Viola Scalacci, Author at LRE Foundation

We are thrilled to announce the establishment of LRE Poland!

Posted on May 21, 2024May 21, 2024 by Viola Scalacci

The LRE Foundation is a growing international organization responsible for projects that aim to preserve and valorize the cultural heritage related to the Second World War. It has national representations in multiple European countries including Brussels, Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy and UK. The newly created LRE Poland has recently joined this group with Joanna Roman, a historian and project manager being in charge of it.

LRE Poland aims to explore the projects of the LRE Foundation such as Liberation Route Europe or Europe Remembers within the Polish context, including the creation of a new Polish network of trails and the establishment of lasting collaborations in the region.

Rémi Praud, Managing Director of the LRE Foundation, commented on this significant step: “The establishment of LRE Poland marks a milestone in promoting remembrance activities in this country. We are proud of Joanna and those who supported this launch, and we look forward to future cooperation with our Polish partners.” Over the past years, successful collaborations have been established in Poland with institutions such as the Museum of Gdańsk, the Home Army Museum, the Sybir Memorial Museum and the Grodzka Gate-NN Theatre Centre in Lublin. In addition, LRE Poland is also cooperating with universities and other WWII institutions to further develop its network.

Future plans include coordination of partnerships in Eastern Europe, covering Czechia, Slovakia, the Baltic States, Moldova, the Balkans, and beyond. Joanna Roman, the new Director of the LRE Poland: “I’m thrilled to commence this meaningful and responsible journey of creating and implementing WWII remembrance initiatives and to cooperate with local partners and authorities. I believe it will play a vital role in making the complex Polish WWII history a coherent part of European memory. I’m honoured to be working on building bridges between great institutions and regions as we collectively strive to make WWII history accessible to everyone.”

Currently, the efforts of the Foundation focus on building a network of members and partners and organizing the LRE Forum 2025, which will take place in Krakow between March 10 and 13.

This is just the starting point of an exciting journey, through which LRE Poland aims to promote the history and heritage of WWII and to commemorate its veterans.

Launch of new Liberation Route Europe trails in the Rivierenland 

Posted on May 3, 2024May 3, 2024 by Viola Scalacci

Today, May 3^rd, the LRE Foundation, together with four municipalities in the Rivierenland and the province of Gelderland, launches four new hiking and cycling trails in the Rivierenland in the Netherlands. This project shed light on the lesser-known history of the western Gelderland River area, that was among one of the hardest-hit regions in the Netherlands during World War II. 

The project aims to create a network of trails that informs the public about local history and create a better connection between different parts of the region. This collaborative effort involves the municipalities of West-Betuwe, Neder-Betuwe, Tiel and Buren, along with the Regionaal Archief Rivierenland, represented by Sil van Doornmalen, and the Flipje en Streekmuseum/ WO2 Informatiecentrum Rivierengebied. Local historians have also contributed to highlighting important POIs and stories about the wartime period in the Rivierenland.

Today, May 3, marks the official launch of the five Liberation Route Europe trails: a themed hiking route in Tiel, three cycling routes spanning West-Betuwe, Neder-Betuwe, and Buren, and a comprehensive regional route for both hiking and cycling, covering over 230 kilometres and linking all aforementioned municipalities.

The day’s agenda includes ceremonies across each municipality. Attendees will include local and national journalists, reenactors, Scottish pipe drum players, and representatives from the LRE Foundation, notably Honorary Chairman Jurriaan de Mol and LREF Project Officer Wout van Aalst.

The ceremonies will feature the unveiling of a Vector of Memory, sharing historical anecdotes, commemorations, and most importantly, underlining the significance of the new Liberation Route Europe trails in the Rivierenland area. The day’s events will culminate in Tiel at the WO2 Informatiecentrum Rivierengebied.

“The impressive content and stories that have been collected, represent the impact the Second World War had on the people living in the Rivierenland.” says Wout van Aalst, project officer at the LRE Foundation. “Different perspectives and stories came to light: fighting in the resistance, the mobilization of the Dutch army, collaboration with German troops and the total destruction of certain areas, only to name a few. Collecting these stories together with the different partners and people involved, made working in the Rivierenland a real pleasure.”

The LRE Active Remembrance Youth Programme kick-off seminar in Brussels

Posted on April 24, 2024May 10, 2024 by Viola Scalacci

The Liberation Route Europe Active Remembrance Youth Programme (ARYP) kicked off last week at the House of European History in Brussels. Professionals from the history, remembrance, audiovisual, and podcast production fields gathered alongside the LRE Foundation Team for a two-day kick-off event filled with presentations, workshops, and knowledge-sharing.

