Videos

As we commemorate 20 years of the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS), we reflect not only on what we've achieved but why it still matters.

In this video, Magdalena Żelazowska, Head of Communication and PR at the ENRS, shares her personal perspective on the enduring significance of remembrance and solidarity. For her, these values are not just commemorative, they're about fostering open, cross-generational and cross-cultural conversations that help us better understand ourselves and others.

Why revisit the past? Because awareness is the first step toward empathy, healing, and building a more responsible future. At ENRS, we believe that remembering together, across borders and differences, can help shape a more united and reflective Europe.

Learn more about the history of the ENRS here: A brief history of the ENRS

As the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS) celebrates its 20th anniversary, we’re spotlighting voices from within our team who help bring our mission to life. In this video, Joanna Orłoś, Head of the Project Department, shares her insights into how remembrance and solidarity guide our educational work.

Joanna reflects on the urgency of understanding the past to navigate the present, especially in today’s turbulent times. For her, remembrance means more than preserving facts - it’s about connecting with history in ways that inform how we act today. Solidarity, in turn, is about working together across borders to reflect on difficult histories and shape a more empathetic future.

She highlights ENRS projects such as ‘Hi-Story Lessons’, ‘In Between?’, and ‘Sound in the Silence’, where students from across Europe collaborate in historical dialogue and creative expression—often in memorial sites. These initiatives bring remembrance and solidarity to life, encouraging young people to engage critically, think collectively, and share their interpretations with the wider world.

Learn more about the history of the ENRS here: A brief history of the ENRS

As the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS) marks its 20th anniversary, we continue sharing personal reflections from our team on the values that guide our work. In this video, Beata Drzazga, Head of Strategy and Development and long-time member of the ENRS, offers her perspective on how remembrance and solidarity shape our approach to history.

For Beata, remembrance means engaging with the past not just as a set of facts, but as lived experiences and lessons that help us better understand the present. Solidarity, she says, grows from that understanding—encouraging cooperation, empathy, and action across borders.

She reflects on the ENRS’s mission to create spaces where diverse historical perspectives can be openly shared and critically discussed. With over 200 projects and 500 institutional partners since 2005, our work is grounded in dialogue, education, and collaboration aimed at building a more inclusive and reflective approach to Europe’s shared past.

Learn more about the history of the ENRS here: A brief history of the ENRS

In 2025, the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS) marks 20 years of promoting dialogue on Europe’s 20th-century history. Since its founding in 2005, the Network has connected countries, institutions, and individuals around shared values of remembrance and solidarity.

ENRS Deputy Director Iga Raczyńska reflects on what these values mean to her personally and how they have shaped the Network’s growth over the past decade. From the expansion of international partnerships to gaining structural independence and launching new educational initiatives, she shares the key milestones that have defined the ENRS’s journey. Her insights highlight how remembrance links past and present, and how solidarity fosters mutual respect and collective reflection. As the ENRS continues to grow, our mission remains clear: to build understanding across borders and generations through the responsible exploration of history.

Learn more about the history of the ENRS here: A brief history of the ENRS

In 2025, the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS) celebrates 20 years of fostering dialogue on Europe’s complex 20th-century history. Founded in 2005 by representatives from Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, and later joined by other countries, the ENRS has worked to promote understanding of how historical memory shapes our present and future.

To mark this anniversary, ENRS Director Rafał Rogulski shares his reflections on remembrance, solidarity, and the power of dialogue across borders. In this video, he speaks about the role of history in shaping our present and the importance of fostering mutual understanding through shared memory.

We continue to reaffirm our mission: to encourage responsible remembrance and connect nations through shared memory. By fostering dialogue about the past, we aim to build mutual understanding and strengthen unity across borders.

Learn more about the history of the ENRS here: A brief history of the ENRS

Work submitted to the 'Grandparents: Grand Stories' Contest Title: A Hungarian Man in the Ural Mountains' Author: Máté Csóka, (Hungary) Account from Hungary

