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.
Read more: “Friends of Krzyżowa” Gathering 2025
We are delighted to share that on June 23, 2025, Helmuth Caspar Graf von Moltke was awarded the Cross of Merit on the Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany!
The award ceremony, led by the German Consul General Martin Kremer, took place this morning at the headquarters of our Foundation.
This special honor is a recognition of Helmuth Caspar von Moltke’s long-standing dedication to Polish-German dialogue and to preserving the legacy of the Kreisau Circle – a German resistance group against Nazism, founded by his parents, Freya and Helmuth James von Moltke.
As a witness to history, a builder of bridges, and a guardian of memory, Helmuth Caspar von Moltke has spent decades sharing the story, values, and ideals of the Kreisau Circle – especially with younger generations.
We thank everyone who joined us today! It was a day full of emotion, reflection, and hope for the future generations who will continue building bridges of understanding.
Read more: Helmuth Caspar Graf von Moltke Awarded the Cross of Merit on the Ribbon of the Order of Merit of...
Darmstadt, Krzyżowa, in January 2025.
Preamble
This manifesto is the voice of civil society, the voice of those numerous organizations and entities on both sides of the border that have contributed for many years to shaping the Polish-German neighborhood in a united Europe.
Close, mutually trusting and friendly Polish-German relations are crucial to the future of both our countries. Huge challenges are piling up before us: strengthening European security and defense policy in the face of Russia's war in Ukraine, rampant populism, the crisis of liberal democracies and the growing polarization of societies. Added to these are the crises of climate change and migration.
November 2024 marked the 35th anniversary of the historic reconciliation mass in Krzyżowa. As a result of the deliberations and discussions held there, we remind the governments in Berlin and Warsaw of the great importance of expanding and promoting Polish-German civil society cooperation. We consider the efforts made so far in this field to be insufficient. This manifesto takes into account the demands of the Copernicus Group and other actors involved in and supporting civil society contacts in Poland and Germany.
Read more: More courage and determination for a better future - Manifesto of Polish-German Civil Society
.png)
In the foyer of the Palace in Krzyzowa (2nd floor), you can now see the extraordinary exhibition "JAZDA! Ways of Becoming," which is the fruit of an international youth exchange from Poland, France and Germany. The exhibition touches on important and timely topics of identity, migration and memory culture, posing questions that concern us all:
👉 How to find your way in the world?
👉 Can borders - physical and mental - be crossed?
👉 What is solidarity in modern times?
As part of the 2023 project, young volunteers and students worked together to analyze their own experiences and reflections around these questions. The result of their work is this unique exhibition - presented for the first time in June 2024 in Friedland, Germany, and now open to the public in Krzyzowa. The exhibition will remain here for three months before traveling further - to France.
We cordially invite you to visit the exhibition at the Palace in Krzyzowa - it's a great opportunity to see how young people from different countries look at the world and build common narratives about the past, present and future.
The exhibition can be visited until the end of May.
Read more: Visit the exhibition "JAZDA! Ways of Becoming" in Krzyzowa
