The aim of the Memorial Site of the “Kreisau Foundation for the Mutual Understanding in Europe" is to preserve the multi-layered memories about the history of Krzyżowa, the establishment of the Foundation and the heritage of the resistance movements and the Polish-German reconciliation. At the same time, we strongly refer to the present and the local context in our current work.
The activities at the Memorial Site can be described on three levels: location work, organisation and professional work.
The most important locations for our activities include: The Berghaus which houses the Memory Hall, the permanent exhibitions “Odrzucając kłamstwo” [Rejecting a lie] and ”Odwaga i pojednanie” [Courage and reconciliation] and Cemetery Hill. Places which are of particular significance to the Memorial Site also include: the former prisoner-of-war camp in Grodziszcze and the memorial stone in front of the mansion gate.
The basis of the professional work of the Memorial Site is the history and heritage of the Kreisau Circle (a resistance movement within the 3rd Reich) and the Reconciliation Mass. We also refer to the tradition of the European resistance movements outside Germany, including but not limited to the resistance movement in Poland and the anti-communist opposition. We also touch upon subjects related to the region, for instance, through the Polish-German or Jewish history of Lower Silesia.
At the organisational level, the Memorial Site is responsible, above all, for exercising care over the groups of adults who arrive in Krzyżowa as part of field trips. Also, management of the library and coordination of the tours are the responsibility of the Memorial Site.