The Active Remembrance Youth Programme is an EU-funded project that aims to actively involve and inspire young Europeans from diverse backgrounds to explore and commemorate World War II from multiple perspectives. Through a series of youth exchanges, participants will visit significant WWII sites across Europe, engaging with history firsthand. This immersive experience encourages active learning, including conducting interviews, curating historical content, and creating podcasts and videos, all contributing to an online exhibition.

The kick-off meeting’s first day featured insightful discussions with professionals like Annelies van Rijen from the House of European History Museum, Paula O’Donohoe from Euroclio, Jordi Guixé and Oriol Lopez Badell from EUROM, Anne-Catherine Michel from the Bastogne War Museum, and Roel Timperman from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. They shared valuable best practices on engaging young adults in remembrance projects. Highlight presentations by Prof. Dr. Joanna Wojdon and Prof. Dr. Katja Makhotina underscored the importance of embracing multiple perspectives in historical narratives.

The second day of the kick-off seminar delved into practical training sessions on podcast creation and guiding young individuals in video editing. Supported by Natif and MediaRaven, participants gained valuable skills essential for executing the project’s objectives.

The two-day seminar marked an auspicious beginning for the Active Youth Remembrance Programme, setting the stage for a collaborative and impactful journey ahead.

“Being able to learn from experienced organisations and sharing best practices, provided us with the perfect opportunity to prepare ourselves in the best way possible.” said Wout van Aalst, Project Officer at the LRE Foundation.

Stay tuned for more updates!

The second Resistance Through Their Eyes youth event took place at Casa della Memoria in Milan

Posted on April 15, 2024June 13, 2024 by Viola Scalacci

 The city of Milan and the Ferruccio Parri National Institute co-organized the second Resistance Through Their Eyes youth event on April 9-10, 2024, at Casa della Memoria in Milan. Aimed at educating and engaging young people about the history of resistance during World War II, the event offered a unique blend of educational activities and interactive experiences.

The highlight of the event was the urban game titled “The Secret Rebels of Milan”, based on the stories included in the project exhibition. Over 100 young participants, divided into teams, embarked on an exciting journey through the Library of Trees park, where they encountered ten stages, each representing a significant location linked to Milan’s resistance history. Equipped with smartphones or tablets, teams solved puzzles at each stage, earning clues that would ultimately lead them to uncover the final answer.

The game also emphasized teamwork, strategy, and quick thinking. As teams raced against the clock, they could track their progress on a leaderboard, comparing their points with those of other teams. Additionally, teams could access help and hints whenever they faced challenges, ensuring that everyone had a fair chance to succeed.

Beyond the urban game, the event offered participants the opportunity to explore the most important places of remembrance dedicated to World War II. Project partners gained firsthand insights into the stories of those who resisted Nazi-fascist oppression.

“Visitors were able to immerse themselves in the history of the Resistance, learn about the various viewpoints of its characters, and participate in special activities thanks to the collaboration with the Enigmap association.”, says a Milan Municipality representative. “Furthermore, secondary schools were invited to participate in an interactive treasure hunt at the BAM Tree Library park, which was organized by the Enigmap association. A one-of-a-kind opportunity for kids and boys to learn about the Milanese Resistance firsthand by solving puzzles and logic games based on Italian partisan biographies.“

The event served as a reminder of the importance of commemorating and learning from the past, especially in today’s world. By engaging young people in meaningful ways, the Resistance Through Their Eyes project aims to ensure that the legacy of resistance lives on, inspiring future generations to stand up against injustice and oppression.

Sybir Memorial Museum and LRE Foundation sign a Memorandum of Understanding

Posted on March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 by Viola Scalacci

The Sybir Memorial Museum and the LRE Foundation are excited to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. This new collaboration will not only add a new Institution to the LRE Network but also create a valuable environment for upcoming joint projects.

Honoured with the Council of Europe 2024 Museum Award, the Sybir Memorial Museum (Białystok, Poland) is dedicated to the memory of those deported from Poland and other parts of the multinational Second Polish Republic. The collaboration between the Sybir Memorial Museum and the LRE Foundation shed light on the human cruelty and unimaginable hardships that many people had to endure in the depths of Siberia.

The uniqueness of the Sybir Memorial Museum lies in the fact that it is the only institution in Poland, and perhaps in the world, entirely dedicated to those who were deported deep into Russia and the Soviet Union from the end of the 18^th century until the middle of the 20^th century. The story combines historical narrative with first-hand accounts, portrayed through ordinary objects that carry an extraordinary emotional charge and the weight of untold stories.

The Sybir Memorial Museum and the LRE Foundation are both dedicated to raising awareness of the history and legacy of the Second World War. As such, this collaboration provides the basis for future joint ventures focusing on common objectives and joint initiatives. Some project ideas have already been discussed, leading to fruitful cooperation between the two institutions.