'Grandparents. Grand Stories' Contest Honourable Mention in the Audiovisual Category Title: 'The Chamber of Noble Resilience' Author: Maria Ferati (Albania) "In this work, which I have titled 'The Chamber of Noble Resilience', I have shared a very precious story of my family. With a heart full of pride, I am writing about my great-great-grandfather, Hakik Hysa—a man I never had the chance to meet personally, but whose heroic deeds continue to illuminate my path even after so many years. For me, it is truly a privilege that his extraordinary sacrifices, which remain engraved in the memory of our people, are now being recognized with the dignity they deserve. Hakik Hysa, a brave man born and raised in the village of Zall-Dardhë in Dibra, Albania was a distinguished figure during the years 1943-1944. During the National Liberation War, he opened the doors of his home to 60 partisan heroes. For the partisans, each day was a new challenge, filled with countless dangers that threatened them. They crossed harsh mountains, enduring difficult conditions, hiding from the enemy, suffering from hunger and exhaustion. Wounded and weary, the partisans sought refuge in the homes of courageous people willing to help them. Among these brave individuals was my great-great-grandfather, Hakik Hysa, who, for a full two years, sheltered, protected, fed, and clothed them, even turning his home into a makeshift "hospital." Whenever the partisans were injured or wounded in battle, Hakik, along with his sons, was ready to take them into their tower and treat them. They cared for them, washing and tending to their wounds with great dedication." The women of Hakik Hysa’s household played an equally important role in this heroic story. They cooked with devotion to feed the partisans and stayed up late at night sewing socks and shoes for them. Additionally, the renowned fighter Myslym Keta also found shelter in Hakik Hysa’s tower. These accounts can be found in a book written about Hakik Hysa, titled Hakik Hysa of Dardha. In this book, we also find verses written by the great Albanian writer Dritëro Agolli, who, after visiting Hakik’s tower, dedicated several pages to him—pages that are also presented in my video.

Recording from the webinar „Webinar: 80 years after: WWII in the Age of Disinformation” from the 20 May 2025.

Marking 80 years since the end of WWII, this webinar explores how history is used, and misused, in today’s media landscape. Aimed at teachers and educators, it introduces the Histories at War educational package, offering ready-to-use lessons on disinformation, memory conflicts, and critical media literacy.

Topics include Wikipedia as a site of memory manipulation, differing 8/9 May commemorations in Germany, Soviet myths in Georgia, and intergenerational storytelling in Hungary.
Speakers from Germany, Georgia, and Hungary share insights and classroom strategies. Participants receive teaching materials including debate scenarios, quizzes, and historical sources.

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Learn more about the Second World War 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. Today, 80 years later, we reflect on the devastating conflict that claimed millions of lives and reshaped the global order.

This teaser is part of our educational campaign #WWII80YearsAfter, launched to mark 80 years since the outbreak and end of the Second World War. Through videos, articles, historical documents, and curated resources, the campaign follows the war’s trajectory - from the invasion of Poland in 1939 to the liberation of Europe in 1945 and the postwar reckoning.

This preview offers a glimpse into our upcoming full-length video on the course of the war—highlighting key turning points, human experiences, and the enduring legacy of this global catastrophe.

Learn more about the Second World War here.

The contest ‘Grandparents. Grand Stories. The Closest Stories from World War II’, organised by the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity, marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Aimed especially at elementary and secondary school pupils, university students, and educators, the initiative invited participants to explore the personal and local dimensions of wartime history—often through family stories and firsthand accounts from witnesses.

The contest concluded in March 2025, and the winners have now been announced. Through their submissions, participants helped preserve the fading memories of a crucial era, strengthening intergenerational dialogue and encouraging a deeper connection to the past.

Learn more about the contest here.

Learn more about the Second World War 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".

Aufzeichnung des Webinars „80 Jahre danach: Der Zweite Weltkrieg im Zeitalter der Desinformation“ vom 29. April 2025.

Im Fokus des Webinars steht die unterschiedliche Erinnerungskultur in Ost- und Westdeutschland an das Kriegsende am 8.–9. Mai 1945 und ihre Bedeutung vor dem Hintergrund zunehmender Desinformation. Christine Riesenhuber (Europäische Schule München) und Arkadi Miller (Museum Berlin-Karlshorst) zeigen anhand praktischer Unterrichtsmaterialien, wie Lehrkräfte den kontroversen Erinnerungsdiskurs zum Zweiten Weltkrieg im Unterricht behandeln können. Moderiert wurde die Veranstaltung von Helena Link (ENRS). Die Teilnehmenden erhalten Einblicke in neue Bildungsansätze zu Geschichte, Medienkompetenz und kritischem Denken – mit Materialien wie Fachartikeln, Primärquellen, Quizzen und Gruppenaufgaben. Ein Angebot für Lehrkräfte und Pädagog:innen, die ihren Schüler:innen helfen möchten, historische Narrative zu hinterfragen und Desinformation kritisch zu begegnen.

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Learn more about the Second World War 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".

Nagranie z webinarium „80 lat później: Jak uczyć o II wojnie światowej w czasach dezinformacji” z 24 kwietnia 2025 r.

