Platform of European Memory and Conscience

12/06/2026

Today the documentary film “The Spies Among Us” will celebrate its Saxony premiere at 6:00 p.m. at the Bautzner Straße Memorial in Dresden. The film focuses on our Executive Board member - Peter Keup from UOKG e.V.

Peter Keup was born in Radebeul in 1958. In the early 1980s, he was a member of the East German national ballroom dancing team as a competitive athlete. The scientist, who now lives in North Rhine-Westphalia, was arrested in 1981 after an attempted escape from the GDR and was later ransomed by the Federal Republic of Germany.

The former elite athlete later became a scientist: decades afterward, he seeks direct confrontation with former employees of the Ministry for State Security (Stasi). The film explores how surveillance, persecution, and personal responsibility continue to have an impact today. In his doctoral thesis, completed in 2025, he examined how political prisoners in the East German prison system were turned into informants.

Documentaries in which former GDR prisoners directly confront former Stasi officers are rare. The film accompanies Keup during these encounters and sheds light on the long-term consequences of political repression and the process of coming to terms with injustices committed in the GDR.

Following the screening, Peter Keup will take part in a discussion with the audience. The conversation will focus on the making of the film, his research, and his personal experiences with the East German system of injustice.

📅 Friday, June 12, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
🗺️ Bautzner Straße Memorial, Bautzner Straße 112a, 01099 Dresden
ℹ️ Admission is free. Further information is available at www.bautzner-strasse-dresden.de and www.thespiesamongus.film.

Photo: Scene from “The Spies Among Us.” SideXSide Studios

11/06/2026

A powerful act of courage and humanity remembered in Madrid 🇪🇸🕯️

The memorial honoring the Czech man who secretly preserved the ashes of N**i victims reminds us why Europe must continue to defend truth, memory, and human dignity. 🇨🇿🇪🇺

This story is deeply connected to the mission of the Platform of European Memory and Conscience, which is working to build a Pan-European Memorial to the Victims of Totalitarian Regimes in Brussels — a place of remembrance for all victims of N**ism, Fascism, and Communism.

Memory matters. Remembrance matters. ✨

Read more:
https://english.radio.cz/madrid-memorial-honors-czech-man-who-hid-victims-ashes-nazis-8888318

Learn about the memorial project in Brussels:
https://memorialbrussels.eu/

In Madrid, the statue of František Suchý, who preserved the identities of more than 2000 people executed during the N**i occupation, has been standing for a few days now.

10/06/2026

🏛️✨ Yesterday, Ossolineum / ZNiO 🇵🇱 once again hosted one of the most meaningful distinctions: the Jan Nowak-Jeziorański Award.
It is an award that resonates strongly with the values we hold at PEMC because it honours people and institutions that recognise the state as a common good and have made a lasting contribution to freedom, civic responsibility, democracy, and the development of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe. 🌍🕊️ Founded by the City of Wroclaw [Wroclove] 🇵🇱, the Uniwersytet Wrocławski 🇵🇱, the Ossoliński National Institute 🇵🇱, and the Kolegium Europy Wschodniej 🇵🇱, the prize recognises exactly the kind of long-term public commitment that turns memory into responsibility and values into action 📚✨
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🌍📖 Its list of laureates says a great deal about its character. Over the years, it has honoured figures such as Václav Havel 🇨🇿, the playwright-dissident who helped turn moral resistance into democratic transformation, and Zbigniew Brzeziński 🇵🇱🇺🇸, whose strategic thinking shaped the transatlantic vision of freedom in Europe. In 2021, the award went to Святлана Ціханоўская, Maryia Kalesnikava, and Volha Kavalkova, three Belarusian democratic leaders whose courage in the face of repression became a symbol of civic resistance, democratic standards, and hope beyond fear 💪🕯️ Their presence among the laureates reminds us that this is not only an award about legacy, but also about political courage in the present.
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👏This year’s laureate is Carl Bildt 🇸🇪. As the Prezydent Wrocławia Jacek Sutryk, rightly said, Bildt has consistently reminded Europe that it is “a community of values, not just a community of interests.” That sentence matters deeply to us, because shared memory and shared history are also shared values, and institutions like PEMC and our members help keep them alive in public life 🕯️💡

We warmly congratulate this year’s laureate and thank Ossolineum 🇵🇱 for once again hosting an event that connects remembrance, democratic responsibility, and Europe’s future!

