Led by: Anna Petelenz, Krzysztof Burnetko i Witold Bereś
The Galicia Jewish Museum and “Kraków i Świat” magazine invite you to a meeting with Konstanty Gebert to discuss his book “Ten Days of Europe: An Archaeology of Memory” (“Dziesięć dni Europy. Archeologia pamięci”), a new, expanded edition of which has been published by Znak Koncept.
What was Europe like in the 20th century? What is it like at the beginning of the 21st?
Is it possible to describe it by selecting one city per decade? Each of the events presented by Konstanty Gebert illustrates significant processes in Europe’s political, cultural, and social history: from the imperial parade in Vienna in 1908 and artistic debates in Warsaw in the 1980s to the wartime burning of the National Library in Sarajevo in 1992. We view the start of the 21st century through the lens of events in Kyiv, Milan, and Urk. Where has the turbulent era of great wars, the rise and fall of totalitarian regimes, and attempts at unification and community-building led us?
As the author notes, his 20th century contains “more Left than Right, more feminists than the Church, more artists than politicians, and more paradoxes than certainties.” Gebert closely observes how the threads of various stories intertwine – such as the fate of a certain unemployed painter from Vienna walking the city streets, who later fought at Ypres and starved Leningrad to death.
Where did the 20th century lead us?
How are we handling the ethical challenge of accepting refugees, and what does the future hold for Ukraine? Can we look to the future with optimism and – as the author suggests –“not let the pessimist have a say, just this once”?
This discussion on global threats – part of the “Safe Kraków and the World” series – is hosted by Anna Petelenz, Krzysztof Burnetko, and Witold Bereś.
Adam Niedzielin will perform on the piano.
Partners of the event: Znak Publishing House, Fundacja Świat ma sens
In Polish. Free admission.
