Videos

Speech by Marta Cienkowska, Minister of Culture and National Heritage of Poland, delivered at the opening of "Between Life and Death. Stories of Rescue during the Holocaust" — a travelling exhibition presented for the first time in North America at the United Nations Headquarters in New York (15 January – 20 February 2026).

The opening ceremony brought together distinguished speakers, including Melissa Fleming (UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications), Chaloka Beyani (UN Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide), H.E. Krzysztof Maria Szczerski (Permanent Representative of Poland to the UN), Holocaust survivor Elżbieta Ficowska, and other representatives of partner institutions.

The exhibition was displayed as part of The Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme's activities marking the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

The exhibition was prepared in cooperation with Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN (Museum of the History of Polish Jews) and Silent Heroes Memorial Center, pays tribute to those who risked their lives to help persecuted Jews during World War II, presenting stories from over thirteen European countries and highlighting the experiences of both rescuers and survivors.

More information about the exhibition: enrs.eu/between-life-and-death

This radio documentary tells the story of Rozette Kats – a woman who, as a baby, was hidden by a Dutch couple and given a new identity, while her family was deported and murdered.

From 1942 onwards, more than 100,000 people were deported from the Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands. Most were Jews, sent to extermination camps such as Auschwitz concentration camp and Sobibor extermination camp. Few survived.

Through Rozette’s personal story, the programme explores memory, loss, and the lasting impact of survival. After decades of silence, she found her voice, becoming an activist and advocating for empathy, remembrance, and justice.

Originally broadcast on Deutschlandfunk, this radio documentary received an Honourable Mention in the “Grand Stories: History Through Journalism” awards for its compelling storytelling and sensitive portrayal of trauma.

Anna of Remembrance, a documentary by Beata Rzemieniuk and Magdalena Curzydło, was awarded an Honourable Mention in the ENRS Journalism Awards 2026 in recognition of its engaging storytelling and powerful portrayal of personal commitment to preserving memory.

Anna of Remembrance is a documentary that explores the legacy of Auschwitz and the early efforts to preserve it after its liberation on 27 January 1945. Set against the historical background of the post-war years, the film traces how former prisoners and Polish authorities worked together to secure the site and establish what would become the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.

At the heart of the story is Anna Odi, the daughter of former camp prisoners who chose to remain in Oświęcim after the war. Growing up among the remnants of the camp, Anna developed a deeply personal connection to the site. Her memories of childhood, her encounters with those who helped build the museum, and her ongoing dedication to preserving its history offer a unique and intimate perspective on a place marked by tragedy.

The documentary highlights the role of individuals in safeguarding collective memory, showing how Anna has become a custodian of history: someone who knows the site intimately and continues to uncover its stories. Through her narrative, the film reflects on the importance of remembrance, education, and responsibility in passing this history on to future generations.

Recording from the webinar "Eva Paddock's Story: Rescue from the Holocaust" from 24 March 2026.

The webinar began with a short introduction delivered by the organizers, followed by the main part: a one-hour conversation with Eva Paddock. The discussion focused on education and how to start conversations with students about altruism and empathy. Eva shared her reflections on how being a Kindertransport child was not central to her identity until later in life, when her story gradually began to unfold.

Participants were invited to ask questions throughout via the chat, which were addressed during the discussion.

In the second part, Dr. Amy Williams presented the broader historical context, drawing on her expertise in Kindertransport research to frame the rescue story.

The session concluded with a presentation of teaching resources—including a timeline, video, classroom exercises, and photo gallery—followed by Stephan Rauschenbach sharing his recent, first-hand classroom experiences using these materials.

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Winner of the First Prize in the Video Category at the Grand Stories: Journalism Awards, Let’s Say Goodbye to the Night is a Dutch documentary by Piet de Blaauw and Jan Pieter Tuinstra.

