Shortly after Hanna Radziejowska alerted the Ministry of Culture to the disgraceful intentions of Krzysztof Ruchniewicz, he dismissed her from her position as head of the Berlin branch of the Pilecki Institute. “This decision looks like political revenge and an attempt to silence an effective, respected voice” – comment internet users.
As the head of the Institute stated, “Radziejowska’s recent actions have seriously undermined the employer’s trust.”
“The overinterpretations and insinuations she has presented in social media and traditional media regarding projects carried out by the Institute constitute a violation of the norms and the employee-employer relationship” – assessed Ruchniewicz.
At the end of July, the head of the Berlin branch of the Pilecki Institute, Hanna Radziejowska, alerted the new Minister of Culture Marta Cieńkowska and the chargé d’affaires of the Polish embassy in Berlin, Jan Tombiński, about the plans of Prof. Krzysztof Ruchniewicz. The president of the Pilecki Institute “expected the preparation of a series of seminars and proposed, among other things, a seminar devoted to the return of cultural property (d.k.) by Poland to Germany, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, as well as private property belonging to persons of Jewish origin.”
“The proposal of Director Ruchniewicz, who is also the plenipotentiary for Polish-German relations, is contrary to the policy of the Polish state and raises serious concerns about negative consequences both for the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (MKiDN) and for the Pilecki Institute“ – assessed Hanna Radziejowska.
The first comments on Ruchniewicz’s decision are already appearing.
“Ruchniewicz has absolutely no idea what is guiding him” – says Jan Pawlicki.
“This decision looks like political revenge and an attempt to silence an effective, respected voice. Mr. Ruchniewicz, attacking people who build Polish culture and reputation abroad is proof of weakness, not strength” – addresses the director of the Institute, Marcin Czapliński.
“I hope the time will come when this man will pay for his anti-Polish actions” – adds Adam Czarnecki.
“He could have shown a bit of decency. He chose disgrace” – accuses Ruchniewicz an internet user under the pseudonym 1 Star.
Radziejowska is a graduate of the Institute of History at the University of Warsaw. She is a curator, producer, and screenwriter of cultural and museum projects. She has worked at the Warsaw Uprising Museum, History Meeting House, Copernicus Science Centre, and Museum of Warsaw (as head of the Museum of Wola). From June 2017 to February 2018, she was director of the Polish Institute in Berlin. She has been involved with the Wola Residents Association and the Association of Residents and Friends of the Wawelberg Colony, as well as, as a volunteer, with the Holy Cross Hospice. Since 2019, she has headed the Berlin branch of the Pilecki Institute.