The Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin: a Research Centre on Poles and Jews saving victims of totalitarianism will be established

In the coming weeks, a Research Centre on Poles saving Jews and Jews saving Poles during the Second World War and communism will be established at the Catholic University of Lublin, informed Rev. Prof. Mirosław Kalinowski, the Rector of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.

The Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin emphasised that the Centre will be an independent research unit operating within the structure of the university.  He added that consultations with various communities are currently being carried out and operation plans for the coming years are being drawn up.

"There have already been publications on the mutual help between Poles and Jews in the times of totalitarianism, but there is a need for a comprehensive approach to this matter, for scientific methodology, and for in-depth research.  These are fundamental matters in the 20th-century history of both nations. Our university will take up these issues, also in response to the requests that reach us", said Rev. Prof. Kalinowski.

He stressed that the Research Centre on Poles saving Jews and Jews saving Poles will cooperate with external entities, including foreign ones.  The released publications will be translated into English and Hebrew.

"We want the results of the Centre's research to reach young people as well, hence new communication technologies will be used so that the manner of communication is consistent with contemporary trends.  One of the first projects will be a multimedia Encyclopaedia of Poles saving Jews and Jews saving Poles, published in both traditional and online versions", informed the Rector of the Catholic University of Lublin.

He also stated that there will be a science and policy council at the Centre, to which representatives of the Jewish community will be invited.  Rev.  Prof. Kalinowski noted that the initiative of the Catholic University of Lublin is supported by the chairman of The Polish Episcopal Committee for  the Dialogue with Judaism, Bishop Rafał Markowski.