With pride and joy, we announce that on December 17, 2024, Consul General Martin Kremer presented, on behalf of Dietmar Nietan, the German Government Coordinator for Polish-German Cross-Border and Inter-Societal Cooperation, a certificate of recognition to Dr. habil. Robert Żurek for his outstanding contributions to building Polish-German relations.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our director and colleague, who inspires us every day with his dedication and passion for fostering dialogue and mutual understanding.

The past days in Krzyżowa were a special time for reflection, remembrance, and dialogue.
The three-day celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Reconciliation Mass in Krzyżowa brought together participants from Poland, Germany, and other countries, who collectively celebrated years of dedication to Polish-German reconciliation, cooperation, and building understanding in Europe.

Photograph shows Gayatri Kodikal installation

The 2nd edition of the international Konrad and Paweł Jarodzki Artist In Residence Programme has come to an end. The second edition of the Konrad and Paweł Jarodzki International Artist Residency Programme is behind us. Five artists participated: Alaa Abu Asad, Uladzimir Hramovich, Gayatri Kodikal, Beata Rojek, Annette Ruenzler.

For more information on the selected artists: https://www.krzyzowa.pl/en/projects/art-projects/artist-in-residency/artist-in-residency-4/4764-rezydencja-artystyczna-edycja-2029.

During their six-week stay in Krzyżowa, the residents were able to focus on artistic research, developing ideas and creating works. They also worked on workshops with young people hosted in Krzyżowa as part of youth exchange programmes. The beginning of the residency coincided with the catastrophic floods in Lower Silesia, which also affected Krzyżowa and influenced the creative processes and placement of artistic works.

On November 14, a debate was held in Wrocław at Barbara / Wrocław Institute of Culture, focusing on the transformations in Poland after 1989 and the country’s path to NATO and the European Union.

The participants in the debate included:

*Monika Sus – political scientist, professor at the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and visiting professor at the Centre for International Security Research at Hertie School in Berlin.
*Łukasz Kamiński – historian, director of the Ossolineum National Institute, former president of the Institute of National Remembrance, and academic at the Historical Institute of the University of Wrocław.
*Katarzyna Kaczorowska (moderator) – journalist and reporter, contributor to Magazyn TVN24, Newsweek, and Tygodnik Powszechny, as well as editor-in-chief of Głos Uczelni, the UPWr university journal.
The debate was attended by students and teachers from high schools in Wrocław, with a total of 84 participants.

From December 2 to December 6, an extraordinary youth exchange between Zielona Góra and the German town of Peitz took place. The meeting, held at the International Youth Meeting Centre in Krzyżowa (MDSM Krzyżowa), brought together 40 participants. This event, funded by the Polish-German Youth Office (PNWM), aimed to foster intercultural connections and encourage creative collaboration in a unique holiday atmosphere.

During the exchange, participants took part in various workshops designed to promote creativity and integration. One of the highlights of the program was creating holiday wreaths from wicker, which were then decorated according to individual ideas. The process required teamwork, imagination, and manual skills. The results impressed both participants and organizers alike.

In addition to creative activities, the youth prepared posters and presentations reflecting their shared discussions on daily customs and hobbies in Poland and Germany. This allowed participants to better understand cultural diversity while discovering numerous common interests.

Krzyżowa, with its historical significance as a place of dialogue and collaboration, provided the perfect backdrop for the exchange. It not only nurtured creative skills but also facilitated the formation of international friendships and mutual understanding. Participants emphasized that working together, regardless of language or cultural differences, is an excellent way to build close relationships and mutual respect.

On Friday, October 25, 2024, we had the pleasure of attending the final gala of the international essay competition "Women in Resistance", held at the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum in Leipzig. This competition was one of the many initiatives within the three-year project “Female Stories Unheard – European Remembrance of Women in Resistance Against National Socialism”, carried out in collaboration with Bildungswerk Sachsen (Leipzig) and Antikomplex (Prague).

Out of the essays submitted, the jury selected 10 outstanding works, with three earning a spot on the podium:
🏅 1st Place: "Invisible Resistance: Batsheva's Story" by Shania Timpe (Germany)
🥈 2nd Place: "Dolly. Buried in Time" by Amelia Maj (Poland)
🥉 3rd Place: "I Am a Woman – I Know. A Lesson on Femininity" by Weronika Doburcka (Poland)

From October 21 to 26, 2024, 60 students from Środa Śląska (Poland), Kamionka Buska (Ukraine), and Saterland (Germany) came together for an engaging week at the International Youth Meeting Center in Krzyżowa. Through language and integration games, tours of Krzyżowa, and self-organized evening activities, they built meaningful connections and got to know one another better.

