2016 POLIN Awards

Redakcja, 16 November 2016
The 2016 POLIN Awards were presented at a gala event held at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Winner of this year's award was Jacek Koszczan, founder and President of the Society for the Preservation of the Jewish Heritage of Dukla - Sztetl Dukla.  Robert Augustyniak of Grodzisk Mazowiecki and Mirosław Skrzypczyk of Lelówa  Szczekocin received Honorable Mentions. A special award was presented to Jan Jagielski of the Jewish Historical Institute.

Jacek Koszczan has collected and archived information about the Jews of Dukla and the surrounding area and has promoted educational activities. He is the initiator and builder of a monument commemorating the 70th anniversary of the extermination of Dukla Jews. He looks after the Jewish cemetery, a mass grave and the ruins of the Dukla synagogue. Thanks to his efforts, two local Dukla families have been honoured with the title of Righteous Among the Nations. As the Award winner, he recived a statuette created by Barbara Falender and a prize of 10,000 zł provided by Tomek Ulatowski and Ygal Ozechov, Distinguished Donor of the POLIN Museum.

"This year's POLIN Award is intended to highlight the dozens of people in Polish Provinces who strive to preserve the memory of Jews who lived there for hundreds of years", said Tomasz Pietrasiewicz, winner of the 2015 POLIN Award and member of the Award Jury. "They do this without fanfare, motivated by their heart. Their work deserves the highest recognition, respect and support."

The Jury decided honourably mention two other of the seven people nominated. They are:

  • Robert Augustyniak, initiator and promoter of preserving the memory of the Jewish community of Grodzisk Mazowiecki
  • Mirosław Skrzypczyk, teacher and driving force in preserving the Jewish cultural heritage of Lelów and Szczekocin.

Both received awards of 5,000 zł. each.

A special POLIN Award was presented to Jan Jagielski of the Jewish Historical Institute in recognition of his overall activities. Prof Dariusz Stola, Director of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, said that "the POLIN Award is presented to individuals or organisations who serve in preserving the memory of the history of Polish Jews. Jan Jagielski is not such an individual. He is a real institution, whose work in this field cannot be overrated"..

Close to 200, both individuals and institutions, were nominated, from whom 88 were submitted to the Jury, The Jury, under the chairmanship of Marian Turski nominated six individuals and one institution. Nominations announced at the Gala were:

The 2016 POLIN Award jury comprised:

  • Chairman, Marian Turski, POLIN Museum Council Chairman;
  • Dariusz Stola, Director POLIN Museum;
  • Grażyna Pawlak, Director, Moses Schorr Foundation;
  • Tomasz Pietrasiewicz, Director, Ośrodka "Brama Grodzka – Teatr NN" in Lublin, 2015 POLIN Award winner;
  • Paula Sawicka, Chairperson, Program Council, Society Against Antisemitism and Xenophobia "Otwarta Rzeczpospolita”
  • Piotr Wiślicki, Chairman, Jewish Historical Institute Association.

Among those present at the 2016 POLIN Award gala were Prof. Piotr Gliński, Cabinet Deputy President and Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Anna Azari, Israeli Ambassador to Poland, Hanna Lehtinen, Finnish Ambassador to Poland, Pierre Lévy, French Ambassador to Poland, Rolf Nikel, German Ambassador to Poland, Paul Wojciechowski, Australian Ambassador to Poland, representatives of the diplomatic corps from Austria, Israel, Germany, Norway, Finland and the United States, Zdzisław Sipiera, Governor Mazowiecki Province, Włodzimierz Paszyński, Deputy Mayor of Warszaw and Piotr Wiślicki, Chairman Jewish HIstorical Institute Association. The award gala was the first Made in POLIN function – the annual three-day event celebrating the opening of the POLIN Museum's permanent exhibition.