by tskzOn 24-27 January 2026, the 16th Edition of the Days of Remembrance i.e. the event held in Łódź to commemorate the International Holocaust Remembrance Days, took place. This year, the event has had a very special nature due to the change of its original location. It was the first time when cultural events were hosted by the Kazimierz Dejmek New Theatre in Łódź. This change of the venue was, at the same time, a metaphor for a return to our roots since it was at 93 Zachodnia Street where the Jewish Theatre had been revived after the Second World War. Then, in 1955, thanks to Ida Kamińska, it was relocated to Warsaw.
This year’s edition of the Days of Remembrance started with a series of welcome addresses, which were delivered by Magdalena Majsterkiewicz, the event’s coordinator, Artur Hofman, Chair of the Social and Cultural Association of Jews in Poland and Marcin Brzozowski, Head of the Kazimierz Dejmek Theatre in Łódź.
The Days of Remembrance are not only meant to emphasise what happened between 1939 and 1945 – because every Pole knows these facts very well. […] We want to show what we [Jews – author’s note] have contributed and continue to contribute to Polish culture, because many of us are still creating and influencing cultural development. – said Artur Hofman.
The opening event was a stage reading of Blanka Konopka’s script How to be [Un]loved. The Story of Irena Tuwim. The following actors appeared on the stage of the New Theatre: Anna Cieślak as Irena Tuwim, Dominik Łoś as Marek Eiger aka Stefan Napierski – Irena’s first husband, Tomasz Błasiak as Julian Stawiński – Irena’s second husband, and narrator Ewa Makomaska, who was also directing the play. The intimate nature of the play and the moving story of ‘Winnie the Pooh’s Mum’ were received with visible emotion. The performance was rewarded with a standing ovation.
On Sunday, 25 January, Katarzyna Tarkowska-Żogała appeared on stage in a one-actor play The Corn Princess, which was based on the recollections of Mira Krum-Ledowska, a Holocaust survivor. The actress presented on stage the true story of a woman who, as a child, experienced a dramatic life in the ghetto and was forced to hide in the basement of a mill for many months. Her performance was rewarded with thunderous applause.
The 16th Edition of the Days of Remembrance ended with the Final Gala Event, a concert entitled: The Melodies of Generations | Di melodjes fun dojres on Monday, 26 January. The event was opened by Magdalena Majsterkiewicz, Co-ordinator of the Days of Remembrance.
On 27 January, following an initiative by the United Nations, we commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This is a symbolic date, marking the anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. This memorial day was established to pay tribute to the millions of victims of the Holocaust and to remind us of the consequences of hatred, prejudice and indifference. In this way, the United Nations Assembly broke the trend of not recognising the Holocaust as a historical event. The idea behind the TSKŻ – DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE project stems precisely from this need to remember. Its primary aim is to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust, but also to restore the memory of the rich contribution of Jewish culture to Polish heritage. It is an invitation to learn about the shared history and culture that existed and continues to exist.– said Magdalena Majsterkiewicz.
A short address was also delivered by Bartosz Domaszewicz, Chairman of the Łódź City Council. Next, Marcin Derengowski, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, took the floor and read a letter addressed to the large audience on behalf of Hanna Zdanowska. Finally, a few words were also spoken by Artur Hofman, Chair of the TSKŻ.
We have gathered here on the eve of the Holocaust Remembrance Day, and our presence here is a testament to our desire to remember and commemorate the culture of a nation that was almost wiped from the pages of history. As descendants of survivors, we carry and uphold this memory, not just on special occasions, but each and every day. […] Today’s concert tells the story of the post-war decades in the lives of Polish Jews — full of contradictions, pain, but also hope. It is the story of people who, despite everything, started families, worked, studied, celebrated, and created the foundations of Jewish life while being part of Polish society. – said Artur Hofman.
The carefully selected concert repertoire, combining well-known Polish songs and traditional Yiddish tunes in modern arrangements by Tomasz Bielski, was warmly welcomed by the audience. The following artists performed on the stage of the New Theatre: singer, theatre and film actress Katarzyna Dąbrowska, opera singer Olivia Ohl-Szulik, musical, theatre and dubbing actor Jakub Szydłowski, and the Tomasz Bielski Jazz Orchestra. The event was hosted by an actor, presenter and singer, Jacek Kawalec. For more than fifteen years, the Days of Remembrance have been always guided by one and the same fundamental idea of commemorating the victims of the Holocaust. Yet, at the same time, by organising a gala concert, we wanted to show another, equally important perspective. The Holocaust was intended not only to exterminate Jews, but also to wipe out Jewish culture completely. Through music, we wanted to demonstrate that despite the unimaginable losses and suffering, this culture has survived and remains alive, present and meaningful.
