Molke Museum

The Molke Museum is located in Miłków, a settlement belonging to Ludwikowice Kłodzkie near Nowa Ruda, on the site of the former Wenceslaus coal mine. The exhibition tells the story of the mine and of the secret munitions factory that the Germans built on this site during the Second World War.

From mine to munitions factory

The Wenceslaus mine was opened in 1771. Before the Second World War it was closed, and the Germans took over the site and built a secret munitions factory of the Dynamit AG company there, with production lines, laboratories and warehouses. A power plant also operated by the mine, expanded to a capacity of 10 MW, considerably greater than the capacity of the nearby hydroelectric plants.

The Fly Trap

The museum's most recognisable feature is the so-called Fly Trap, a concrete ring-shaped structure supported on 12 pillars, 10 metres high and 30 metres in diameter. It was most likely a former cooling tower of the power plant and mine. It was named by Soviet soldiers who, on entering the German factory, found a metal mesh stretched over the concrete structure.

Theories about the structure's purpose

Besides the cooling tower explanation, other theories also circulate about the Fly Trap's function: that it may have served as a mixing plant for blending low-calorific with high-calorific coal, and in more speculative accounts an alleged connection with secret German projects from the end of the war is even mentioned. None of these versions has been definitively confirmed.

What can be seen

On the museum grounds there are displays of vehicles and military equipment, including a model of the V1 rocket and anti-aircraft guns. The visiting route also leads through underground bunkers with technical corridors, past the ruins of the shaft's machine house, and along a trail linking the remains of the former production plant.

Near the Owl Mountains

The museum lies not far from the Owl Mountains, where Wielka Sowa and Kalenica are found, among others - it is worth combining a visit to the museum with a trip into this range.

Practical information

• Address: Fabryczna 37d, Ludwikowice Kłodzkie (Miłków settlement)
• Access: the grounds of the former Wenceslaus mine on Fabryczna Street, near Nowa Ruda
• What to expect: a tour of the former mine site and secret munitions factory, a display of militaria and the concrete Fly Trap
• It is worth checking opening hours and visiting rules on the museum's website before your visit