The UIC Barcelona Faculty of Humanities has organised a lecture and exhibition dedicated to Zofia Kossak, the Polish writer, Auschwitz prisoner, and recognised Righteous Among the Nations for her efforts to help Jews during the Second World War. Held on 1 April at the Barcelona campus, the event brought together institutional representatives and history experts to reflect on Kossak’s legacy and the importance of preserving historical memory both in Poland and worldwide.
The conference featured Higinio J. Paterna, a Polish language translator, as the keynote speaker. He highlighted Kossak’s significance not only as a distinguished writer but also as a person with profound Christian convictions who fought to save Jewish lives during the Holocaust. “She was imprisoned and tortured, and, without her identity being known, was sent to Auschwitz. While there, she organised cultural talks and sought to bring hope to many,” explained Paterna.
Also participating in the event was Mr Łukasz Knurowski, head of public and cultural diplomacy at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Barcelona, who underscored the importance of historical memory in Poland. “In Poland, we commemorate on 24 March those who risked their lives to save Jews during the Second World War. Poland has the largest number of individuals honoured as Righteous Among the Nations, and five million of our citizens perished in the Holocaust,” he said.
Sławomir Bardski, historian and representative of the Instytut Pamięci Narodowej (Institute of National Remembrance of Poland), also spoke at the event, highlighting the institute’s commitment to sharing Poland’s history on the global stage and thanking the University for organising the commemoration of Kossak. On behalf of UIC Barcelona, Dr Jordi Bermejo, Professor of Literature at the Faculty, introduced the speaker and stressed the importance of the event within the University’s academic and humanistic context, “This is an event that illustrates the continued vitality of the humanities today,” noted the lecturer.
In addition to the lecture, attendees had the opportunity to visit an exhibition, inaugurated by the University’s rector, Dr Alfonso Méndiz, and the dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Dr Judith Urbano. The exhibition provided a deeper insight into Zofia Kossak’s life and work, her courage, and her commitment during one of the darkest chapters in European history.
Through this initiative, UIC Barcelona reaffirms its dedication to the dissemination of knowledge and the promotion of historical reflection within the academic community.