The film tells a story of memory, resistance, and survival, centred on the history of Sobibor, the extermination camp in Nazi-occupied eastern Poland where approximately 170,000 Jews were murdered between May 1942 and 14 October 1943.

Created as part of Aktion Reinhard, Sobibor was designed to leave no witnesses. Yet on 14 October 1943, prisoners from across Europe organised a revolt and attempted a mass escape. Around 400 people fled the camp, about 150 reached the forest, and only around 50 survived the war.

Drawing on testimonies recorded in the 1980s by Sobibor survivor Jules Schelvis and filmmaker Dunya Breur, Let’s Say Goodbye to the Night revisits these histories through the voices of the next generations. The filmmakers meet the families of survivors in the Netherlands, the United States, Israel, Russia, and Ukraine, creating a dialogue between past and present.

Through these encounters, the documentary explores how memory is carried across generations and how the legacy of trauma, courage, and resistance continues to shape lives today. By focusing on individual stories, the film presents the prisoners of Sobibor not as victims of Nazi terror, but as people who actively sought to reclaim agency in the face of annihilation.

The Jury of the Grand Stories: Journalism Awards recognised the film for its outstanding storytelling and cinematic quality, highlighting its sensitive and powerful portrayal of individuals who chose resistance over submission.

The Longest March, a radio documentary by Kamil Hypki, was awarded First Prize in the ENRS Journalism Awards 2026 for outstanding critical journalism exploring lesser-known chapters of local history in Zielona Góra (formerly Grünberg).

The story begins at the Deutsche Wollenwaren Manufaktur AG in Grünberg, where from 1942 the factory used forced labour from female prisoners, mainly Jewish women deported from Poland and Hungary. On 29 January 1945, around 2,000 prisoners were divided into two groups and forced to leave the camp. One group marched until 5 May 1945, covering nearly 800 kilometres, making it the longest evacuation march of prisoners during the Second World War.

Through the voices of female survivors, witnesses, and historians, the documentary uncovers a remarkable and largely forgotten story. Based on careful archival research and the search for surviving witnesses, the programme reveals how history emerges gradually through personal testimonies, memories, and local archives.

By tracing these stories, The Longest March offers a powerful example of journalism that connects local history with broader historical reflection, reminding us how individual experiences shape our understanding of the past.

To mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2026, the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity presents a short film featuring the art of Marianne Grant—an artist whose drawings, created inside German Nazi camps, became a means of survival and a powerful form of witness, preserving moments of care and humanity in the face of extreme dehumanisation.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Day was designated as such by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 in order to make future generations sensitive to the tragedy of the Holocaust and so prevent in that way any future acts of genocide. The Day is commemorated on 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau German Nazi concentration camp, the site that witnessed the carnage of at least a million of Hungarian, Polish, French, Czech, Slovak and Greek Jews as well as those from other countries, and around a hundred twenty thousand other prisoners (Poles, Roma, Soviet captives and others). The European Network Remembrance and Solidarity wishes to be involved in activities commemorating the Day in public awareness.

In September 2025, young people from across Europe took part in the first edition of Freedom of Speech Beyond Borders, an educational project exploring the history of censorship and underground publishing during the Cold War. Through online seminars and study visits to archives in Bremen, Prague, and Maisons-Laffitte, participants engaged with samizdat and tamizdat materials, learning how independent literature and art were created and circulated despite restrictions.

Throughout the project, they worked in workshops, using creative journaling and hands-on zine-making to reflect on the stories they encountered. Their collaborative process resulted in a series of DIY publications that captured their research, insights, and personal responses to the struggle for freedom of expression.

The 'Freedom of Speech Beyond Borders' project was co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland within the framework of the Inspiring Culture Programme.

In late September and early October 2025, students from across Europe came together in Pruszków, Poland, to take part in the 'Sound in the Silence' project. Together with artists from various disciplines, they explored the history of the Dulag 121 transit camp, a place through which hundreds of thousands of civilians from Warsaw were forced to pass during and after the 1944 Warsaw Uprising.