09/06/2026

Honouring the Victims. Defending Memory. 🕯️🌍

Today at the European Parliament, people came together to commemorate the victims of Soviet mass deportations — millions of lives torn apart by totalitarian violence and repression.

Once again, names were read aloud.
Names of people we never knew, yet whose stories are now part of our shared European memory.
Some returned. Many never did.
Some names were easy to pronounce, others carried the sounds of distant homes and lost generations.

Estonian, Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Moldovan, Crimean Tatar, Jewish, Armenian, German, Chechen and many more — united in remembrance.

This commemoration reminded us that the crimes of communist totalitarianism are not distant history. Their consequences still live in families, communities, and nations across Europe.

Remembrance must never become routine.
It must inspire responsibility, truth, and action.

Thank you to everyone who took part in today’s ceremony and helped preserve the memory of those who suffered deportation, exile, and persecution.

Special recognition goes to RasaJuknevičienė, whose long-standing commitment and initiative helped establish this commemoration as an annual event at the European Parliament

Special thanks to President Roberta Metsola or her leadership and continued commitment to historical remembrance and democratic values.

Commemorating victims, defending historical truth, and educating future generations is not only our duty — it is our promise. 🙌

📸 EuropeanParliament, 2026

08/06/2026

🔍 “Momentum builds for Brussels memorial to victims of dictatorship.”
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That is how journalist Eddy Wax opens his recent article for EURACTIV 🇪🇺 on the Pan-European Memorial for the Victims of Totalitarianism in Brussels. Frankly, we could not agree more. The question is no longer whether Europe needs such a Memorial. The real question is whether we can afford to wait any longer🕯️
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📖 The article highlights growing political support for the project, from the European Parliament to national governments and European policymakers, all recognising that the victims of Communism, Fascism, and N**ism deserve a visible place at the heart of Europe’s capital. It also points to a broader reality: at a time when authoritarian regimes continue to manipulate history and weaponise memory, remembrance is no longer only a historical issue; it is also a matter of democratic resilience and European security🛡️

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⏳ For us, this project has always been about people. About the millions whose lives were shattered by totalitarian regimes, and whose stories deserve to be remembered, understood, and passed down to future generations.
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The Memorial is not simply a place of memory. It is a statement about the kind of Europe we want to build, one that remembers its past honestly and draws strength from that memory 💙
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✨ Momentum is indeed building. The support is growing. The vision is clear. And perhaps the most important conclusion is this: the time for the Memorial is now ❗
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👉 The full EURACTIV article is available in the comments.

05/06/2026

🌍 We come from different countries.
🗣️ We speak different languages.
🏛️ We represent over 70 organisations, large and small, from across the world.
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But when it comes to the history of totalitarian regimes and their victims, we speak with one voice ❗
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🎥 Watch this moving video, a poem written by Pavel Friedmann, a victim of totalitarianism, read aloud by our members in their native languages.
These are more than words.
They are voices once silenced, now remembered 🕯️
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Because we believe in democracy ✍️
Because we defend truth, freedom, and human rights 🛡️
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🕯️At PEMC, we work every day to restore those voices. We remember their stories.
We fight for justice. We protect memory — because without it, there is no future.
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📢 Join us. Share their words. Carry their legacy.
🔗 Like this post, follow us. Share it with others. Help us keep memory alive.
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Together, we remember for a better future 💡🌱
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01/06/2026

