The Volunteer. Witold Pilecki and his Mission in Auschwitz | exhibition - Instytut Pileckiego
exhibition
The Volunteer. Witold Pilecki and his Mission in Auschwitz | exhibition
Presentation of the story hitherto unknown and untold outside Poland – that of Pilecki’s mission to Auschwitz, of his death at the hands of the Communist authorities, and of the attempts made to erase him from memory.
The complicated history of Poland in the 20th century is made up not only of military campaigns, the German occupation, and the crimes of Stalinism. History has many dimensions, and one of them is predominantly human – the dimension of the individual. From amongst many heroes, oftentimes nameless, the man who stands out as a symbol of the struggle against Communist and Nazi totalitarianism is worthy of our particular attention. Logically, therefore, there was no doubt that the exhibition marking the opening of the branch of the Pilecki Institute in Berlin would be devoted to Witold Pilecki.
We have presented a story hitherto unknown and untold outside Poland – that of Pilecki’s mission to Auschwitz, of his death at the hands of the Communist authorities, and of the attempts made to erase him from memory. But the exhibition also functions in a broader context, for by presenting an extraordinary and at once real story it touches upon many key issues of 20th-century Polish, and thereby European, history.
What happened with the resistance movement which Pilecki created in Auschwitz at the risk of his own life? Why was his appeal to break the spiral of hatred not listened to? How many human lives could have been saved if the world had only done as he asked? While searching for answers to these questions, I embarked on research which resulted in the book, “The Volunteer”, and the exhibition […]. It allows you to submerge yourself in Pilecki’s world – in the items, images and sounds which he experienced daily. In consequence, we get to know him better, and this makes it possible to understand both his personality and the choices which he made – said Jack Fairweather, one of the curators of the exhibition.
Curators: Jack Fairweather, Hanna Radziejowska
Consultants: Prof. Jochen Böhler, Dr. Piotr Setkiewicz
Exhibition design: Kłaput Project
Official partner of the exhibition: Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
See also
- Debate "World War 2, Russia and Ukraine in the Era of the Smartphone War"
Event
Debate "World War 2, Russia and Ukraine in the Era of the Smartphone War"
As part of the events accompanying the opening of the new headquarters of the Pilecki Institute at 82 Sienna Street, we invite you to a a debate on how Russia and Ukraine use and reinterpret the memory of World War II in the context of today’s war.
- Lecture „Redefining War Crimes in the Midst of Nazi Occupation: the UNWCC Archives as a subject and a resource” (w języku angielskim)
Event
Lecture „Redefining War Crimes in the Midst of Nazi Occupation: the UNWCC Archives as a subject and a resource” (w języku angielskim)
As part of the events accompanying the opening of the new headquarters of the Pilecki Institute at 82 Sienna Street, we invite you to a talk exploring the history and legacy of the United Nations War Crimes Commission.
- CALL FOR PAPERS: The 80th Anniversary of the Nuremberg Trial | Application deadline: 12 September 2025
conference
CALL FOR PAPERS: The 80th Anniversary of the Nuremberg Trial | Application deadline: 12 September 2025
We are pleased to invite you to participate in the academic conference "Unknown Legacies of the Nuremberg Trial: Regional Approaches and Perspectives in East Central Europe".