Throughout the week, participants worked in artistic workshops led by Dan Wolf (Creative Writing), Kat Rampackova (Dance), and Sean Palmer (Vocals). Through movement, voice, and writing, they reflected on the stories of those displaced from their homes, uncovering the resilience, trauma, and silence that have shaped the region’s memory. Their collaborative process culminated in a final performance that combined sound, dance, and text to bring attention to the experiences of the civilians whose histories have long remained overlooked.

Sound in the Silence is an intercultural and international remembrance project for youth. At historically challenging locations students work with artists representing different artistic fields in order to understand how the past is connected to their questions in the present.
Learn more about the project here.

Recording from the webinar “New Borders, New Orders: Teaching the Aftermath of the Great War” from 18 November 2025.

This session explores how the aftermath of the First World War can be taught through the eyes of the children who lived it. How do we help students imagine a world where currency collapses overnight or everyday goods become scarce? The webinar introduces storytelling approaches and classroom strategies that make these complex transformations relatable for today’s learners. Historian Izabela Mrzygłód, PhD presents new educational resources, including ego-documents, biographies, photographs, and literary excerpts, showing how young people across Europe experienced instability and social change. Prof. Ewelina Szpak highlights the online exhibition “After the Great War. A New Europe 1918–1923,” offering teachers a ready-made collection of maps, infographics, archival images, and personal accounts. Designed especially for lessons marking the November anniversary of the end of the First World War, this webinar provides practical materials and examples that link global postwar developments to the everyday lives of children and families.

Speakers:
Izabela Mrzygłód, PhD – Historian and editor; post-doc at the Institute of Slavic Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences.
Prof. Ewelina Szpak – Co-creator of “After the Great War. A New Europe 1918–1923.”

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Recording from the webinar “Freedom of Speech Beyond Borders – the Power of Samizdat” from 21 October 2025.

This session explores how freedom of speech was defended under totalitarian regimes and how underground publications known as samizdat became a powerful medium of resistance across Eastern Europe. Designed for history and civic education teachers, it shows how the legacy of samizdat can inspire today’s students to reflect on the value of free expression.

Participants discover how samizdat challenged censorship and official propaganda, how forbidden texts were copied, shared, and smuggled abroad, and why Slovakia offers a unique example within a broader European network of dissent. The session also presents practical teaching approaches and classroom materials developed within the international project "Freedom of Speech Beyond Borders".

Speaker: Martin Klimza, lecturer at the Museum of the Victims of Communism in Košice (Slovakia). A graduate of the University of Aberdeen, Klimza researches modern Slovak history and leads educational workshops on human rights and political persecution under communism. He is currently pursuing a PhD at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University.

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Recording from the webinar „Images That Speak: Iconic WWII Photography and the Art of Visual Storytelling” from the 07 October 2025.

This session explores how photography captures and shapes collective memory through powerful images from the Second World War. Designed for teachers and educators, it shows how students can use photography to tell meaningful historical stories and build visual narratives that connect past and present.

The webinar also introduces a student photography contest and demonstrates ways to involve classrooms in preparing for it. Participants gain access to ready-to-use educational materials that support history, art, and media literacy lessons.

Speaker: Jan Prosiński, cinematographer, director, and photographer, graduate of the National Film School in Łódź. He has created numerous documentary projects and over a thousand interviews for the Warsaw Rising Museum. His photographic work focuses on portraits and landscapes, inspired by his passion for art history and nature.

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Public task financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland within the grant competition "Public Diplomacy 2024-2025 - the European dimension and countering disinformation".

On 8 May 1945, Nazi Germany unconditionally surrendered to Allied forces, bringing an end to World War II in Europe. In 2025, 80 years later, we reflect on the devastating conflict that claimed millions of lives and reshaped the global order.

