On 12 November 1989, a holy mass was held in Krzyżowa, attended by Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.
The mass, during which representatives of the Polish and German governments stood shoulder to shoulder, was a milestone - especially given the very difficult political relations between the two countries since the end of World War II.
Thanks to symbolic gestures, the meeting at Krzyżowa wrote down in history as the Reconciliation Mass.
Read more: 31st Anniversary of the Reconciliation Mass at Krzyżowa
„A united Europe was not achieved and we had war"
Episode 6: Solidarity and freedom (Collapse of Communism)
(...) Today, we do not often appreciate enough what has been achieved since 1989. Minor problems and tensions disturb us in relishing that we were divided by an insuperable wall and it does not exist anymore.
Oppositionists in different countries of eastern Europe helped and inspired each other. Europe liberated itself, because it was faithful to its values. Brave people in the east of the continent opposed evil and took up the fight for freedom and dignity. (...)
Read more: „A united Europe was not achieved and we had war". Episode 6: Solidarity and freedom
„A united Europe was not achieved and we had war"
Episode 5: Against the fatalism of hostility (European and German-Polish reconciliation)
(...) Polish-German reconciliation was a very difficult process due to the scale of Nazi crimes against the Poles. Moreover, after the war, Poland was a communist country, separated from the democratic Federal Republic of Germany by the Iron Curtain. In this situation, the citizens, mostly the Catholics and Evangelicals, took matters into their own hands. They managed to change the attitudes of most of their fellow citizens and to convince the political elite to drop the logic of confrontation and to enter the road of reconciliation instead. The proclamation of Polish bishops to the German bishops with the memorable words “we forgive and ask forgiveness” passed into history. (...)
The Lower Silesian Teacher Training Center in Wrocław is organizing an online seminar "Regional education (not) present in Lower Silesian schools". It is a meeting in the series "Thursdays in DODN – Dyskusyjny Klub Belfra". The organizers invite you to join the meeting on 5 November from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. We also recommend you this event because one of the speakers will be Dr. Tomasz Skonieczny - deputy head of the European Academy of the Krzyżowa Foundation, who will present the educational projects of our foundation.
Participation in the seminar is free, however, prior registration is required. Details are available on the organizer's website
Read more: DODN seminar "Regional education (not) present in Lower Silesian schools"