Hanna Radziejowska has lost her position as director of the Berlin branch of the Pilecki Institute, director Krzysztof Ruchniewicz announced. In recent days, Radziejowska had openly criticized the head of the Institute, among other things, over the scandal involving a planned series of seminars on the restitution of cultural property to other countries, including Germany. Radziejowska had headed the Berlin branch since 2019.
The full statement from Prof. Krzysztof Ruchniewicz was shared on X by TV Republika journalist Cezary Gmyz:
“The Witold Pilecki Institute of Solidarity and Valor (IPiM) informs that Hanna Radziejowska has been dismissed from her position as head of the Berlin branch of the Pilecki Institute for objective reasons. The basis for her dismissal is Article 4b, Section 3 of the Act of 9 November 2017 on the Witold Pilecki Institute of Solidarity and Valor in connection with the relevant provisions of the Organizational Regulations of the Berlin branch of the Pilecki Institute.
Ms. Radziejowska’s recent actions have seriously undermined her employer’s trust. Her interpretations and insinuations, presented in social media and traditional media regarding the Institute’s projects, constitute a breach of norms and the employee-employer relationship – especially when internal correspondence or her concerns about the Institute’s activities are shared with third parties without first discussing them internally.
The Berlin branch of the Pilecki Institute plays an important role in the Institute’s international structure. Its tasks include conducting academic research, documenting the consequences of 20th-century totalitarian regimes, and commemorating their victims. In recent years, the branch’s team has carried out numerous valuable initiatives, including cooperation with Ukrainian archivists and promoting Polish history in Germany.
A new acting head of the Berlin branch will be introduced next week during a meeting with the team and in a separate media announcement.
The Berlin branch continues its operations. All ongoing programs and projects consistent with the Institute’s mission will be implemented. The Pilecki Institute aims to strengthen the role of its Berlin branch as part of an international network supporting academic research and the commemoration of victims of 20th-century totalitarian regimes, with particular focus on the consequences of German Nazism in Central and Eastern Europe.”