Masurian Canal

The first plans for the building of this canal date from 1862. The canal was to link the Masurian lakes with the Baltic sea and had an overall drop of 110 meters. Construction of the 51 km. long canal began in 1911, but stopped in 1914 at the outbreak of the first World War and was first resumed in 1934. Construction continued until 1942 and during that time five locks, three railway bridges and several dams and eight road bridges were built. The combined locks and road bridge near the town of Leśniewo, four kilometers from the beginning of the canal, is now a popular tourist destination. It was called Oberschleuse Fürstenau and in the concrete it is still possible to see were the Reichsadler was placed. Close to the beginning of the canal, the German Army High Command had their headquarters, Mauerwald and 15 km. southwest of this Hitler had his Wolfs Lair headquarters.

During the German retreat from the Soviets in December 1944, all bridges across the Maxury canal were blown up and the building of the canal was never resumed.