Borowice offers two distinct reasons to visit: the annual “Gitarą i…” festival of sung poetry and singer-songwriter songs, and the prisoner-of-war cemetery, which commemorates forced labor during the construction of Droga Sudecka. The cultural event and the act of commemoration shape the town in different ways. If you are considering Borowice as a destination, you can first decide whether music and literature or the history of the road will shape your stay.

An annual festival of sung poetry

The festival takes place every year in a clearing in Borowice. Sung poetry and singer-songwriter songs give it a clear literary and musical focus and distinguish it from the historical commemoration at the cemetery. If this combination of literature and music is your reason for travelling, plan around the dates of that year’s edition. Check the specific date before arranging an overnight stay: the annual schedule means it recurs, not that it takes place on a fixed travel date. The clearing is the festival venue, while the act of commemoration takes place at the cemetery. Both occasions are part of Borowice, but they are separate events.

Commemoration at Droga Sudecka

The prisoner-of-war cemetery on Droga Sudecka in Borowice commemorates prisoners of war who were forced to build the road during the Second World War. Every year, the Podgórzyn municipality holds the “Apel Poległych” at the cemetery. The ceremony commemorates the victims of forced labor during the construction of Droga Sudecka, as well as everyone who lost their lives in armed conflicts. The commemoration therefore extends beyond the specific history of prisoners of war who were forced to build the road. The date may vary; if you would like to plan your trip around the ceremony, check the date in advance. This helps distinguish the cemetery’s historical connection from the annual commemorative ceremony and its broader scope of remembrance.

The road as a geographic and historical point of reference

A section of Droga Sudecka runs through Borowice, and the prisoner-of-war cemetery is located along this road. Droga Sudecka is therefore both a geographic point of reference for the town and part of its history of remembrance: its route helps locate Borowice, while its construction forms the historical background to the commemoration. In understanding the destination, the road connects geographic orientation with the remembrance of prisoners of war who were forced to work. The festival, meanwhile, provides a distinct cultural focus.

Plan your stay around the occasion

If the festival is the main purpose of your stay, the dates of that year’s edition are the relevant point of reference. If the history of the road’s construction is your focus, the cemetery offers a direct historical connection; the ceremony also has its own date, which may vary. If you are interested in both topics, you can choose your travel dates based on which is more important to your trip. This way, you can plan your accommodation around what you actually intend to do, rather than treating the festival and the memorial ceremony as one combined program.

Explore more destinations: Komarno, Stara Kamienica, Gruszków, Karpacz, Zachełmie, Podgorzyn, Trzcińsko, Łomnica

For the broader travel overview: Jeleniogórski.