The program included excursions to Świdnica and the Polish partner town of Środa Śląska. During creative workshops, participants explored elements of folklore from their three countries, designing their own interpretations on bags. Scrapbooking sessions provided an opportunity to craft memory albums using various natural papers and materials.

From October 18 to 20, 2024, the seminar "From Conflict to Reconciliation: How to Teach About Polish-German Relations?" took place in Berlin, aimed at teachers and educators working with German school youth.

The seminar sought to deepen participants' understanding of the history of Polish-German relations (from 1939 to today), explore differences and similarities in Polish and German memories of World War II, and present the experiences of educators engaged in the Joint Polish-German Textbook Commission.

A total of 24 participants took part in the seminar.

From October 13 to 19, 2024, Krzyżowa hosted the “Young Leaders” project, organized by the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe with financial support from the German Consulate. The initiative aimed to equip young leaders with essential skills and knowledge to foster effective and empathetic collaboration with youth and children who have experienced displacement, migration, or refugee status.

Key Objectives

The project focused on developing leadership competencies, gaining international experience, and acquiring practical knowledge in psychological and social support. Participants had the opportunity to exchange views and build connections with peers from various countries who shared similar life challenges. The program emphasized resilience, creativity, and nurturing self-confidence, empathy, and hope.

At the beginning of October, the Managing Director of our Foundation, Robert Żurek, and the Head of Communication and International Cooperation, Paulina Maloy, held a series of meetings with Krzyżowa Foundation partners in Warsaw. We are grateful for the time and discussions with Ms. Agnieszka Kowalska, Director of the European Policy Department, Dr. hab. Sebastian Płóciennik, Member of the Board and Director of the Polish-German Cooperation Foundation, Mr. Michał Braun, Director of the National Freedom Institute, and his Deputy, Ms. Adela Gąsiorowska.

We were also honored to meet with the Deputy Minister of Education, Joanna Mucha, from the Ministry of National Education.

Meanwhile, preparations are in full swing for the 35th anniversary of the Reconciliation Mass in Krzyżowa this November! To discuss key points, our Managing Director, Dorota Krajdocha, and Director of Development and Innovation, Aleksandra Królak-Wąsowicz, met with Bartłomiej Strózik, Mayor of Świdnica Municipality.

We look forward to the upcoming collaborations and meetings!

Since 2023, the historic House on the Hill has been undergoing renovation.

Thanks to the support of our partners—particularly the Freya von Moltke Foundation, the Willy Robert Pitzer Foundation, and the Dr. Rolf M. Schwiete Foundation—the first phase of renovation has been successfully completed. This included drying and insulating the basement, insulating and restoring the facade, replacing the roof, and renovating the wooden veranda.

Currently, the second phase is underway, focusing on the renewal of all installations (water, sewage, heating) and the adaptation of the room layout on the first and second floors to the new utilization concept. In spring, plastering will take place, wooden floors and stairs will be restored, and the building will be prepared for the third phase: furnishing and finalization.

In 2024, an essential element of this comprehensive renovation—the replacement of electrical installations—was financed and completed with funds from the National Freedom  Institute (Narodowy Instytut Wolności). This included electrical works, new wiring with sockets, an alarm system, surveillance, telecommunication networks, and antenna installations.

NIW funding amount: 250,000 PLN

"Images, Power and Conflicts of Interpretation in Europe between 1945, 1990 and 2025"

The East-West European Memorial Meeting in Krzyżowa 2025 focuses on historical image memory in relation to the historical turning points of "80 years since the end of WWII" and "35 years since the collapse of the communist states". 

The conference will focus on how the use and reception of photographs and images have shaped the memory of historical events in Eastern and Western Europe. How have they been used in memorials, museums, documentation centers and exhibitions before and after 1990? How are they used today? The aim is to take stock: How does the historical memory of images interact with these turning points today? What changed with the historical breaks in the use of images and the narratives that developed around the themes of "mass crimes," "camps," "occupation regimes," and "gestures of reconciliation? How has the treatment of images changed since the "visual turn" in the 2000s, and how has digital transformation, including the use of AI, affected the use of photographs and images today?