during the Nazi invasion in 1939, as well as 160 Polish soldiers who were killed in the immediate years after the war when fighting the Ukranian Insurgent Army.
There are also many graves of the Polish soldiers that fought the Communists in 1919.

Have a meal at the Folk Restaurant, which is within your accommodation for the night.
The restaurant boasts a delicious menu of Polish dishes that have been given a modern twist. As the name of the restaurant suggests, there are a number of interesting folk elements decorating the interior.

Before settling down for the evening, take a walk through Rzeszów's town centre. As you go, take note of the Old Town Synagogue, which was burned down in 1944 and rebuilt after the war, as well as the plaque on the side of the building which commemorates the many Jews from Rzeszów that were murdered and/or deported.

Just a short walk from the Old Town Synagogue is the New Town Synagogue. Unfortunately, this sacred building was also burned down during the war, but was lovingly rebuilt in the following years.

Wander through the impressive town square of Rzeszów and delight in the beautifully reconstructed neo-gothic and neo-renaissance buildings that line square.
The most splendid building must be the Town Hall and it will immediately catch your eye as you walk through the square.
It will quickly become apparent that the square is served by a number of lively cafés, pubs and restaurants, but don't stay up too late - you have a lot to see on your road trip tomorrow!

Head back to your hotel for the evening and take a well earned rest.