Museum Polakkasernen
Small museum in a seasonal workers' barracks from 1911 near Rødby on the life of Polish farm workers on Lolland.
About the museum
The Polakkaserne in the village of Tågerup was built in 1911 by the nearby Lungholm estate, designed by the well-known architect Henrik C. Glahn. The building had room for around 30 seasonal workers who came to Lolland from impoverished Galicia to work in the fields, above all in sugar beet cultivation. It served as housing from 1912; at that time there were about 30 comparable buildings on Lolland.
On the ground floor were the dining hall, kitchen, pantry, and the foreman's apartment; upstairs were separate areas for women and men with their own staircases. An outbuilding housed the laundry room, sanitary facilities, and fuel.
After the building had fallen into serious disrepair, the editor Torsten Elsvor founded an independent institution in 1984 to save the barracks as cultural heritage and to document the history of Polish seasonal workers. The restoration was financed through donations from foundations, banks, companies, and private individuals. At first the building served as both museum and residence, later exclusively as a museum.
The current exhibition was created in 2014–2015 in Danish-Polish cooperation, with support from the Polish Ministry of Culture and the Polish Embassy in Denmark, among others. The museum is run by volunteers through the friends' association Museum Polakkasernens Venner.
Highlights
- Preserved seasonal workers' barracks from 1911, designed by Henrik C. Glahn
- Separate living areas for women and men, dining hall and kitchen
- Exhibition on the daily life, faith, and culture of Polish migrant workers
- Historical storytelling for groups on request
Permanent exhibitions
- Ausstellung zur Geschichte der polnischen Saisonarbeiter – The exhibition, redesigned in 2014–2015 in the original rooms, uses furniture, photos, musical instruments, and religious objects to show how the migrant workers from Galicia lived.
- Founded
- 1984
- Operated by
- Selbstständige Institution, ehrenamtlich getragen von Museum Polakkasernens Venner
Admission & discounts
| Adults | DKK 50 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 11 · Children under 12 free. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –Group visits of 10 or more by arrangement; historical storytelling for the group DKK 500 plus admission. |
Payment by MobilePay is also possible.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Registered groups can book a historical storytelling session (DKK 500). Register at +45 25 77 92 01 or info@polakkasernen.dk. |
