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On September 8, 2023 we launched the Exploring Central Europe: History, Memory, and Identity Across Borders, a semester-long program organized in partnership with the University of Lower Silesia in Wroclaw, Poland  and Syracuse University. Together with our students, we begin our journey through which we explore the memories of conflict and ongoing processes of reconciliation in Central Europe.

Pope Saint John Paul II and Reality vs Perception

By Andrew Emerson

Pope John Paul II is a figure whose legacy continues to loom over the modern state of Poland and the expanded Catholic world. When you travel to Poland you will feel him looming over you. more

Replanting the Tree of Life

By Charlotte Goodman

Growing up in a Jewish household, I was surrounded by symbolism. The most noteworthy, being the use of trees in Jewish scripture and fables. In Judaism, trees symbolize life. more

Remembering the Children of War

By Leanne Rivera

During the Second World War, countless children were affected by brutal violence. They endured physical suffering, danger, catastrophe, exploitation, and loss. A multitude of children tried to flee but couldn’t. more

Shades of Whiteness: Perceiving Restoration Efforts of Formerly Jewish Spaces Within Poland

By Sierra Kaplan

Every Rynek can leave the average tourist entranced by beauty and history. Buildings of all hues and intricacies decorate all four sides of each historic market square, enmeshing and transporting the sightseer into the distant past. more

The Importance of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

By Kennedy Snyder

Throughout our time on the traveling seminar, I have found myself repeatedly becoming confused and uncertain about the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Heritage Sites. I had so many questions that returned at the many sites we visited. more

The Kotwica

By Ian Eisenbrand

In Polish, Kotwica means anchor. It is also the term used to describe an enduring, highly contested symbol of Polish resistance dating back to World War II. more

What is Effective Storytelling? City Wide Fantastical Creatures Compared to the Borderland Foundation

By Maddie Hartog

Krakow may be known for the dragon that lived beneath Wawel Hill Castle, but Wroclaw Poland, formerly Breslau Germany until 1945, is known for the mythical dwarves that line the streets. Two of Poland’s largest cities have clearly succeeded in creating mythical monuments that draw tourists to their city. more

Fortifying History: A Look at Castles in Poland

By Suryansh Singh

For me, visiting a castle is a mystical affair. Almost like a teleportation device, these architectural marvels hold the power to transcend one into a world very different from their daily existence, seamlessly coalescing the domains of fantasy and reality. more

“Forum” and “Shrine”: A Tool for Analyzing Museums

By Sofia DaCruz

I have visited many museums in my life, subconsciously consuming the collections and messages they portray with little analysis of their function or purpose. As we have moved through museums in Poland, guided by questions and discussions about their purposes, I have found a new lens to examine museums beyond their literal exhibitions. more

Civilians during Polish uprisings memorialized in exhibitions: men as “brave” and women as “selfless”

By Abigail Wright

In “Around Us a Sea of Fire,” the first exhibition solely dedicated to the fate of Jewish civilians during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943, echoes of Jewish resistance rested upon my chest, reverberating through my ears and the concrete walls of the dim “bunker” I was curled into. more

Cultures in Exile: The Impact of Ukrainian and Belarusian Identities on the Souls of Polish Cities

By Anna Meehan

You can tell a lot about a city from the sights and sounds of their centers. Home to restaurants, cafes, statues and gift shops, Wroclaw’s Old Town serves as the heart of this exuberant Polish city. more

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