The museum consists of six rooms which present the events of WWII in Kędzierzyn-Koźle and the surrounding area. The main theme is the 15th USAAF’s air campaign against three targets located around Kędzierzyn-Koźle.

AG Blechhammer, IG Farben Heydebreck and Schaffgotsch Odertal were chamical plants producing synthetic oil for the Nazi German army; they became American aerial bombing targets. Another important theme present at the museum is the story of the plant builders: prisoners of war, forced laborers and prisoners from camps located nearby. The final part of our exhibition is about the FLAK, or German anti-aircraft defence system. The exhibits displayed at the museum are mainly the results of our long-term search.

Many of them were donated by our friends and supporters in Poland and abroad, others were purchased. The documents featured at topical exhibitions are queries from Polish and foreign archives or donations from the families of former prisoners and POWs.

Our Association collaborates with various historical institutions and museums, which allows us to obtain multiple valuable exhibits. We put particular emphasis on promoting local history; in 2017 we received the title of “Community Monument Guardian” for the Kędzierzyn-Koźle area. 

The Blechhammer – 1944 Museum of the Oil Campaign of WWII was established in 2018. It is run by the Blechhammer-1944 Association and it has been entered into the National Register of Museums by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of Poland.

It is a follow-up initiative to the 15th USAAF, WWII Forced Laborers and POWs Memorial Room, which was established in 2006 as an entry in the Partnership Without Borders contest; we were granted a distinction by the Marshal of the Opolskie Voivodeship.

www.blechhammer1944.pl