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Last week we had an opportunity of taking part in two interesting events: on 23–25 March we participated in the Polish-German Forum of Sites of Remembrance, organized by the State Museum in Majdanek and their partners from Germany, and on 24 March – in a seminar dedicated to teachers and educators on the occasion of the National Day for Memory of Poles saving Jews during German occupation. The organizer of the other event was the Institute of National Remembrance, Branch in Opole.

The Forum in Lublin, attended by Director of our Museum, Dr Violetta Rezler-Wasielewska, was an event of pilot character: representatives of thirty institutions dealing with commemoration of victims of World War 2 from both countries took part in it. Its main goal – as we can read on the State Museum Majdanek website – is to create a stable platform for dialogue, among others, in the spheres of commemoration, representation and musealization of crimes perpetrated by the Third Reich, as well as to establish a bilateral team of experts who would implement joint enterprises relating to the history and memory of World War 2, with a special emphasis laid on Polish-German relations. The decision concerning foundation of the Polish-German Forum of Sites of Remembrance was taken in July 2024 by the then Ministers of Culture of both states – Hanna Wróblewska and Claudia Roth. The initiative was included in the Plan for Action of both Governments. At present, the project is at its pilot stage, within the framework of which the principles of cooperation and possibilities of long-term financing are being determined. Next sessions are planned for the autumn this year in Dresden.

In turn the other event took place at the Opole seat of the Institute of National Remembrance. Our Museum was represented by Dr Ewelina Klimczak-Czaplicka of the Department of Education and Exhibitions. The aim of the meeting, under the patronage of Opole Education Superintendent, Joanna Raźniewska, was to present didactic materials of the Institute, which can be made use of both during school lessons and history lessons at museums in the context of commemoration of Poles who assisted Jewish population during World War 2.