KL Plaszow. Recovering Memory. Debate

We intend to recall the history of KL Plaszow in the postwar period until the early 2000s, when Krakow undertook to commemorate the suffering of many thousands of people imprisoned and murdered in the camp. Regarding KL Plaszow, we are primarily interested in how the memory of this camp changed over time, especially since it is an exceptional one because established within a city. Today, the site of the camp has the status of a war cemetery, but for 50 years after the war, it lived an undercover life of a place marked by a stigma of tragedy. Even the three monuments erected there are proof of the lack of agreement on common reflection. We are convinced that the current heated public discussion proves that the first and most important step to change this situation has been taken, i.e. that the memory of KL Plaszow has been restored. Nonetheless, we think it is important to trace the process of forgetting and unforgetting this place, which is why we solicited historians of the subject to take part in a discussion.

We invite you to participate in the meeting as we believe that it is vital to constantly consider and analyse the processes that occurred in the past.

The participants in the debate will be: Monika Bednarek, Dr. Edyta Gawron, Dr. Michał Niezabitowski.
The meeting will be facilitated by: Magdalena Rigamonti.
The meeting will be translated into Polish sign language and broadcast on the ICC's Facebook profile.

Monika Bednarek – historian, curator, museum professional, long-time manager of the Memory Trail of the Museum of Krakow, which includes the Oskar Schindler's Factory branch; she specializes in the history of Krakow during the German occupation. Representative of the Director of the Historical Museum of Krakow for the management of KL Plaszow Museum.

Dr Edyta Gawron – researcher, historian specializing in the modern history of the Jews. Yad Vashem (International Institute for Holocaust Research in Jerusalem) and the US Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program grant holder. Author of, e.g., „Kraków – czas okupacji 1939–45”.

Dr Michal Niezabitowski – Polish historian, museum professional, and museum community activist. Since 2004, Director of the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow. Decorated with a "Gloria Artis" Silver Medal for Merit to Culture.

Magdalena Rigamonti – Polish press and radio journalist working for the Wprost weekly, Polskie Radio 24, and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna. Winner of the Grand Press Award. Author of books, including „Kulisy warszawskiego ratusza”, „Dorosnąć do śmierci”, „Zatrzymać czas. Sekrety medycyny estetycznej”.