Special screening of the film Remember This, starring Oscar-nominated actor David Strathairn as Jan Karski, at a splendid event celebrating Karski's birth at the Polish History Musuem in Warsaw (Photo: Małgorzata Kowalczyk/Polish History Museum)
Over 500 people gathered on April 24 at the aula of the Polish History Museum in Warsaw, Poland, to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Jan Karski’s birth and the 80th anniversary of the publication of his wartime memoir Story of a Secret State.
In his welcoming remarks, the Museum’s Director, Robert Kostro, stressed the importance of the Karski story and legacy, which should inspire us to reflect upon the many perils and ordeals we face in the contemporary world and to take action.
The President of Fundacja Edukacyjna Jana Karskiego, Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, emphasized the universality of the Karski legacy. She described him as a “courageous realist” who teaches us to sacrifice comfort and popularity for a noble cause. Considering the superficial culture we live in, this can be more challenging than ever.
The Polish Minister of Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, reminded us that Karski—throughout his life—kept giving testimony to the truth and appealed to us to stand up against evil.
The screening of the remarkable, award-winning film Remember This, starring Oscar-nominated actor David Strathairn as the Polish emissary, followed. The event was closed by a thought-provoking panel discussion with distinguished individuals, including Professor Agnieszka Bieńczyk-Missala of the Department of Political Science and International Studies of the University of Warsaw, Joanna Sobolewska-Pyz, Holocaust survivor and member of the Association of the Children of the Holocaust, and two journalists, Wojciech Bojanowski and Dariusz Rosiak. The conversation covered Jan Karski’s life and legacy and the role of a witness in today’s world.
The event was organized by the Polish History Museum and Fundacja Edukacyjna Jana Karskiego, the Jan Karski Educational Foundation’s sister organization. The movie Remember This was produced by Eva Anisko, co-directed by Jeff Hutchens (also Director of Photography) and Derek Goldman; the screenplay was co-written by Clark Young and Derek Goldman.
Click here for more information about the movie, including full credits and the trailer.
Based on the summary published in Polish on the PHM’s website.
