Text: Bjørn Joachimsen
The coastline at Jastarnia bears witness to a time when the storms of the world threatened even the peaceful beaches of Puck Bay. Here, among sand dunes and pine forests, stand massive bunkers as silent sentinels – monuments of resistance, strategy, and survival. They are both brutal and poetic in their form: concrete as shield, cannons as eyes, and dark corridors as reminders of past turmoil.
Walking among them is to traverse between history and the calm rhythm of the landscape, where the waves of the sea continue to break upon the shore as if nothing had happened.
A Small Coastal Town with a Grand History
Jastarnia (Kashubian: Jastarniô, German: Putziger Heisternest) is a town in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, within Puck County, on the Hel Peninsula. Between 1975 and 1998, it was administratively part of Gdańsk Voivodeship. The town boasts five summer bathing beaches, a harbour, and three smaller marina areas. As of 1 January 2017, Jastarnia had a population of 2,734 and an area of 4.31 km².
The roots of Jastarnia stretch back to the 1st century BCE, and it first appears in historical records in 1378, in connection with a privilege granted by the Teutonic Order to the nearby town of Hel. Until the 20th century, Jastarnia was largely a fishing village, with both full-time and part-time fishermen.
The Bunkers of the Ośrodek Oporu Jastarnia
In 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, the coastal fortifications at Jastarnia were still incomplete. Yet four heavy bunkers – Sęp, Sabała, Saragossa, and Sokół – were intended to form the core of the Resistance Centre. These bunkers, with thick concrete walls and firing slits, were built to withstand several days of siege.
Sęp (Vulture): The strongest of the bunkers, located on the beach facing the open sea, served as an observation post. Its walls were up to 3 metres thick.
Sabała: The command headquarters of the Ośrodek Oporu Jastarnia, designed to protect the road and railway line. Today, it houses a small museum open during the summer season.
Saragossa: Situated on the dunes, it could provide support to Sabała and Sęp during combat.
Sokół (Falcon): Positioned to defend against attacks from Puck Bay.
These bunkers were part of the Hel Fortified Region. After the capitulation on 2 October 1939, they were used by German forces for anti-aircraft defence, while Sęp continued to function as an observation point. After the war, the structures gradually ceased to be used for military purposes, but in 1999, they were recognised as historical monuments and opened to visitors.
A walk along the Ośrodek Oporu Jastarnia is a 2.4 km journey through sand, forest, and military architecture. With marked trails and convenient parking, visitors can explore all the bunkers in roughly 60 minutes, gaining insight into the strategic measures once taken to defend the coast.
Photographic Opportunities
Jastarnia and the Ośrodek Oporu provide extraordinary photographic possibilities. Sęp, perched on the beach amidst sea and dunes, forms dramatic lines and striking contrasts against the natural surroundings. Deep within the forest, the other bunkers appear almost as hidden sculptures, while light and shadow within the old corridors create compelling compositions. The surrounding natural and coastal landscapes, including dunes, woodland, Puck Bay, and beachlines, offer excellent photo opportunities throughout the year.