Around the Labor Camp in Mogila and the History of the Meisels Sisters
Osiedle Centrum B 8, 31-927 Kraków
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events Program
On behalf of the FestivALT Association, the House of Utopia - International Center of Empathy, and the Norwid Cultural Center, we cordially invite you to a meeting dedicated to the history of the Nazi labor camp Baulager 15/XIV in Mogila and the actions that the community of Nowa Huta and local institutions can take to commemorate its victims.
The event will start at 11:00 a.m. on March 3, 2024 (Sunday), at the venue Kawa Kwiaty i Warsztaty. It will be open and inclusive: we aim to share the knowledge gained so far and acquired archival materials, as well as collectively discuss ideas for further initiatives.
In addition to the historical-archival and discussion part, there will also be an artistic component, namely embroidery workshops (registration required) led by Ewa Cieniak - an interdisciplinary artist working in the technique of embroidery, using fabrics and recycled objects in her works.
In the workshops, as well as in the name of the event, we will try to evoke the history of the Meisels sisters: Ernestyna, Paulina, Rena, Gizela, and Maryla - a history full of gaps and inaccuracies, hiding many unknowns, originating from a Krakowian, tailoring family. Ernestyna and Rena were prisoners of Baulager 15/XIV in Mogila. Most likely, only Gizela managed to survive the war. Under the sensitive guidance of Ewa Cieniak, we will attempt to retrieve them from oblivion and immortalize them in a unique way: through sewing patterns and the art of embroidery.
We hope that this meeting will not only be the beginning of deepening knowledge about the Baulager 15/XIV camp in Mogila but also - the recovery of the history of its victims.
Participation in the event is free of charge. For organizational reasons, we kindly ask for prior registration and declaration of interest in participating in the workshops: [LINK].
The event is organized by the FestivALT Association. Partners: the House of Utopia - International Center of Empathy and the Norwid Cultural Center.
Sunday
March 3rd
11.00
Welcome
FestivALT Association
House of Utopia - International Center of Empathy
11.15
The history of the Nazi labor camp Baulager 15/XIV in Mogila
Tomasz Owoc
12.10
The history of Jews in Mogila from the perspective of the current residents of Nowa Huta
Dariusz Grochal
Małgorzata Szymczyk-Karnasiewicz
Grażyna Olewniczak
12.50
A shared reflection on the future of the place
13.30
Embroidery workshops with Ewa Cieniak dedicated to the Meisels sisters
Ewa Cieniak
Limited spaces
17.00
Zakończenie
Wednesday
March 27
18.00
Patterns of Memory. Exhibition of Artistic Handicrafts.
ARTzona | Ośrodek Kultury Norwida | os. Górali 4, 31-959 Kraków
The history of the Nazi labor camp Baulager 15/XIV in Mogila
Tomasz Owoc
Curator of the Metallurgy Museum in Chorzów
March 3rd11.15
The history of Jews in Mogila from the perspective of the current residents of Nowa Huta
Dariusz Grochal
Nowa Huta resident, creator of the "Before Nowa Huta Was Built" portal, researcher of the history of the Nowa Huta lands, author of two thriller novels.
Małgorzata Szymczyk-Karnasiewicz
Grażyna Olewniczak
March 3rd12.10
A shared reflection on the future of the place
March 3rd12.50
Embroidery workshops with Ewa Cieniak dedicated to the Meisels sisters
Ewa Cieniak
I am a graduate of the European Academy of Art in Warsaw at the graphics department.
For several years I worked as an art director and creative director in advertising agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi.
In 2019, I have an eureka moment and decided to start my artistic journey again. Unexpectedly, even for me, embroidery was the most suitable for me, and fabrics as the most flexible and inspiring tool for my experiments. Since then, I have been constantly learning and developing my so-called style and way of thinking and creating.
https://www.ewacieniak.com/
March 3rd13.30
Limited spaces
Zakończenie
March 3rd17.00
Patterns of Memory. Exhibition of Artistic Handicrafts.
March 2718.00
ARTzona | Ośrodek Kultury Norwida | os. Górali 4, 31-959 Kraków
We invite you to an exhibition showcasing the embroidery works created during workshops with Ewa Cieniak at the "Patterns of Memory" event (March 3) at Kawa Kwiaty i Warsztaty, in collaboration with Dom Utopii – International Center of Empathy and Norwid Cultural Center.
The "Patterns of Memory" project was inspired by the longstanding commitment of the residents of Nowa Huta to reclaim the history of the German Nazi forced labor camp, Baulager 15/XIV in Mogila, and commemorate its victims. The event organized by the FestivALT Association, in collaboration with interdisciplinary artist Ewa Cieniak and others, aimed to shed light on the camp's history and the story of the Meisels sisters.
Participants from various parts of Poland and the world gathered for the event, with some encountering embroidery for the first time and others having prior experience in handicrafts. The exhibition, featuring portraits of the Meisels sisters crafted on sewing patterns, was a collaborative effort reflecting individual sensibilities, creativity, and empathy. The remaining portraits were created under the guidance of the City Embroiderers during workshops at ARTzone.
While not officially part of Krakow Women's Month 2024, the exhibition aligns with its principles, aiming to raise awareness of forgotten victims of World War II and the potential of microhistory and craftivism. We hope that the Meisels sisters and other overlooked victims will be remembered by the residents of Nowa Huta and Krakow. The exhibition reflects an extraordinary enthusiasm for the project and the desire to continue its legacy in the future.
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Osiedle Centrum B 8, 31-927 Kraków
ARTzona | Ośrodek Kultury Norwida | os. Górali 4, 31-959 Kraków
