Warsaw 2009

Photographs from Another Space’s trip to Warsaw, November 2009

Cmentarz Żydowski, Litzmannstadt Ghetto and Piotrków Trybunalski

Visited the Jewish Cemetery in Łódź.

Toured the the former site of Litzmannstadt Ghetto in Łódź and located the site of the café that was once owned by the family of Jack Aizenberg, one of the Windermere Boys now living in Manchester.

Drove to Piotrków Trybunalski, the fomer home of several of the Windermere Boys.

Met Mrs Janina Grędecka, a local resident, who now looks after the Jewish Cemetery. Talked to her at length about both her memories, and her late father’s memories of life in Piotrków during and after the Second World War.

Walked around the Jewish Cemetery and discovered that Ben Helfgott, another of the Windermere Boys and former Piotrków resident now living in London, had visited the cemetery the day previously.

Visited the sites of the Piotrków Ghetto and The Great Synagogue.

Drive back to Łódź.

Memoriał Radegast Bahnhof, Park Ocalałych and Manufaktura

10.00 am. Memoriał Radegast Bahnhof: Attended the ceremony and witnessed/joined the Memorial March to the Park Ocalałych (Survivors Park).

1.00 pm. Park Ocalałych: Invited to attend the ceremony and official unveiling of the ‘Monument Honouring the Poles who saved Jews during the Second World War’. Monument unveiled jointly by by President of Poland, Lech Kaczyński and Mayor of Łódź, Jerzy Kropiwnicki.

4.00 pm. Memoriał Radegast Bahnhof: Attended the premiere of the 3D film ‘Likwidacja 08.1944′ (Liquidation 08.1944) directed by Michał Bukojemski, Marek Miller and produced by Jacek Gwizdała

5.00 pm. Muzeum Kinematografii: Attend screening of  the film ‘Litzmannstadt Getto. Piekło na ziemi obiecanej’ (Litzmannstadt Ghetto. Hell on Promised Land) written and directed by Mariusz Olbrychowski.

8.00 pm. Manufaktura: Meet Krzysztof Noworyta of the National Centre of Culture, Warsaw in this redeveloped artistic quarter of Łódź. Introduced to Marek Cieślak, President of the Board for the Łódź Special Economic Zone and Monika Ptasińska International Cooperation Officer who are leading on the activities and developments towards Łódź’s bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2016.

Invitations extended for return visits and collaborative projects and exhibitions in Łódź, and Warsaw. Preliminary arrangements made to invite Krzysztof Noworyta, Monika Ptasińska, and others to visit Calgarth and Windermere.

Introduced to Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv, whose parents were originally from Łódź, and invitation extended to explore exhibition opportunities.