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„A united Europe was not achieved and we had war". Episode 7: Together for Europe

„A united Europe was not achieved and we had war"
 Episode 7: Together for Europe (Establishing the Krzyżowa Foundation for European Understanding)

(...) The unification on the continent, postulated by Robert Schumann and other politicians shortly after WWII, seemed to be a complete utopia versus the Iron Curtain and Cold War.

On the 4th of June 1989 members of the Catholic Intelligence Club of Wrocław, together with friends from the USA, the Netherlands and both German states, came to Krzyżowa. Here, standing in front of the palace ruins, exactly in this place, they decided to create a European youth meeting centre. This is how the “Krzyżowa Foundation” for Mutual Understanding in Europe was created.  (...)

Read more: „A united Europe was not achieved and we had war". Episode 7: Together for Europe

The first meeting of the project partners „1990 / Year One. The democratic transformation in former Eastern - 12-.13.11.2020 Bloc countries”

On 12 and 13 November, first meeting of the project partners „1990 / Year One. The democratic transformation in former Eastern Bloc countries” took place. It was attended by representatives of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, Paweł Włodkowic Institute (Poland), Stiftung Adam von Trott, Imshausen e.V.  (Germany), Post Bellum (Czech Republic)` and Anyksciu svietimo pagalbos tarnyba (Lithuania).

During the meeting, experts in history and public history from Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Lithuania discussed historical policy and civic activities in the field of shaping collective memory, methodology and division of tasks that will be jointly implemented within the project.

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Online debate || German reunification - reflection on the 30th anniversary - 19 November 2020 [audio recording]

This year, the 30th anniversary of German reunification is an opportunity to reflect on the political and social context of these events and their contemporary significance for Germany, Poland and the whole of Europe.

The Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe together with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Poland organized an online debate, which took place on 19th of November.

The debate was attended by:

• prof. Krzysztof Ruchniewicz (researcher at the University of Wrocław, Director of the Center for German and European Studies Willy Brandt)
• dr Kai-Olaf Lang (expert Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik)

The meeting was moderated by dr Robert Żurek (Managing Director of the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe).

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31st Anniversary of the Reconciliation Mass at Krzyżowa

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