On 27 January, we celebrated the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, day that is the focal point of Łódź’s Remembrance Days celebrations. Residents of Łódź, representatives of local authorities, members of Jewish organisations and clergy of various denominations, representatives of cultural institutions, and young people gathered together at the Radegast Station at noon sharp to pay tribute to those who had been murdered. The wreath-laying ceremony was attended by, among others, Izabela Terela, Head of the Museum of Independence Traditions in Łódź, Radegast Branch; Marcin Brzozowski, Head of the Kazimierz Dejmek New Theatre in Łódź; Maciej Jurkowski, representative of the Association of Jewish Veterans and Victims of the Second World War; Dorota Ryl, Łódź Province Governor, and Mariusz Goss, the Mayor’s representative in charge of the heritage of Łódź. Just like in previous years, guests also took part in the #WeRemember campaign. The campaign has been aimed at commemorating the millions of victims of the Holocaust and expressing public disapproval, both online and offline, of any manifestation of hatred and anti-Semitism.
In the evening of the same day, an event promoting the exhibition We Have Been Rooted in Łódź was held at the Marek Edelman Dialogue Center. A special guest at the meeting was Alicja Goldblum-Elczewska, the daughter of Halina Elczewska, a survivor of the Łódź Ghetto and the initiator of the Survivors’ Park in Łódź. In her conversation with Patrycja Dołowy and Dawid Gurfinkiel, Ms Goldblum-Elczewska spoke about memory, the family trauma associated with the tragedy of the Holocaust, and the celebration of saved lives.
An integral part of the Days of Remembrance is the so-called Educational Package designed for children and young people from primary and secondary schools in Łódź. This year’s programme has included workshops, educational meetings and artistic events aimed at teaching how to counteract stereotypes and deepen knowledge about history. The events and workshops have been hosted by the Museum of Independence Traditions in Łódź, Radegast Branch, Archaeological and Ethnographical Museum in Łódź, Marek Edelman Dialogue Center, Museum of the City of Łódź and Kazimierz Dejmek New Theatre. Students older than 14 took part in the workshops: How the Past Echoes in the Present – On Anti-Semitism and Exclusion, conducted by educators from the Museum of Independence Traditions. Another important element of the package were workshops organised by the Museum of the City of Łódź, based on the following exhibitions: In the Common Yard and Karski – Margolis – Edelman. The event was rounded off with a music show entitled The Dream Treasure. Jewish Stories, presented by Ewelina Jarnutowska and Marta Maślanka at the New Theatre. The performance, addressed to children aged 5-9, combined storytelling with music and elements of Jewish tradition. An accompanying event was a screening of the film Asylum at the Marek Edelman Dialogue Center.
The 16th Edition of the Days of Remembrance would not have been a success without the joint efforts and cooperation of many different people and institutions. We would like to express our gratitude to all those who were involved in preparing this year’s edition of the event. We would like to thank our partner institutions for their openness, cooperation and for making their facilities available to us. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the educators for their professionalism and sensitivity in conveying history.
Our special thanks go to:
Kazimierz Dejmek New Theatre in Łódź
and
Co-organisers of the Event:
Museum of Independence Traditions in Łódź
Institute for Tolerance
Partners of the Event:
City of Łódź
Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum in Łódź
Marek Edelman Dialogue Center
Museum of the City of Łódź
Children of the Holocaust Association
Second Generation Association
Association of Jewish Veterans and Victims of World War II
Jewish Religious Community in Łódź
Meritum Foundation
Store Printing House
The Federal Foreign Office
European Practitioners Network Against Antisemitism
Media Patrons:
Radio Łódź
Dziennik Łódzki Daily
e-teatr.pl
Dos Jidisze Wort
TVP3 Łódź
and Ms Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Łódź, for her honorary patronage over the 16th Edition of the DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE
The event has been made possible thanks to the financial support provided by the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration
The Melodies of Generations – Di melodjes fun dojres concert was financed by the European Union’s NextGeneration EU programme as part of the National Recovery Plan (i.e. NRP)
#funduszeeuropejskie #nextgenerationeu