🌍 That is precisely why PEMC exists, to create spaces where such a diverse, experienced, and committed community can meet, talk, decide, and build something meaningful together 🤝
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Last week’s Annual Meeting reminded us once again how important our network is. PEMC is a democratic organisation, and the Council of Members plays a central role in shaping our direction, making the most important decisions, and selecting representatives. This is where our members do not simply participate, they co-create the future of the Platform 🗳️✨
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The accompanying conference was another key part of this experience. It gave us the opportunity to share research, compare perspectives, present successful projects, and exchange know-how and good practices 📚💡 These conversations are never abstract; they help us understand what works, what can be improved, and how we can make remembrance, education, and historical justice more effective across countries.
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We also had the chance to explore new places and historical contexts, because memory is always rooted somewhere 📍 Visiting important sites, learning about local experiences, and feeling the atmosphere of places connected with history allows us to understand the past more deeply and humanly 🕯️
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And then there is networking, perhaps the least visible part of such meetings, but often one of the most valuable 🌱 Hundreds of conversations, quick exchanges during breaks, new ideas born over coffee, and plans that begin with a simple “we should do something together.” We are sure many of these ideas will soon turn into real projects.
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🙏 Thank you to all our participating members, partners, speakers, and guests. And a special thank you to our wonderful hosts from the Śląskie Centrum Wolności i Solidarności, whose hospitality, professionalism, and commitment made this gathering truly special.
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Together, we continue to preserve memory, share knowledge, and build a stronger community of remembrance 🇪🇺✨
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Credit: ASTASHOW Studio; Sylwester Strzałkowski / SCWiS

29/05/2026

📢 CALL FOR PAPERS 📚🕊️

We are pleased to announce the international scientific conference:

🏛️ “Material Heritage, Generations, and Collective Memory”
📅 7–8 October 2026
📍 Tirana, Albania 🇦🇱

Organized by our members: the ISKK-Instituti i Studimeve për Krimet dhe Pasojat e Komunizmit 🇦🇱 in collaboration with the Institutul de Investigare a Crimelor Comunismului 🇷🇴

The conference will bring together scholars from across disciplines to explore how the material legacy of communism continues to shape collective memory, public spaces, and younger generations’ understanding of the dictatorial past.

🔎 Main themes include:
🧱 Intergenerational perceptions of communist heritage
🏫 Historical education through objects and spaces
💬 Material culture as a medium for dialogue about the past
⚖️ Communist heritage and transitional justice
🏛️ Museums, memorials, monuments, and memory politics
🌍 Comparative perspectives from Eastern Europe and beyond
🔮 The future of communist heritage in the 21st century

🎤 Conference format:
✔️ Thematic sessions
✔️ Paper presentations & panel discussions
✔️ Networking opportunities and scholarly exchange

📄 We invite abstracts (max. 300 words) and short CVs from researchers in:
History • Political Science • Sociology • Cultural Studies • Law • Related disciplines

⏰ Submission deadline: 15 June 2026

📧 Submit to:
[email protected]
[email protected]

📚 Selected papers may be published in a peer-reviewed edited volume on totalitarian regimes and historical memory.

We look forward to welcoming scholars and fostering meaningful discussions on memory, heritage, and the legacy of communism. 🤝

27/05/2026

Today, during the final day of our incredibly productive Meeting, we had the privilege of taking part in the guided tour “Discovering the Wujek Mine” ⛏️🇵🇱

It was a truly meaningful and inspiring experience, allowing us to learn more about the history, courage, and legacy connected with this important place.

A huge thank you to Director Robert Ciupa and the entire team at the Śląskie Centrum Wolności i Solidarności for the warm welcome and hospitality 🙏✨

📸 Photos: Sylwester Strzałkowski

26/05/2026

✨ Day 2 of our wonderful Annual Meeting & Conference is underway in beautiful Katowice, Poland! 🇵🇱

From 25–27 May 2026, we are gathering together with our local host organisation,
Śląskie Centrum Wolności i Solidarności , for inspiring discussions, collaboration, and shared commitment to preserving historical memory and democratic values. 🤝📚

The day started with Commemoration of the miners of the “Wujek” Mine in Katowice, who were killed in 1981 during the pacification of an anti-communist strike.

During today’s Council of Members meeting, we proudly welcomed three new PEMC member organisations: 🎉

🔹 The Belarusian Institute of Public History
🔹 Baltic Alliance Association 🇱🇹 + 🇱🇻 + 🇪🇪 + 🇵🇱
🔹 Foundation for the History of Totalitarianism 🇬🇧

Members also voted to welcome Peter Rendek to the Executive Board, while Brisejda Lala joined the Supervisory Board. 👏

After the Council of Members, participants and guests had the opportunity to visit the impressive exhibition at the Silesian Centre for Freedom and Solidarity — an inspiring experience highlighting the region’s history and struggle for freedom. 🕊️🏛️

And tomorrow, another exciting day of our gathering awaits! 🌍✨

📸Marzena Bugała-Astaszow