Interdisciplinary seminar on research on Holocaust sites

Event program

On December 5 and 6, the Zapomniane Foundation, together with representatives of researchers, organized an expert seminar hosted by our partner, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. It took the form of a seminar for young and/or intermediate Holocaust scholars from Poland and abroad, many of whom also acted as memory activists (e.g. Katarzyna Winiarska, Karolina Panz and others), teachers and educators (e.g. Piotr Forecki, Kamil Kijek, etc.), representatives of local communities acting as community leaders in commemoration processes, as well as heritage professionals working in museums and heritage institutions (e.g. Jakub Chmielewski, Joanna Andrysiak, Joanna Wójcicka-Warda).

The event combined the format of an expert seminar with elements of workshops and a guided tour. It consisted of sessions focused on knowledge exchange and debate, as well as sessions during which selected participants gave presentations on topics they were currently working on, followed by an open discussion.

The aim of the seminar was to reflect on Holocaust and memory studies, considering cross-sectoral collaborations including art, academia, urban planning, activism and policy-making. Discussing the research conducted by the participants, their engagement in memory activism and their work as curators and cultural producers, the seminar also addressed tools, inspirations, case studies and best practices in working with Holocaust memory in the face of contemporary challenges.