We premiere our new educational animation marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The film guides viewers through the key stages of the conflict – from the aggression of Nazi Germany and the outbreak of war, through occupation and unprecedented mass violence, to the final days of 1945.

World War II was unlike any previous conflict. For the first time, the technology of mass extermination was used against entire ethnic groups, regardless of military rationale. While in World War I 95% of victims were soldiers, in World War II civilians accounted for two-thirds of the deaths. The scale was global: 60 countries involved, military operations across 40 states, 100 million mobilised, and between 50–70 million lives lost.

The film recalls pivotal events and human experiences: the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, the Blitzkrieg and fall of Warsaw, occupation terror and systematic extermination of the Polish elite, the Battle of Monte Cassino, the Warsaw Uprising, the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi German Concentration Camp, the Yalta Conference, the bombing of Dresden, the fall of Berlin, and finally, Germany’s unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945.

This animation is part of our campaign #WWII80YearsAfter, which follows the trajectory of the war and its legacy through videos, articles, and curated resources.

Public task financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland within the grant competition "Public Diplomacy 2024-2025 - the European dimension and countering disinformation

Learn more about the Second World War here.

8 maja 1945 roku hitlerowskie Niemcy bezwarunkowo poddały się siłom alianckim, co oznaczało koniec II wojny światowej w Europie. W roku 2025, osiemdziesiąt lat później, powracamy pamięcią do tego tragicznego konfliktu, który pochłonął miliony istnień i na zawsze zmienił porządek świata.

Prezentujemy premierę nowej animacji edukacyjnej przygotowanej z okazji 80. rocznicy zakończenia II wojny światowej. Film prowadzi widza przez kluczowe etapy konfliktu – od agresji hitlerowskich Niemiec i wybuchu wojny, przez okupację i bezprecedensową falę przemocy, aż po ostatnie dni roku 1945.

II wojna światowa była konfliktem bez precedensu. Po raz pierwszy technologia masowej zagłady została skierowana przeciwko całym grupom etnicznym, niezależnie od celów militarnych. Podczas gdy w I wojnie światowej 95 proc. ofiar stanowili żołnierze, w II wojnie aż dwie trzecie stanowili cywile. Skala była globalna: 60 państw zaangażowanych, działania zbrojne w 40 krajach, 100 milionów zmobilizowanych i od 50 do nawet 70 milionów ofiar.

Film przywołuje najważniejsze wydarzenia i ludzkie doświadczenia: rozpad Czechosłowacji, pakt Ribbentrop–Mołotow, Blitzkrieg i kapitulację Warszawy, okupacyjny terror i planową eksterminację polskiej elity, bitwę o Monte Cassino, Powstanie Warszawskie, wyzwolenie Auschwitz, konferencję jałtańską, bombardowanie Drezna, zdobycie Berlina, aż po bezwarunkową kapitulację Niemiec 8 maja 1945 roku.

Animacja powstała w ramach kampanii #WWII80YearsAfter, która ukazuje bieg wojny i jej dziedzictwo poprzez filmy, artykuły i wyselekcjonowane materiały edukacyjne.

Zadanie publiczne finansowane przez Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP w konkursie „Dyplomacja publiczna 2024-2025 – wymiar europejski i przeciwdziałanie dezinformacji”.

Am 8. Mai 1945 kapitulierte das nationalsozialistische Deutschland bedingungslos vor den alliierten Streitkräften und beendete damit den Zweiten Weltkrieg in Europa. Im Jahr 2025 erinnern wir an diesen verheerenden Konflikt, der Millionen Menschenleben forderte und die Weltordnung grundlegend veränderte.

Wir präsentieren die Premiere unserer neuen Lernanimation anlässlich des 80. Jahrestags des Endes des Zweiten Weltkriegs. Der Film führt die Zuschauer durch die entscheidenden Etappen des Krieges – von der Aggression des nationalsozialistischen Deutschlands und dem Ausbruch des Krieges über Besatzung und beispiellose Massenverbrechen bis zu den letzten Tagen des Jahres 1945.

