Programme

• A walk along the Esperanto and Multiculturalism Trail: We explore Białystok as a city at the crossroads of cultures, where Ludwik Zamenhof grew up. Zamenhof created the Esperanto language, recognising that the lack of a common language gave rise to prejudice and conflict between Poles, Russians, Jews and Germans.
• The Branicki Palace: The Branicki Palace in Białystok – known as the ‘Polish Versailles’. A presentation on the history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth as a multi-ethnic state.
• Integration workshop for young people: ‘Could a universal language have prevented wars?’ – a discussion on identity, communication and prejudice, past and present.

Day 2: Białystok – Jewish Heritage, Occupation and Difficult Memory

Theme

The tragedy of the Jews of Białystok: from a vibrant community to the Holocaust and resistance.

Programme

• The Jewish Heritage Trail in Białystok:
  • The Great Synagogue Memorial: The site where, on 27 June 1941, following the entry of German troops (Einsatzgruppen/Polizeibataillon 309), approximately 800–1,000 Jews were burnt alive.
  • The site of the former Białystok Ghetto: A walk through the streets of the former ghetto, the monument to the Białystok Ghetto Uprising (August 1943 – the second-largest ghetto uprising after the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising).
• The Sybir Memorial Museum: The Sybir Memorial Museum – an outstanding, modern institution documenting the fate of Polish citizens (Poles, Jews and Belarusians) deported deep into the USSR by the Stalinist regime (1940–1941). An excellent starting point for a discussion on two totalitarian regimes (the Third Reich and the USSR).

Day 3: Tykocin and Łopuchowo – The History of the Town and the Tragedy in the Forest

Main theme

The shtetl and mass extermination in the field (Holocaust by Bullets).

Programme

• Journey to Tykocin: A tour of the former Jewish town (shtetl).
  • The Great Synagogue in Tykocin: One of the best-preserved Baroque synagogues in Poland. A presentation of the religious and everyday life of the Jewish community before 1939.
  • The Jewish Cemetery in Tykocin: The oldest surviving Jewish cemetery in the Podlasie region.
• Łopuchowski Forest: A trip to the nearby forest near Łopuchów. In August 1941, German SS and police units shot almost the entire Jewish population of Tykocin (approx. 1,400–2,000 people) there.
• A moment of silent reflection / Memorial ceremony: Lighting candles together or placing memorial stones on the graves in the forest.

Day 4: Supraśl and Kopna Góra – Orthodox Christianity, Belarusian Identity and the Struggle for Freedom

Theme

Eastern spirituality and the 19th-century independence movements.

Programme

• Journey to Supraśl:
  • Monastery of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Supraśl: The main centre of Orthodoxy in Podlasie. A fortified Orthodox church and an introduction to the history of Eastern Christianity.
  • The Icon Museum in Supraśl: An interactive exhibition showcasing sacred art and the theology of icons.
• Transfer to Kopna Góra:
  • The 1863 January Uprising Cemetery, the Arboretum and the European Bison Demonstration Reserve: A discussion of the struggle against Tsarist Russia and the concept of ‘For our freedom and yours’. Young people learn about Poland’s geopolitical position between Russia and Germany over the centuries.

Day 5: The Tatar Trail – Bohoniki and Kruszyniany

Theme

Islam in Podlasie – centuries of peaceful coexistence.

Programme

• Trip to the villages of Bohoniki and Kruszyniany:
  • The Mosque in Bohoniki and the Wooden Mosque in Kruszyniany: Unique wooden mosques of the Polish Tatars, who were settled in these lands by King John III Sobieski in the 17th century.
  • Mizary (Muslim cemeteries): An insight into funeral traditions and the unique Tatar culture.
  • Meeting with a Tatar guide: A lesson on assimilation, the patriotism of Polish Muslims (service in the Polish army) and religious tolerance.
• Educational lunch: Tasting of Tatar cuisine (pierekaczewnik, chebureki) in Kruszyniany.

Day 6: Contemporary Politics and the Borderlands – Hajnówka / Białowieża Forest / Krynki

[This part will likely be a stationary visit due to the blocked access to the border]

Main theme

The European Union’s border, national minorities and ecology as policy.

Programme

• Krynki: A former multicultural town (Jews, Poles, Belarusians). Destroyed synagogues and a Jewish cemetery.
• Discussion on the contemporary border region: Discussion of the EU–Belarus border, the migration crisis and the current geopolitical situation on NATO’s eastern flank (adapted to the level of 16-year-olds).
• Educational alternative: A visit to the Białowieża Forest – a discussion on nature conservation across national borders.

Day 7: Summary, Evaluation and Joint Student Project

Main theme

What lessons does this history hold for contemporary Europe?

Programme

• Evaluation workshops (divided into mixed Polish-German groups):
  • Preparation of presentations / mini-projects (posters, podcasts, video material) on the topic: ‘Lessons from Podlasie: Tolerance, Remembrance and Responsibility’.
• Joint panel discussion: How to deal with a difficult history and build a shared future in Europe free from prejudice.
• Closing ceremony and farewell.

Methodological Advice for Exchange Organisers

1. The concept of ‘Erinnerungskultur’ (Culture of Remembrance): German young people are taught about Nazism at school from an early age, but a visit to places such as Łopuchowski Forest or the burnt-out Great Synagogue in Białystok transforms abstract knowledge into a concrete spatial and emotional dimension.
2. Bilingual materials and preparation: Before the visit, it is worth providing the German school with a brief outline of the specific characteristics of Podlasie (multiculturalism + two changes of occupying forces between 1939 and 1941).
3. Mixed working groups: It is worth posing discussion questions after the tour in Polish-German groups, as this breaks down barriers and builds bonds between the young people.