Entries by Anita Jakubik

Treblinka: The Invisible Extermination Camp

By Capriana Cormier When people learn about the Holocaust, they learn about Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II – Birkenau. This history dominates what we know about the Holocaust and leaves other concentration and extermination camps invisible to the rest of the world. After our two-week traveling seminar, I had a lot to think about. I […]

The Fallacy of Jewish History in Contemporary Poland

By Anna Sebree Poland is a beautiful and complicated country. It is a country that boasts intellects, artists, and revolutionaries, while simultaneously emitting a cold chill of emptiness that seeps through the abandoned synagogues, former ghettos, and camp memorials. There is an insurmountable feeling of loss that cannot be shaken as the country grapples with […]

Poland’s Government Preaches Flawed History… and so Did I

By Connor Arneson Like most other right-wing governments, nationalism is a key ingredient for Poland’s ruling party. Without it, many of their ceremonies would appear unnecessary, many of their policies would appear selfish, but most importantly, many of their voters would disappear. Courting Poland’s conservative voters requires an upkeep of nationalism, and since this voting […]

The Significance of the Sejny Synagogue

By Ella Farrell The decision to spend a semester in Poland was not one I took lightly. I felt disconnected from my family history, cultural history, and religion as an American Jew. Coming here was an opportunity to explore who I am and how these spheres of my life continue to shape my identity today. Being […]

Guarding Memory through Ecology

By Sophie Creager-Roberts Since the end of World War II, Poland has grappled with how to properly memorialize not only the sites of atrocities committed by the Nazi regime but also how to recognize the places where Jewish life once flourished. The stakes involved in managing these sites cannot be overlooked. Reaching a consensus often requires […]

Roma Persecution Across Time

By Aaron Alonso The Roma people have long faced persecution within Europe’s borders tracing as far back as to the reign of the Habsburg empire. Their lifestyle has long been an issue for European countries for being “nomadic” and having an “uncivilized” way of life. The persecution of the Roma people intensified after the end […]

The Jewish Auschwitz Center: Putting Oshpitsin Back on the Map

By Jacqueline Murrer The town of Oshpitsin sits in the south of Poland, and was founded nearly 800 years ago. Today it is home to about 39,000 people, and has its fair share of cafés, and a revitalized city center. Though it has been around for hundreds of years, it’s history from the 720 years before […]

Multifaceted Remembrance of Communism–The Good and the Bad

By Luke Burke Soviet domination of Eastern and Central Europe stretched so far across so many borders for a majority of the 20th century, thus its place in the identity of nations affected by it can never be discounted or forgotten. With that being said, how are places like Poland and East Germany, heavily impacted […]