Lower Silesian National Remembrance Congress

History is not confined to textbooks, archives and museum cases. It lives on in family stories, photographs, objects, sites of memory and eyewitness accounts. It can be a fascinating adventure, a fully immersive experience, and an occasion to spend time together. Find out how on 21–22 September 2026 at Wrocław’s Centennial Hall, during the Lower Silesian National Remembrance Congress organized by the Wrocław branch of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN).

“History Speaks Through Generations” is the event’s motto, combining traditional historical education with modern technology, art, film, theatre, games and reenactments. The Congress is designed for everyone — from young children through teenagers and adults to those who know the events of the 20th century from their own experience. Admission is free; advance registration is required.

The Congress is conceived as a great, interactive journey through Poland’s recent history. Across six main spaces, participants will be able to view exhibitions, hear from eyewitnesses, solve puzzles, play games, build, create, watch films and performances, and use the latest technology.

The centerpiece of the event will be the main floor of Centennial Hall, where history meets modernity. One of the biggest attractions will be the immersive exhibition “Trails of Hope: An Odyssey of Freedom,” an international IPN project telling the story of Poles during the Second World War. Through projections, light, sound and other modern display methods, visitors can follow the extraordinary journey of thousands of people — from deportation to the “inhuman land,” through the Middle East, Africa and Italy, to Britain and lives in emigration. Shown since 2022 in over 50 countries on six continents, the exhibition has already drawn more than a million visitors.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a display of authentic historical artifacts — documents, photographs, uniform fragments and everyday objects belonging to soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces and civilians, including memorabilia from people deported deep into the Soviet Union and items linked to military formations.

There will also be a Zone of New Technologies, where computer games and virtual reality offer a fresh perspective on history. History enthusiasts can step into the shoes of Warsaw Uprising insurgents, Polish cryptologists, and airmen fighting in the Second World War, in titles including “Warsaw Rising,” “Airmen — War in the Skies” and “The Cipher Game.” VR will let participants learn the story of the Ulma family and visit the apartment that housed a secret press of Fighting Solidarity.

Much of the Congress is aimed at the younger generation. The “Orbit of History” zone will feature over a dozen educational stands prepared by IPN branches from across Poland. The Orange Alternative Zone will introduce visitors to the fascinating chapter of Wrocław’s history — the 1980s movement that used happenings and absurdist humor to mock communist reality, with archival photos, original memorabilia, and stencil-graffiti and screen-printing workshops. The youngest visitors can make their own gnome hats — the figure that became one of Wrocław’s most recognizable symbols.

Other attractions include board games, comics, animations, puzzles and history challenges. The field game “Chronicler of the Century” takes participants on a journey through time, solving riddles, completing tasks and creating their own chronicle of history.

A special place on the Congress map belongs to the Family Education Space. In the Lego Zone, visitors can test their building skills and construct historical models; in the Little Ones’ Zone, children can do puzzles, paint and complete simple tasks inspired by Polish history. Workshops will also be on offer, along with a tournament of the board game “Konspira,” about anti-communist opposition activity.

National memory is not only about grand events and dates — above all, it is about people. That’s why one of the Congress’s key spaces, “Told,” will present the accounts of eyewitnesses to history, covering the Second World War (deportations, the Katyń massacre, the Warsaw Uprising, the rescue of Jews, the Volhynia massacre), Solidarity and the democratic opposition.

The “Archive Treasures” zone will display original documents and memorabilia held by IPN, while the “Fragments of Memory” zone will show how private collections, letters, photographs and diaries become part of the national archive and shared heritage.

A significant part of the Congress will present the work of IPN’s Bureau of Search and Identification. “We Are Bringing Them Home” tells the story of the search for victims of totalitarian regimes, archaeological work, and the identification of people whose fates remained unknown for decades.

The Congress will also host serious debate, with panels featuring historians, scholars, diplomats and other guests discussing historical policy, the significance of the 1976 Workers’ Defence Committee, the history of the Warsaw Pact, and the role of Polish institutions and diaspora organizations in preserving national memory abroad.

A special guest will be Chris Niedenthal, one of the most distinguished photojournalists documenting life in Poland and Central-Eastern Europe in the second half of the 20th century, who will speak about his work, the stories behind his famous photographs, and a photographer’s responsibility. His images of Wrocław’s past will also be on view at the “Identity” exhibition.

History will also speak through film and theatre. Cinema MEMORIA will screen IPN documentaries and productions, including “Chernobyl: A Polish Perspective” and “Trail of Hope: The Battle of Monte Cassino,” along with films about opposition in communist Poland (including Solidarity) and important historical figures.

For the youngest visitors, the “Animal Brigade” series offers humorous animations in which famous animals linked to Polish history tell their remarkable stories.

For ages 3–9, the show “The Story of Wojtek the Bear” follows a soldier-bear who marched with the Polish 2nd Corps from the Middle East through Italy to Scotland. For older audiences, “The Story of Wiktoria and Franek” portrays the birth of Solidarity from children’s perspective. Selected performances will be interpreted in Polish sign language.

Outside Centennial Hall during the Congress, visitors can see works by Chris Niedenthal and exhibitions on subjects including Wrocław’s history after the Second World War and Sergiusz Piasecki, a Home Army soldier and author of books such as “To the Beloved Great Bear” and “Notes of a Red Army Officer,” along with displays of military equipment and reenactment group shows.

The organizers conceive of the Congress as more than an educational event — a meeting of generations, refreshing memories for some and offering a first encounter with their country’s history for others, united by the conviction that the past matters: it helps us understand the present, build identity, and look responsibly to the future.

The Lower Silesian National Remembrance Congress also answers the need for a modern way of discussing history. Social research commissioned by IPN shows that presenting Poland’s history in an accessible, engaging way better meets today’s audience expectations — so alongside documents and testimonies, the event will convey history through films, theatrical performances, board games, art, building blocks, multimedia, VR and other new technologies.

The Congress is an event for whole families, teachers, students, history enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to better understand Poland’s history — an invitation to talk about what connects successive generations.