Der Zweite Weltkrieg war anders als alle früheren Konflikte: Zum ersten Mal wurde Technologien für die Massenvernichtung ganzer Bevölkerungsgruppen eingesetzt – unabhängig von militärischen Überlegungen. Während im Ersten Weltkrieg 95 % der Opfer Soldaten waren, waren im Zweiten Weltkrieg zwei Drittel der Toten Zivilisten. Das Ausmaß war global: 60 beteiligte Länder, militärische Operationen in 40 Staaten, 100 Millionen Mobilisierte und 50–70 Millionen Tote.

Der Film erinnert an Schlüsselmomente und menschliche Erfahrungen: die Zerschlagung der Tschechoslowakei, den Hitler-Stalin-Pakt, den Blitzkrieg und die Kapitulation von Warschau, den Terror der Besatzung und die systematische Vernichtung der polnischen Elite, die Schlacht um Monte Cassino, den Warschauer Aufstand, die Befreiung von Auschwitz, die Konferenz von Jalta, die Bombardierung Dresdens, den Fall Berlins und schließlich die bedingungslose Kapitulation Deutschlands am 8. Mai 1945.

Diese Animation ist Teil unserer Kampagne #WWII80YearsAfter, die den Verlauf des Krieges und sein Vermächtnis durch Videos, Artikel und kuratierte Materialien nachzeichnet.

Diese öffentliche Aufgabe wird vom Ministerium für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten der Republik Polen im Rahmen des Wettbewerbs „Öffentliche Diplomatie 2024–2025 – die europäische Dimension und die Bekämpfung von Desinformation“ mitfinanziert.

8 травня 1945 року нацистська Німеччина беззастережно капітулювала перед союзними військами, поклавши край Другій світовій війні в Європі. У 2025 році, через 80 років, ми згадуємо про цей спустошливий конфлікт, який забрав мільйони життів і докорінно змінив світовий порядок.

Ми представляємо прем’єру нової навчальної анімації, створеної до 80-ї річниці завершення Другої світової війни. Фільм проводить глядачів крізь ключові етапи війни — від агресії нацистської Німеччини та початку бойових дій, через окупацію і безпрецедентні масові злочини, до останніх днів 1945 року.

Друга світова війна не мала аналогів у попередній історії. Вперше технології були використані для масового знищення цілих народів, незалежно від воєнних цілей. Якщо під час Першої світової війни 95% жертв становили солдати, то в Другій світовій дві третини загиблих були цивільними. Масштаб війни був глобальним: 60 країн-учасниць, військові дії на території 40 держав, 100 мільйонів мобілізованих і від 50 до 70 мільйонів загиблих.

Фільм відтворює ключові події та людські переживання: розчленування Чехословаччини, пакт Молотова–Ріббентропа, бліцкриг і падіння Варшави, терор окупації та систематичне знищення польської еліти, битву під Монте-Кассіно, Варшавське повстання, визволення концтабору Аушвіц-Біркенау, Ялтинську конференцію, бомбардування Дрездена, падіння Берліна та, зрештою, беззастережну капітуляцію Німеччини 8 травня 1945 року.

Ця анімація є частиною кампанії #WWII80YearsAfter, яка простежує перебіг війни та її спадщину через відео, статті та спеціально підготовлені матеріали.

Цей публічний проєкт співфінансується Міністерством закордонних справ Республіки Польща в межах конкурсу «Публічна дипломатія 2024–2025 – європейський вимір і боротьба з дезінформацією».

Dne 8. května 1945 nacistické Německo bezpodmínečně kapitulovalo před spojeneckými vojsky a tím ukončilo druhou světovou válku v Evropě. V roce 2025, po osmdesáti letech, si připomínáme tento ničivý konflikt, který si vyžádal miliony lidských životů a zásadně proměnil světový řád.

