Panelists: Mirosław Skórka, President of the Association of Ukrainians in Poland; Agnieszka Holland, a renowned film and theater director; and Łukasz Mieszkowski, a historian at the Pilecki Institute (Photo: Danuta Matloch)
The Jan Karski Educational Foundation’s sister organization, Fundacja Edukacyjna Jana Karskiego in Warsaw, Poland, has created a new publication entitled “Jan Karski w cudzej pamięci” (“Jan Karski in People’s Memory”) with the recollections of people who knew Karski personally, talked to him, listened to his speeches, or asked for his advice or judgment. The book’s official launch took place at the Museum of the History of Polish Jews POLIN in Warsaw on April 16 and was accompanied by a panel discussion about courage at the time of peace and war.
After a warm welcome by the mayor of the Śródmieście District, Aleksander Ferens, the President of the Fundacja Edukacyjna Jana Karskiego Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka introduced the publication about the Polish emissary to the audience. It contains 26 interviews with former Polish presidents, diplomats, scholars, journalists, artists, and civic activists, conducted by the Foundation team between 2021-23 and edited by Wioletta Wejman. The book also includes the text published by Prof. Peter Krogh, former Dean at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, Karski’s colleague and friend. The interlocutors present Karski from diverse points of view; they remember his wisdom, empathy, engagement, humility, charisma, and, most of all, courage. “In our geopolitically complicated times, when we need people to walk in Karski’s footsteps, the conversations turn out to be extremely current,” said Ms. Junczyk-Ziomecka.
Prof. Tadeusz Gadacz gave an inspirational lecture about courage, valor, and prudence, as well as brave heart and humility. The lecture was followed by a lively discussion moderated by Jacek Żakowski, a journalist, who started the debate by evoking the courage of democratic opposition leaders during the time of the Polish People’s Republic and martial law. The following people participated in the discussion: Agnieszka Holland, a renowned film and theater director; Mirosław Skórka, President of the Association of Ukrainians in Poland; Łukasz Mieszkowski, a historian at the Pilecki Institute; and Senior Staff Warrant Officer at the Polish Army, Dariusz Pastor.
The event attracted around 500 people, including the “co-authors” of the book: former President of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, former Ambassador Maciej Kozłowski, former Ambassador Andrzej Jaroszyński, Czesław Bielecki, Michał Fajbusiewicz, Elżbieta Jasztal-Szwed, Michał Mrożek, Joanna Podolska, Marek Siwiec, Justyna Duriasz-Bułhak, Prof. Stanisław Sołtysiński, Prof. Tomasz Szarota, Ewa and Maciej Wierzyńscy, and Prof. Andrzej Żbikowski. Also in attendance were the Chief Rabbi of Poland, Michael Schudrich, Holocaust survivor Bieta Ficowska, Polish Army soldiers, and students from the town of Kadzidło and the Theater Group “U Machulskich.”
The event was organized by Fundacja Edukacyjna Jana Karskiego in cooperation with the POLIN Museum and support from the Śródmieście District in Warsaw. The publication was co-funded by the Polish Ministry of Culture and Education (Culture Promotion Fund), Dom Spotkań z Historią (Warsaw Historical Book Fund), the Wydawnictwo Poznańskie publishing house, Elemental company, and Małgorzata and Andrzej Rojek.
More information about the book, in Polish: https://www.jankarski.net/pl/projekty-2/ksiazka-jan-karski-w-cudzej-pamieci.html
The English translation is forthcoming.
