      At 27th July 2006 we set off for a day-long trip to the area of Tomaszów Mazowiecki. On the
way to Inowłódz our destination place we also visited Konewka  a settlement placed north-west off
Spała. During WW II the place was a command post of ARMIA ŚRODEK . The main attraction of this
place is a technical complex with a 380 m       long tunnel which holds a staff train      . Although we
had already visited the place several times, this visit as every other was fairly and scrupulously
planned and prepared      . The reason is that the area has been leased by one of fortifications  fans
who, supported by others, regularly researches the place unveiling new mysteries of its WW II history
      .I encourage all interested readers to visit the site devoted to GEFECHTSSTAND ANLAGE MITTE

      After almost three-hour long visit we moved on towards our destination Inowłódz where we
planned to carry out field research aimed at finding and cataloguing all preserved World War II
buildings.

      Inowłódz is placed in picturesque area with Pilica River flowing beneath. It is famous not only for
its WW II history but also for a few architectural monuments. The most outstanding one is Saint
Idzi church       . Originally a Romanesque style temple built in 1082 by prince Władysław I Herman
served for military defensive purposes due to its location      . The second monument are the ruins
of the castle built during King Kazimierz Wielki reign i.e. 1366. However we were heading for World
War II fortifications       . Not many of people remember that those places were shown and, in this
way, immortalized in one of the episodes of famous Polish TV series  "Czterej pancerni i pies".

      During reconnaissance we found 11 buildings all together including: 6 examples of Ringstand
58c, 2 of Regelbau 701, 2 of Regelbau 668 and one reservoir. They are all found on the north bank
of Pilica River. The main concentration of the buildings is in the eastern part of the hill where there
used to be the church mentioned above. There are exactly four buildings.

Building No 1        Regelbau 58c, known widely as  Tobruk , well preserved, inside there is only
little rubbish coming from nearby cemetery; getting inside is possible only from loophole because
main entrance is walled up and covered with soil.

Building No 2        Regelbau 58c, well preserved, main entrance walled up and covered with soil
fromoutside, inside hugely filled with rubbish from the cemetery.

Building No 3       Regelbau 701, popular  garage  for antitank gun whose task was to shell nearby
crossroad which was a main road connecting Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Rawa Mazowiecka and
Opoczno. The building is quite well preserved.  One can notice concrete crumbling and falling down
to pieces in exposed and not insulated with tar parts, inside is clean       , next to the entrance there is
still an inventory number       .

Building No 4        Regelbau 668, passive shelter for 6 infantry soldiers. It is the most shattered
building among all researched. Inside shows that it took part in the battle. It consists of two
vestibules        used as sluices and crew quarters; marks on the ceiling suggest that machine gun was
used there      ; there is no equipment preserved; the floor is covered with damp soil which got
inside through emergency exit       ; outside one can see concrete eroding in exposed and not
insulated places  similarly to nearby Regelbau 701.

All above buildings are connected with densely placed and intersecting trenches which are well
preserved and visible in the field.

  nt monolith. Entrance is possible from the eastern part (photo) (as in the one described above). Next to the entrance in the combat part there is a sign with inventory number (photo).  Building No 9 (photo)   Regelbau 701. It is situated by the same forest path, closer to the crossroads with asphalt road of Zakościele village. It is found at the back of the farm, about 20 m from a forest path. When the plants are fully grown it is easy to miss the place. Inside there is no rubbish, it is in good condition (photo)   probably because it was previously adapted for storage purposes (there are remains of a gate). The building is architecturally attractive for two reasons: first, it has a Ringstand 58c added on the southern side; second, there is a resistance wall (photo) which was built to protect the ground from sliding as the whole complex is built in the slope of the eastern part of the hill.  Building No 10 (photo)   Ringstand 58c which creates a  complex   monolith  together with previously described building number 9. On the southern side there is a resistance wall added (photo). Nowadays it is only easy to get inside through MG outlet as the main entrance is 1,5 m over the ground (photo), (photo). Outside both buildings are covered with well preserved insulation.  Building No 11 (photo)   Ringstand 58c, it is located on the eastern slope of the hill on the right side of the road leading to Spała, near residential district road which turns in a field path ending in north-west suburbs of Inowłódz. This building, contrary to others of the kind, had the entrance on the opposite wall. At the moment it is half the height full of rubbish mixed with forest bed (photo).    These are not all the buildings, however due to time restrictions we had to stop there. Our research therefore is to be treated as a contribution for wider works in the area which will enable us to complete the report.  On our way back to Łódź we decided to visit  Pilica River Heritage Park  which is located in the outskirts of Tomaszów Mazowiecki. However, it did not amaze us with the richness of military hardware because at the time the exhibition was not complete. In order to get some rest from scorching sun we decided to feed senses in nearby nature reserve  Niebieskie Zródła  (Blue Springs) (history) which seemed even more beautiful in this hot summer weather (photo), (photo).  And the last surprise that awaited us. One of the properties in Łódź is surrounded with the fence whose columns were  stumblers  (photo)   antipersonnel stumbling block from war times .. The owner did not realize what rarity he possesses (photo), (photo).