Představujeme premiéru našeho nového vzdělávacího animovaného filmu, vytvořeného u příležitosti 80. výročí konce druhé světové války. Film provází diváky klíčovými etapami konfliktu – od agrese nacistického Německa a vypuknutí války, přes okupaci a bezprecedentní masové zločiny až po poslední dny roku 1945.

Druhá světová válka se od všech předchozích konfliktů zásadně lišila. Poprvé byly moderní technologie využity k hromadnému vyhlazování celých skupin obyvatelstva, bez ohledu na vojenské cíle. Zatímco v první světové válce tvořili 95 % obětí vojáci, během druhé světové války byly dvě třetiny obětí civilisté. Rozsah konfliktu byl globální: 60 zúčastněných zemí, vojenské operace ve 40 státech, 100 milionů mobilizovaných osob a 50 až 70 milionů mrtvých.

Film připomíná zásadní události a lidské osudy: rozbití Československa, pakt Molotov–Ribbentrop, bleskovou válku a kapitulaci Varšavy, teror okupace a systematické vyvražďování polské elity, bitvu o Monte Cassino, Varšavské povstání, osvobození koncentračního tábora Osvětim–Březinka, jaltskou konferenci, bombardování Drážďan, pád Berlína a nakonec bezpodmínečnou kapitulaci Německa 8. května 1945.

Tato animace je součástí kampaně #WWII80YearsAfter, která sleduje průběh války a její dědictví prostřednictvím videí, článků a tematicky kurátorovaných materiálů.

Tento veřejný projekt je spolufinancován Ministerstvem zahraničních věcí Polské republiky v rámci grantového programu „Veřejná diplomacie 2024–2025 – evropský rozměr a boj proti dezinformacím“.

El 8 de mayo de 1945, la Alemania nazi se rindió incondicionalmente ante las fuerzas aliadas, poniendo fin a la Segunda Guerra Mundial en Europa. En 2025, ochenta años después, conmemoramos este devastador conflicto que cobró millones de vidas y transformó profundamente el orden mundial.

Presentamos el estreno de nuestra nueva animación educativa, creada con motivo del 80.º aniversario del fin de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. La película guía a los espectadores por las etapas clave del conflicto: desde la agresión de la Alemania nazi y el estallido de la guerra, pasando por la ocupación y los crímenes masivos sin precedentes, hasta los últimos días de 1945.

La Segunda Guerra Mundial no tuvo precedentes en la historia. Por primera vez, las tecnologías se emplearon para el exterminio masivo de poblaciones enteras, sin tener en cuenta los objetivos militares. Mientras que en la Primera Guerra Mundial el 95 % de las víctimas fueron soldados, en la Segunda Guerra Mundial dos tercios de los fallecidos eran civiles. La escala del conflicto fue verdaderamente global: 60 países involucrados, operaciones militares en 40 Estados, 100 millones de personas movilizadas y entre 50 y 70 millones de muertos.

La película evoca los principales acontecimientos y experiencias humanas: la disolución de Checoslovaquia, el Pacto Molotov-Ribbentrop, la Blitzkrieg y la capitulación de Varsovia, el terror de la ocupación y la eliminación sistemática de la élite polaca, la batalla de Monte Cassino, el Levantamiento de Varsovia, la liberación del campo de concentración de Auschwitz-Birkenau, la Conferencia de Yalta, el bombardeo de Dresde, la caída de Berlín y, finalmente, la rendición incondicional de Alemania el 8 de mayo de 1945.

Esta animación forma parte de la campaña #WWII80YearsAfter, que recorre el desarrollo de la guerra y su legado a través de vídeos, artículos y materiales seleccionados.

Este proyecto público está cofinanciado por el Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de la República de Polonia, en el marco del programa de subvenciones «Diplomacia Pública 2024–2025: dimensión europea y lucha contra la desinformación».