The Silesian Freedom and Solidarity Centre, which operates in Katowice and cultivates the memory of the victims of the Wujek mine pacification and the history of the democratic opposition, has prepared a series of workshops for schools called “Remembrance Lessons”, devoted to the tragic events of nearly 40 years ago.
“Using available multimedia and educational materials, we will share with young people our knowledge about the pacification of the Wujek mine and the significance of the events of martial law for today – history should be a teacher of life,” – indicate the initiators of the project, addressed mainly to the last grades of primary schools.
The educational activity is one of the tasks of the Silesian Freedom and Solidarity Centre, which runs the museum at the Wujek mine in Katowice. After the coronavirus outbreak, the Center adapted its offerings to meet the need, providing online lessons and workshops for students across the country. In April this year, there were 81 such lessons, devoted to various issues concerning the activities of the opposition during the communist period. Just under 1,700 primary and secondary school students took part.
The originators of the project, prepared in the year of the 40th anniversary of the introduction of martial law and pacification of the mine, want the knowledge about the events of December 16, 1981, in Katowice to be one of the basic elements of shaping civic maturity and identity.
The museum located was established in 2008. Before the expansion, it consisted of three exhibition halls, where the history of the mine was presented, with a model reproducing the area of the mine and the course of actions of the militia and military forces during the pacification of the plant. For years, the museum has been guided by miners who took part in the historic strike.