From 24-30 August 2015 An intensive seminar entitled ‘Poland in the Heart of European History’, took place in the Polish Congress House Jabłonna Palace near Warsaw. EuroClio Ambassador Ineke Veldhuis-Meester reports: The Institute of National Remembrance IPN, Instytut Pamięci, offered to 24 History Teachers and Remembrance Educators their views on Polish XXth century history and culture, through lectures, and some workshops, each followed by open discussions., skilfully interpreted by Paweł Sawicki from the Auschwitz Museum. This was the second part of a two years course by carefully chosen lecturers , all specialists in their fields of study of the History of 20th Century Poland.
We learned about e.g. the remarkable role of the Polish Underground State, the movement Solidarity, and the Martial Law. IPN produces historical educational games. By playing the game Kolejka, the Queue, we experienced a part of daily life namely lining up for shops , tricks and hinderances to move on.
The variety of countries represented, enhanced very much the discussions on comparisons and differences: there were nine Hungarians, further people from Moldova, Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Malta, Spain, the Netherlands , Austria, Denmark, Estonia and Iceland; four of them were Euroclians. Exchanging experiences and views continued in the evening and night on the beautiful premisses of the Jabłonna Palace. Łukasz Michalski managed to treat us on a piano recital of a Polish candidate for the Chopin Piano Concours in October in this ‘Chopin year’.
It was a great week with a great group under the inspiring and strict guiding of Anna Brojer, supported by Małgorzata Żuławnik.
Ineke Veldhuis-Meester Euroclio ambassador.
