On March 14–15, 2026, the Pilecki Institute opened a new chapter in New York City, officially launching its U.S. activities with a two-day public event that offered a preview of the programs and initiatives that will shape its work in the United States.
“At the Pilecki Institute USA, we will cultivate the memory of the consequences of 20th-century totalitarian systems in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the heroes of those times, by promoting reliable historical knowledge. We will also present the richness of a culture that for decades remained hidden behind the Iron Curtain—as a testimony to the era and the experiences of our region. We are open to cultural, diplomatic and promotional projects, creating a platform for cooperation and synergy,” said Piotr Franaszek, CEO of the Pilecki Institute in New York. The first day of the program centered on the Institute’s social, educational, and archival work, setting the tone for a broader conversation about history and its relevance today. That conversation took shape in a panel titled “Lessons from Nuremberg for the 21st Century,” which revisited the legacy of the Nuremberg Trials—not as distant history, but as a living foundation of the postwar legal order and a lens through which to understand contemporary international relations.
• Steve Crawshaw: A British journalist and writer, and a former correspondent for “The Independent”. He has held directorships at Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, and specializes in matters of international justice.
• Jack El-Hai: an American journalist and author specializing in history, medicine and science, and author of the bestselling reportage “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist”. A lecturer at leading universities (among others Yale and Harvard), and a speaker at renowned medical institutions. His articles have been published in various prestigious magazines, including “The Atlantic”, “Scientific American” and “Wired”.
• Mark Kramer: Director of the Cold War Studies program at Harvard University’s Davis Center. Editor-in-Chief of the “Journal of Cold War Studies”, and author of publications based on research conducted in archives of the former Warsaw Pact.
• Igor Lukeš: Professor of History and International Relations at Boston University. A specialist in the history of Central Europe and the operations of secret services. Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic in Boston.
• Krystian Wiciarz: acting Deputy Director for Scholarly Affairs at the Pilecki Institute.
The debate was moderated by dr. John Cornell, an Associate Professor at the Center for Totalitarian Studies of the Pilecki Institute.
On the same day, the Institute presented the pilot episode of the audio series “Courtroom 600: Witnesses of Nuremberg,” with commentary by Martyna Wojtkowska, the script’s author. Rather than focusing on the defendants or reconstructing the proceedings, the series gives voice to the often-overlooked participants: witnesses, interpreters, reporters, psychologists, and stenographers. It explores the cost of bearing witness to evil and reflects on how justice endures in language and memory long after the verdict is delivered.
The second day of the inauguration shifted the focus to memory, testimony, and interdisciplinary research—bringing individual stories and historical inquiry into close dialogue.
A centerpiece of the program was the exhibition “A Tool of Survival: The Story of the Ładoś Group,” presented to American audiences for the first time. It traces the extraordinary efforts of a network of Polish diplomats based in Bern, Switzerland, who, during the Second World War, worked with Jewish organizations to carry out a clandestine “passport operation” that helped save Jews from the Holocaust.
Known as the Ładoś Group, the network operated out of the Polish Legation in Bern under the leadership of Aleksander Ładoś. He was joined by fellow diplomats Stefan Ryniewicz, Konstanty Rokicki, and Juliusz Kühl, who collaborated closely with Jewish activists Abraham Silberschein and Chaim Eiss.
From early 1941 through the end of 1943, members of the group illegally obtained and issued passports and citizenship certificates from several Latin American countries—most notably Paraguay. Instead of being deported to extermination camps, passport holders were typically sent to internment camps, significantly increasing their chances of survival.
Today, the operation is recognized as one of the largest rescue efforts of the war, reaching at least 8,000 Jews from across occupied Europe, including Poland, the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. Researchers at the Pilecki Institute have so far identified more than 3,280 individual passport holders.
The exhibition opening was accompanied by two lectures that underscored both the historical and personal dimensions of the story.
Dr. Mordecai Paldiel, former longtime director at Yad Vashem, spoke not only as a historian but also as a survivor. As a child, he and his family received assistance from the Polish Legation in Bern, which allowed them to remain safely in Switzerland throughout the war. In his remarks, he described the mechanics of the passport operation—still striking researchers today for its scale and complexity—and emphasized the exceptional level of trust and cooperation between Polish diplomats and Jewish activists, a partnership he noted was unique in occupied Europe.
The second speaker, dr. Heidi Fishman, brought a deeply personal perspective. The daughter of Holocaust survivor Ruth “Tutti” Fishman, she recounted her family’s story and how a Ładoś passport became their path to survival. A psychologist, activist with the Vermont Holocaust Memorial, and member of the International Committee of the Ładoś Group, she is also the author of Tutti’s Promise, which tells her mother’s wartime story.
The day concluded with a look ahead. During the inauguration of the Institute’s U.S. activities, an installation dedicated to its patron, Witold Pilecki, was unveiled. The display serves as a preview of the upcoming permanent exhibition “Proof of Courage,” scheduled to open later this year.
The exhibition will present Pilecki’s life as both witness and resistance fighter against two totalitarian systems—Nazi Germany and Soviet communism—while also exploring broader themes of solidarity, resistance, and the human cost of freedom. His story will unfold across seven thematic sections, each representing a key period in his life. At the center of each will be a carefully reconstructed garment reflecting his role at the time—from a young scout during the First World War, to a Polish Army officer, to a landowner and social activist, to a prisoner in Auschwitz, and finally to a political prisoner under Stalinist rule.
A standout moment of the inauguration program were concerts by Urszula Dudziak, who performed songs from her latest album, UlaNova.
“From classical music to a kind of wild, almost unsettling energy that may unsettle some and soothe others—I want to take you on an intense journey through my aesthetics, my taste, my sensitivity, and my love of experimentation,” she said. “This album brings together compositions that have lived in my ‘treasure chest’ for years, waiting for the right moment to be heard.”
A renowned Polish jazz vocalist and composer, Dudziak is widely regarded as one of the leading voices in contemporary jazz. Over the course of her career, she has collaborated with artists such as Krzysztof Komeda, Bobby McFerrin, Herbie Hancock, Nina Simone, and Sting, among many others.
