Search Poland, Commonwealth War Graves and Monumental Inscriptions

Each record includes a transcript and the option to view the original image. While details can vary for each record, you can expect to find a combination of the following facts:

• Name
• Place of birth
• Date of death
• Age at death
• Military rank
• Military regiment
• Occupation
• Cemetery

These records are brought to you thanks to the brilliant work of Louise Cocker, who has documented burials and memorial inscriptions in cemeteries and burial grounds across many countries including England, Germany, Cyprus, Italy and Greece.

This collection covers two cemeteries in Poland – Old Garrison Cemetery in Poznan and Rakowicki Cemetery in Krakow.

The Old Garrison Cemetery in Poznan is home to the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who died in Poland as prisoners of war after the First World War, with 174 First World War servicemen buried or commemorated on the site. The cemetery also commemorates roughly 483 casualties from the Second World War, the majority of whom were airmen who died in bombing operations on Stettin. There was heavy fighting in and around the area of Poznan during the Second World War between German and Soviet forces and the cemetery was expanded to accommodate the remains of airmen and other casualties. There are burials covering individuals of roughly 20 different nationalities, with a large percentage of them being Polish. There is also a memorial on site – the Poznan Memorial – which specifically commemorates men of the Royal Naval Air Service whose graves were never located.

The Rakowicki cemetery was established in 1803 and is home to the memorials and graves of many notable figures in Polish history including well known soldiers, politicians and writers. The cemetery which is located in Krakow also serves as a Commonwealth War Graves site to commemorate casualties of the Second World War, with 484 Commonwealth servicemen buried there. The servicemen buried in the cemetery died while prisoners of war during the German occupation of Poland, with most of the graves having been moved from the cemetery at a large camp at Lamsdorf where there was a hospital used only for Commonwealth prisoners.

War graves and memorials can be an excellent resource to help you discover more about your military ancestors. These records can help you uncover more details about your ancestor’s military service, such as their military rank and regiment, and can help you pinpoint their final resting place.