Apply by July 31 | The Witold Pilecki International Book Award. Fifth edition (2025) - Instytut Pileckiego

The closing date for submissions for the fifth edition of the Witold Pilecki International Book Award is 31 August 2025.

In connection with the 77th anniversary of the death of Cavalry Captain Witold Pilecki (25 May), the Pilecki Institute – in partnership with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim – has opened submissions for the fifth edition of the Witold Pilecki International Book Award.

THE IDEA

As a soldier, resistance fighter, true hero and a man of action, Witold Pilecki may not seem like an obvious choice for a patron of a literary prize. His famous reports, however, are more than a source of invaluable information on the functioning of Auschwitz-Birkenau: through his expressive style, Pilecki also offers an in-depth analysis of the situation in the camp and a broader humanist perspective. While providing information about specific events – the atrocities committed by the Germans in occupied Poland during the Second World War – the reports also serve as a testimony to the whole era.

By awarding the Witold Pilecki International Book Award we aim to recognize the significance of the universal message stemming from the experience of the 20th-century totalitarianisms. We wish to acknowledge texts which promote the fundamental values of human dignity, striving for the truth, willingness to sacrifice, and solidarity with the persecuted. We honor original academic works and excellent reportages. We wish to celebrate books which explore the subject extensively, bringing it to wide audiences.

The prize is awarded internationally. In previous years, eligible for nomination in each category were books written in Polish or English, but from now on, we encourage submission of books published also in German or French – this is an absolute novelty and a unique feature of the Pilecki Award!

PARTNER

The partner of the award is the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim.

FIFTH EDITION OF THE PILECKI AWARD (2025)

In connection with the 77th anniversary of the death of Cavalry Captain Witold Pilecki (25 May), the Pilecki Institute – in partnership with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim – has opened submissions for the fifth edition of the Witold Pilecki International Book Award.

The prize will be awarded to authors of the best academic and journalistic books published in 2024 and devoted to the experience of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe of confronting totalitarianism in the 20th century, with a particular emphasis on Poland.

CATEGORIES

a) Academic history book – the best monograph or synthesis on the experience of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe of confronting totalitarianism in the 20th century, with a particular emphasis on Poland. When evaluating books submitted in this category, good documentation, original interpretations and attractive messaging are particularly appreciated. Items submitted in this category should be published in Polish, English, German or French in the year preceding a given edition of the Competition, and be provided with a scholarly apparatus. Books may be entered whose translations into Polish, English, German or French were published in the two calendar years preceding an edition of the Competition, as long as their first edition in the original language was published no earlier than in 2018. Submissions of collective publications that have appeared as edited volumes will not be considered. As regards other multi-author books, it is permissible to submit a title having a maximum of two co-authors.

b) Historical reportage – a book that offers the reader an engaging story about the experience of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe of confronting totalitarianism in the 20th century, with a particular emphasis on Poland. In addition to classic historical reportages, biographies, memoirs and accounts of witnesses to history may also be submitted in this category. When evaluating books in this category, a respect for sources, good composition and narrative credibility are especially appreciated. As regards multi-author books, it is permissible to submit a title having a maximum of two co-authors. Works submitted in this category should have been published in Polish, English, German or French in the year preceding a given edition of the Competition. Books may be entered whose translations into Polish, English, German or French were published in the two calendar years preceding an edition of the Competition, as long as their first edition in the original language was published no earlier than in 2018.

c) Special prize – a book that bears testimony to the criminal actions of contemporary totalitarian and authoritarian systems, describes the tragic fate of populations affected by wars and armed conflicts (war reportage), and condemns deliberate and persistent violation of human rights. The recent events, especially in Ukraine – our eastern neighbor – make us realize that despite the efforts of many people and organizations to develop civic awareness and international law after the Second World War, crimes against civilians, as well as violations of international criminal law and the customs of war are not a thing of the past. The Russian aggression of 2014 and the full-scale invasion of 2022 prove that Witold Pilecki’s mission to document acts of evil has lost none of its relevance, and that it is essential to write about it and publically condemn the perpetrators. When evaluating books in this category, sensitivity to injustice for others combined with the courage to describe it, integrity and reliability, as well as giving voice to the victims are particularly appreciated. As regards multi-author books, it is permissible to submit a title having a maximum of two co-authors. Works submitted in this category should have been published in Polish, English, German or French in the year preceding a given edition of the Competition. Books may be entered whose translations into Polish, English, German or French were published in the two calendar years preceding an edition of the Competition, as long as their first edition in the original language was published no earlier than in 2018.

In this edition, the awarding of the special prize is possible thanks to financial support from a private donor.

ENTRIES

Submissions can be made by authors, publishers or private/natural persons, legal persons or organizational entities devoid of legal personality by sending an electronic version of the book (in PDF format; if the book was published in e-book form, please send the files in EPUB and MOBI formats) to the following e-mail address:

nagroda@instytutpileckiego.pl.

If the submission is made by an entity other than the author of the publication, please enclose the written consent of the author to participate in the Competition. Please indicate the category in which the book is entered.

NOTE: Due to the reinstatement of the third category, the deadline for submissions has been extended to 31 August 2025.

The updated Regulations of the Competition for the Witold Pilecki International Book Award will soon be available on our website.

In each category, five entries will first be shortlisted by the Awards Committee.

THE WINNERS

The authors of the winning books in the first two categories will receive a prize of PLN 46,850 gross, and in the third category – of PLN 45,000 gross, as well as a commemorative statuette. In each of the three categories, authors can receive an honorary mention and a prize of PLN 5,000 gross. The awards will be presented during a gala in November 2025.

In the previous editions, the Pilecki Award went to Grzegorz Hryciuk, Kalina Błażejowska and Christopher Miller.

Meet the Prizewinners

Gala ceremony in 2024.
Gala ceremony in 2023.
Gala ceremony in 2022.
Gala ceremony in 2021.

Download