Podczas spotkania zastanawialiśmy się, czy II wojna światowa to zamknięty rozdział historii, czy może nadal aktywne pole walki – tym razem informacyjnej. Webinarium poprowadził Łukasz Migniewicz, historyk i nauczyciel historii z Wrocławia, który zaprezentował nowoczesne podejście do nauczania o wojnie w kontekście współczesnych wyzwań. Uczestnicy poznali zestaw innowacyjnych narzędzi edukacyjnych, wspierających rozwój krytycznego myślenia – od storytellingu memicznego i TikToka historycznego, po edycję Wikipedii, debatę uczniowską i grę decyzyjną „Ratujemy pomnik!”. W trakcie webinarium przedstawiony został również nowy pakiet dydaktyczny, zawierający scenariusze lekcji, quizy online oraz zestaw źródeł historycznych i ilustracji.

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Learn more about the Second World War 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".

Recording from the webinar „ Holocaust denial and distortion in times of the 80th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation” from the 23 January 2025.

As the world marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, this webinar explored the ongoing threats of Holocaust denial and distortion. Experts examined how extremist groups, state actors, and social media have amplified misinformation, challenging historical truth and undermining the memory of one of history’s darkest chapters. Our speaker, Marlene Wöckinger—a historian at the Mauthausen Memorial and an expert in Holocaust education—shares her insights. She collaborates with erinnern.at, TikTok Germany, and EuroClio on innovative educational projects. The webinar provides educators and the public with practical tools—including lesson plans, fact-checking resources, and survivor testimonies—to counter Holocaust distortion effectively.

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Learn more about the Second World War 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".

Recording from the webinar „ Weaponizing the Past: Russia’s use of WWII in its aggression against Ukraine” from the 19 February 2025.

This webinar examines how historical narratives are manipulated to serve political agendas, with a focus on Russia’s use of WWII memory to justify its war against Ukraine. Our speaker, Dr. Bartłomiej Gajos (Mieroszewski Centre for Dialogue), explores key disinformation tactics, the impact of historical propaganda, and strategies for countering these narratives. Learn how educators and the public can challenge disinformation, encourage critical thinking, and navigate memory wars in today’s complex information landscape.

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Learn more about the Second World War 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".

For the International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2025, the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity has prepared a short film featuring the work of Mieczysław Kościelniak—an artist who, despite the inhumane conditions of a concentration camp, created drawings that not only bore witness to unspeakable tragedy but also symbolized resilience, survival, and the power of memory.

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.

Bardzo łatwo wyobrazić sobie pokój z meblościanką, oblepiony wyrwanymi z “Bravo” albo “Popcornu” plakatami Nirvany i Madonny. W telewizji leci „Świat według kiepskich” albo „M jak miłość”, żujemy gumę kulkę, czytamy komiks z Donaldem...
W grudniowej edycji Zrozumieć Pamięć wracamy do tego, co już znamy – Kamil Bałuk i Dariusz Piechota porozmawiają o telewizji, popkulturze i nostalgii za latami 80., 90., 00.

Kamil Bałuk w „Dawno temu w telewizj”i rozmawia z osobami, które stworzyły polską telewizję (z Cezarym Żakiem, Jackiem Kawalcem, Iloną Łepkowską...). Uchylają nam one rąbka tajemnicy na temat pracy przed kamerami, radzenia sobie z popularnością, dzielą się kulisami kręcenia seriali, teleturniejów, sitcomów.
Dariusz Piechota w swojej książce „Na fali nostalgii” opisuje tęsknienie za analogowym światem i procesy reprodukcji przeszłości we współczesnej popkulturze. Pokazuje, w jaki sposób muzyka, dania i codzienności z PRL-u do nas wracają, i dlaczego lubimy Stranger Things i Taylor Swift.

Wystąpili:
Kamil Bałuk autor publikacji „Dawno temu w telewizji”
Dr Dariusz Piechota autor publikacji „Na fali nostalgii. Lata osiemdziesiąte i dziewięćdziesiąte w najnowszej kulturze i literaturze popularnej ”
Prowadzenie: Małgorzata Pakier

Dyskusja jest tłumaczona na polski język migowy.

In October 2024, four groups of students met in Bucharest, where they learned about the Romanian 20th-century history, including the First and the Second World Wars, the communist period and the Ceaușescu era. After this, they moved to the former prison in Pitești, which was a scene of one of the most cruel experiments in the modern world, carried out between 1949 and 1951.

---

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.

Recording from the webinar „How to Spot Historical Fake News? Case Studies from the Second World War” from the 3 December 2024.

The webinar addressed how to tackle disinformation and memory conflicts with a ready-to-use educational kit. Our speaker, Dr. Dagmara Moskwa shares insights on propaganda from WWII and its modern-day manipulation to shape public opinion. This webinar also provides practical tips for fostering critical thinking, initiating meaningful classroom discussions, and combating disinformation in today’s world.

Find more resources for your lessons here.

Learn more about the Second World War 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".