The Students of Kolegium Europejskie in Berlin – an international project on history, the Holocaust, and memory

From May 2-7, 2026, a group of EC students participated in the next stage of the trilateral Polish-German-Greek project “Movie on the History – Holocaust Related Biographies,” sponsored by the Polish-German Youth Cooperation. This time, the young people met in Berlin, where they jointly carried out activities related to the history of World War II, the Holocaust, and the biographies of individuals whose lives became important testimonies of the era.

The stay in Germany was not only an opportunity for integration among students from Poland, Greece, and Germany, but above all an extremely valuable history lesson. Participants visited Berlin, the Sachsenhausen Memorial Site, and Wannsee – places closely connected with the history of Nazism and the persecution of the Jewish population during World War II. A particularly strong impression was made by the visit to Sachsenhausen, where students were able to see the realities of how a concentration camp operated in the Third Reich and learn the stories of its prisoners.

Another important part of the program was the museum located in the Berlin-Schöneberg Town Hall, dedicated to the deportation of the Jewish population. Through joint workshops and presentations, the young people were able to better understand the mechanisms leading to exclusion, hatred, and the tragedy of the Holocaust.

At the host school, our students presented the biographies of three remarkable figures: Wiktor Ormicki – a geographer and scholar, Abraham Neuman – a painter, and Edith Stein – a philosopher and nun. In turn, students from Athens presented a film depicting the deportation of Jewish people to extermination camps, prepared using modern technologies and AI tools.

The project was not limited to historical activities alone. Students had the opportunity to explore central Berlin, see the Brandenburg Gate, take part in a field game in Tiergarten, and join language animation sessions that fostered the integration of the international group. A visit to the Urban Nation Museum, showcasing contemporary street art and various forms of artistic expression, also attracted great interest.

There was also time for shared leisure activities – going out for pizza, kebab, or traditional German Spätzle, as well as an evening at the bowling alley, which allowed participants to get to know each other better and form new friendships. Such experiences show that international educational projects are not only about learning, but also about building relationships, openness, and mutual respect among young people from different countries.

The trip to Berlin will certainly remain in the participants’ memories for a long time as a unique combination of historical education, culture, and international youth cooperation.

__

Special thanks are due to Mrs. Mariola Tracz and Mrs. Bożena Kula, who are responsible for the implementation and coordination of this exceptional project at our school. Thanks to their commitment, passion, and tremendous work, students have the opportunity to take part in international meetings, gain historical knowledge, and develop language and social competences. We sincerely thank them for creating such a valuable and inspiring initiative for young people.

See our photo gallery from the project!