Bartosze: Nature Reserve and War Cemetery
Accommodation in Bartosze
Bartosze brings together two different points of interest for a trip: the “Ostoja bobrów Bartosze” nature reserve, with its wetland habitat on the shore of Lake Szarek, and a war cemetery whose history dates back to the First World War. Including natural and historical sites in your plans offers a glimpse of the character of the place through these two themes. They represent different interests: protecting ecological processes on the one hand and commemorating the war dead on the other.
The Municipal Cemetery No. 3, Bartosze near Ełk
Photo: 1957birth via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Wetlands and Beaver Protection
The European beaver lives in the protected area, in marshy terrain on the shore of Lake Szarek. The beaver is protected there, linking the species with the wetland. For travelers interested in nature, two aspects take center stage: the habitat along the lakeshore and the protection of the beaver. The “Bartosze” nature reserve covers 190.46 hectares. In 2018, its conservation purpose was defined as preserving and protecting ecological processes in wetlands. The area and conservation purpose offer different points of reference: the figure in hectares describes the size of the area, while the conservation purpose identifies what the protection is intended to achieve. If you look for nature-related features when choosing a destination, Bartosze offers a specific point of interest: wetlands, a lakeshore and beaver protection.
War Cemetery and History
The war cemetery offers a different perspective on Bartosze. Around 20,000 Second World War dead are buried at the German military cemetery in Bartossen (Bartosze); it was inaugurated on August 9, 2003. Its establishment resulted from cooperation between the Polish Pamięć Foundation and the German War Graves Commission in Kassel. The inauguration and cooperation provide two points of reference for the creation of the present-day site.
It lies on a plateau, covers around five hectares and can be reached by a staircase. Groups of symbolic crosses mark the burial sections of those who died in the Second World War. A rest area is located on the cemetery access road; from there, three large wooden crosses, visible from far away, can be seen. The enclosure is made of natural stone, with a design that draws on East Prussian architecture. These details bring together different elements of the site: its location, grave markers, rest area and architectural reference.
The cemetery’s history also reaches back to the First World War. A small cemetery from that period, “Golgota Prus Wschodnich,” was the starting point for the site; 84 German soldiers were buried there. The war cemetery is also the resting place of 84 German soldiers from the First World War. The first people buried there had taken part in the so-called Winter Battle of Masuria in February 1915. Three large crosses, visible from far away, shape the entire First World War cemetery. This earlier history adds an older layer of remembrance at the site to the story of the around 20,000 Second World War dead.
Distinguishing between nature and history can help with your travel decision: the wetland habitat and beaver protection sit alongside a memorial site connected to both world wars. When deciding which interests you want to shape your trip, Bartosze offers two clearly distinct thematic approaches.
Discover more destinations: Szeligi, Guty Rożyńskie, Stare Juchy, Rękusy, Gorlo, Miluki, Mrozy Wielkie, Małkinie.
For the broader travel overview: Lyck.
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