At the beginning of June, it was time once again: during the Pentecost weekend, nearly 50 men, women, and children gathered in Krzyżowa for an extended weekend – lasting until Monday.
This has become something of a tradition – these gatherings have been taking place for over 10 years – and each year, both long-time “experts” of Krzyżowa and new faces return to the most renowned village in Lower Silesia. Originally envisioned by educators and meeting organizers as a “weekend without a program,” the combination of structured activities and free time has now become the standard – bringing smiles year after year.
This year, we had the pleasure of opening the exhibition “Brave Democracy” from the Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand (German Resistance Memorial Center). One of the curators, Susanne Schade, was present and introduced us to this Polish-German exhibition. That same day, we had the opportunity for an in-depth discussion with Professor Krzysztof Ruchniewicz, who serves both as the Plenipotentiary of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Polish-German cross-border and civil society cooperation, and as the Director of the Witold Pilecki Institute. Just a week after the Polish presidential election and with a still-new German government, there was no shortage of topics to discuss.
On Sunday, participants prepared a church service, and shortly after lunch, we set off on an excursion to nearby Morawa. Fifteen people completed the route by bike – highly recommended and doable in a relaxing two-hour ride. Melitta Sallai and Thesi von Werner welcomed us at the Muhrau Castle. Now 97 years old, Melitta impressed us with her mental sharpness and her remarkable storytelling talent. She also spoke about the challenges of learning the Polish language and shared her two favorite Polish words with us: Mgła (fog) and wycieraczki (windshield wipers).
Naturally, the weekend also included guided tours of Krzyżowa, campfires, barbecues, and creative activities for children in the “Laundry” building. So we can only say: the next Pentecost meeting is already scheduled!
🗓️ Save the date: May 22–25, 2026 – we warmly invite you to join us again in Krzyżowa!
