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Polish Embassy Hosts Exhibition on Link Between Solidarność and GDR Opposition

March 28th, 2014
Lernt Polnisch_Korrektur.jpg

News from Berlin - On March 18th, the Polish Ambassador Jerzy Margański and the President of the Institute of National Remembrance Dr. Lukasz Kamiński opened the exhibition “Lernt Polnisch” which means “Learn Polish!” in German. The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung is hosting the exhibition that will be located in the foundation’s building until April 14th.

The opening discussion was enriched by a lecture of Dr. Tytus Jaskułowski of the Hannah-Arendt Institute for the Research on Totalitarianism and a discussion between the former, Roland Jahn, German Federal Commissioner of the Stasi-Files, a former member of GDR opposition Wolfgang Templin and Polish Senator Józef Pinior who was an activist in the Solidarność movement.

“Learn Polish!” was one of the slogans used by young opposition members in the GDR and referred to the uprising Solidarność movement of Polish trade Unions in the beginning of the 1980s. The Polish movement gave hope to the Germans who were upset with their government and dreamed of a similar development in their country.

The solidarity with the Polish people worried the GDR officials who would order to spy on all kinds of affiliation with Solidarność.

The bilingual exhibition pays tribute to this connection and aims to create awareness on the common history of Germany and Poland.

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