Inclusive commemoration of Holocaust victims in Przegaliny

events Programme

On May 14, 2025, the Zapomniane Foundation organized a commemorative ceremony in the village of Przegaliny Małe, located in the Komarówka Podlaska commune. The event was dedicated to the memory of two Jewish girls who were murdered during the Holocaust and buried in a nearby forest. Their grave was marked by the Foundation in 2021 with a symbolic wooden matzevah and has since become a place of informal remembrance, carefully cared for by members of the local community.

The meeting began in the village community center, where representatives of the Foundation presented the historical background of the execution and the process of locating the burial site.

The event brought together a diverse group of participants, including village residents, representatives of local authorities, members of local civic organizations, and two Jewish artists from Germany invited to the project. One of the key elements of the ceremony was a collective, art-based act of remembrance led by Berlin-based Jewish artist Atalya Laufer, whose family also suffered as a result of the Holocaust. In a symbolic gesture, red paper leaves—created during earlier workshops with community members—were placed on trees surrounding the grave, transforming the forest into a participatory space for remembrance and reflection. The event is an example of an innovative, community-engaged remembrance practice that combines historical research, local oral histories, participatory art, and grassroots collaboration. It demonstrates how artistic and commemorative practices can be used to activate marginalized histories and connect local communities.

📸Filip Szulc