History-Politics-Film

dokumentART 2012: 15.11.2012, Thursday, 09:00
Uniwersytet Szczeciński, Krakowska 71-79 (where is that?)
Blok tematyczny: History-Politics-Film

Documentary film often reaches for historical-political themes, and is a valuable educational tool in these fields. At dokumentART festival, which takes place in Polish-German borderland, and whose main part is a competition of European film documentaries, issues connected with the close and the far past of Europe emerge at many points of the festival program. The History-Politics-Film bloc, featuring films and panel discussions, often touched upon important historical issues, most importantly those connected with the most recent history of Poland and Germany, including shared issues, also the most difficult ones. This year's edition presents the bright side of the history of the People's Republic of Poland and the Federal Republic of Germany, which is paradoxically not well publicised. In the times of economic crisis in the already collapsing real socialism, many citizens of the FRG took part in a spontaneous action of humanitarian aid for Poland. The documentary film “Paczki solidarności” (“Packs of Solidarity”), financed by the Polish-German Foundation for Cooperation, tells this incredible story which resulted in changing the official politics of one country towards another.

Films

  • Packs of Solidarity / Paczki solidarności45'

    At the decline of the People's Republic of Poland there was a shortage of everything in shops: from toilet paper to shoes. The documentary film “Packs of Solidarity” tells about a spontaneous movement started by Germans from the Federal Republic of Germany who wanted to support Poles. In February 1982, after Bundestag removed the postage from aid packages for Poles, there was a record of 70 thousand packages with daily necessities and things for conspiracy sent per one day. In the film we will see the heroes of that story: those whose faces and names are barely known (if at all), as well as those from history books.

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    Authors:

Associated artists

  • Andrzej Kotula

    He is 54. Graduated from Polish studies, likes to work most as a journalist. He deals with the topic of borderland regions. Once part of anti-communist democratic opposition, in 1980 co-funder of Independent Students' Association (NZS). For over 20 years he has been engaged in expanding the Polish-German (and also – Polish-Ukrainian) cooperation, especially on the borderlands. In 1993 co-founder of the Polish-German Journalists Club “Pod Stereo-Typami / Unter Stereo-Typen” (Among Stereo-Types).

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  • Dr hab. Adam Makowski prof. US

    Director at the University of Szczecin's Institute of History and International Relations, and Head of the Institute for Research in Local Communities. He specialises in Social and Political History of 20th century Poland. For the last few years he has been researching socio-economic changes in Western Pomerania from 1945 to 1989, and the country's economic policy concerning western and northern territories. Author or editor of 8 books and about 70 articles.

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  • Małgorzata Ławrowska

    Member of the Board, managing director of the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation since 2010. Historian, coordinator of international cooperation programs. Between years 1993-98 director of extra-curricular youth exchange department of Polish-German Youth Cooperation in Potsdam, then president of the Polish Meeting Houses Federation. In diplomatic service, recently director of Public Diplomacy Department at the Polish Embassy in Berlin since 2007. Originator and coordinator of Polish image campaigns in Germany. Member of the Copernicus Group. 

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  • Paweł Bartnik

    Politician and member of local government, graduated from history. In 1980 co-founded the Independent Students' Union in Szczecin. For over 10 years had been working as history teacher. In 1994–1998 vice-president of Szczecin, then in 1999–2002 superintendent in West Pomerania Voivodeship. Currently: director of the Association of Polish Municipalities in the Pomerania Euroregion office and president of Szczecin Municipal Athletic Club.

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Gallery

how to get there

15.11.2012