The Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) commemorated the Warsaw Ghetto insurgents

The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin - On Wednesday the authorities of the Catholic University of Lublin in the person of the Rector, Fr. Mirosław Kalinowski, and the university's academic community - commemorated the Jewish insurgents from the Warsaw Ghetto. In front of the Main Building of the Catholic University of Lublin, the Rector together with some students and academic staff distributed paper daffodils - a symbol of remembrance of the heroes of the uprising 80 years ago.

"Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is of great importance not only for Poles and Jews, but also for the whole world. In this way, we want to recognise those who fought for their dignity. It is worth remembering that the message from the events of 80 years ago makes us aware of the truth about the need to value every human being regardless of their origin, creed or religion," said Rev. Prof. Kalinowski, who stressed that the Catholic University of Lublin joins the nationwide commemoration of the heroic uprising of Jews 80 years ago.

"The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is an expression of the great spirit of the Jewish people, who rose to the heroic act of fighting against the German invaders occupying not only Poland, but almost all of Europe," the Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin added.

The social and educational action "Daffodils", which has been organised for 10 years by the POLIN Museum, is linked to the figure of Marek Edelman, the last leader of the Jewish Combat Organisation, who survived the liquidation of the ghetto and for years nurtured the memory of the events of 1943. Until the end of his life, on the anniversary of the uprising, he paid tribute to his fallen comrades by placing a bunch of daffodils in front of the Monument to the Warsaw Ghetto Heroes.

The coordinator of the "Daffodils" Action at the Catholic University of Lublin is the Abraham J. Heschel Centre for Catholic-Jewish Relations - a new scientific, educational and cultural unit whose mission is to deepen the dialogue between Catholics and Jews on the scientific, educational and cultural levels. "The Heschel Centre of the Catholic University of Lublin wants to look to the future, while remembering history. Through the 'Daffodils' Action at the Catholic University of Lublin, we want to awaken the awareness and engage Polish students into Catholic-Jewish dialogue," emphasised the director of the Heschel Centre at the Catholic University of Lublin, Rev. Prof. Mirosław S. Wróbel.

Rev. Mirosław S. Wróbel also announced that students from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles will come to the Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) as early as at the end of May this year, in order to - as he pointed out - "look at history together, but also build together a future of encounter and mutual understanding".

"About 20 students from different faculties will come to us together with their lecturers. In working groups they will discuss Catholic-Jewish relations, their history, the richness of their shared traditions and common roots, and reflect on where we are going, what kind of future we want to build and how to do it. There will be an evening of Shabbat prayer in the synagogue and a Mass for those who wish to attend," added Fr Professor Wróbel.

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began on 19 April 1943 and was the first urban uprising in occupied Europe. In an uneven battle that lasted almost a month, the poorly armed soldiers of the Jewish Combat Organisation and the Jewish Military Union resisted, among others, SS and Wehrmacht troops, as well as auxiliary formations. During this time, the Germans razed the ghetto to the ground, methodically burning house after house. On 8 May, in a shelter at  Miła Street 18, the leader of the uprising, Mordechai Anielewicz, committed suicide along with a group of several dozen soldiers. A few insurgents managed to get out of the burning ghetto through sewers.