The Pilecki Institute Inaugurates its New York City Branch
This coming weekend, the Pilecki Institute will officially launch its activities in Manhattan’s financial district at 92 Greenwich Street, establishing a new interdisciplinary research center and cultural exhibition space. Located near the 9/11 Memorial and the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the facility aims to introduce the Polish historical experience into the global discourse on freedom and human dignity.
The opening of the Pilecki Institute USA creates a dedicated space for dialogue regarding the history of 20th-century totalitarian regimes and the memory of their victims. According to acting director Karol Madaj, the institute will build lasting bridges between Europe’s unique history and universal American values. The two-day inaugural program is designed to showcase these missions through academic debates and historical exhibitions. A major highlight of the event is the debate “Lessons from Nuremberg for the 21st Century,” featuring international experts such as Steve Crawshaw, Mark Kramer, Igor Lukes, and Jack El-Hai, who will discuss the trials as the foundation of the modern post-war legal order.
The inauguration also highlights the “A Tool of Survival” exhibition, which details the heroic work of the Ładoś Group—Polish diplomats who collaborated with Jewish organizations to save lives during the Holocaust through a passport operation. This operation maintained direct connections with New York-based organizations, such as the Vaad Hatzalah committee. The event will feature testimonies from Dr. Mordecai Paldiel and Dr. Heidi Fishman, whose families were directly impacted by these rescue efforts. Alongside these historical accounts, the institute will unveil an installation dedicated to its patron, Captain Witold Pilecki. This display serves as a preview of the upcoming exhibition “Proof of Courage,” which tells the story of Pilecki’s resistance against both German Nazism and Soviet communism using thematic modules and replicas of his attire. The festivities will conclude with a performance by jazz singer Urszula Dudziak, who will promote her latest album, UlaNova.