“It is a great honour to collaborate with such a distinguished institution, which undertakes so many remembrance projects in Central and Eastern Europe. We very much hope to carry out many projects together in the context of promoting local heritage and spreading the word about these extremely brave people who deserve to be remembered”- says Joanna Roman, Project Manager at the LRE Foundation.

Press conferences take place across Europe to present Europe Remembers and the 80th anniversary of D-Day and Provance landings.

Posted on March 21, 2024March 21, 2024 by Viola Scalacci

Throughout February, March and April, the LRE Foundation has been participating in a series of press conferences organised collectively by partners Normandie Tourisme, Var Tourisme, and Atout France (France Tourism Development Agency). These events aim to highlight the upcoming 80th anniversary of the D-Day and Provance Landings while providing a platform to present our project, Europe Remembers.

The press conferences were held in significant locations: the first in London at the Imperial War Museum, the second in Amsterdam at the Verzetsmuseum Resistance Museum, and the third in Brussels at the Royal Military Museum. A fourth press conference will be organized on April 2 at the Musée de l’Armée in Paris.

During these gatherings, attendees had the opportunity to delve into the anniversary commemorations for the D-Day Landings and Operation Dragoon scheduled for this year, whilst gaining insights into the programmes’ details.

Another focal point discussed was the LRE Foundation’s initiative, Europe Remembers, an international awareness campaign and online platform to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and draw attention to historical events and commemorations across Europe. The campaign is a collaborative project supported by many partners across Europe including Region Normandy and Normandy Tourism.

The four press conferences provided an excellent opportunity to present and promote the project in front of professional journalists, laying the groundwork for reaching an international and diverse audience.

LRE Conference 2024 – an interview with LREF Managing Director Rémi Praud

Posted on February 1, 2024February 1, 2024 by Viola Scalacci

This year’s LRE Conference – one of the key events of the LRE Forum 2024 – will be held in Aachen on February 27. This event aims to inform and inspire all the Foundation’s stakeholders and anyone interested in WWII history and will feature in-depth keynotes, panel discussions, and presentations by international speakers.

The LRE Conference 2024 will revolve around the topic of “The Complex Legacy of WWII Persecution: Reflections on Justice and Remembrance” and will be divided into several sessions, each addressing the topic from a different point of view.

The event will start with a keynote speech from Dietmar Nietan, Member of the German Parliament, titled: “From Persecution to Justice and Accountability,” which will discuss the challenges in achieving accountability and justice for the persecution and crimes committed during World War II. A panel discussion, moderated by British Historian and author Keith Lowe, titled “Making Amends and Ensuring Justice” will then look at the ways and issues connected to pursuing transitional justice, reparations, restitution, and memory laws in the aftermath of the war. The last session will feature an intimate conversation with Mala Tribich MBE, a Holocaust survivor, on the significance of memory preservation and transmission.

To take a glimpse into this year’s event, we interviewed Rémi Praud, LRE Foundation’s Managing Director, on what will await us at the LRE Conference 2024:

How did you come up with the topic for this year’s conference?

This year’s topic was chosen due first to its profound historical significance but also to its relevance in addressing contemporary global challenges. World War II persecution stands as an important chapter in history, leaving a mark on our world that continues to influence our societies in significant ways.

One of the primary reasons for selecting this topic is its multifaceted nature. It allows us to explore a range of themes, such as art restitution, memory laws, war crime trials, or compensation.

Delving into the complexities of art restitution, which is still an ongoing process, raises fundamental questions about historical justice, for instance.

War crime trials underscore, as well, this ongoing pursuit of justice for the victims of WWII persecution, but also connect with the present. The Nuremberg Trials did set a precedent for addressing mass atrocities through legal means. Today, as war crimes tribunals and international law continue to evolve, it is interesting to see how historical cases inform contemporary justice efforts. This allows us to critically assess the effectiveness of legal mechanisms and evaluate the significance of reparations.

Compensations address also this need for reparation and the responsibility of societies to redress historical wrongs, a moral imperative that emerged after the war.

Last but not least, the topic of memory laws acknowledges the critical role of collective remembrance in shaping societies. Such laws not only preserve the historical record but also serve as a foundation for building a just and inclusive future. All these topics share the same question of how societies deal with the darker chapters of their past.

What is the importance of discussing persecution with a special emphasis on law and justice?

This angle is very interesting because it connects with the present and helps us reflect on different topics. For example, it sheds light on legal accountability and how it is defined. The post-WWII processes have been instrumental in developing new legal concepts, which set a precedent for international justice.

Furthermore, it is crucial as it deals with the rights of victims and survivors, exploring how paths to justice and closure were offered, and what kind of healing process for survivors and their descendants we can envisage after such a traumatic event.

In addition, emphasizing law and justice is integral to fostering societal reconciliation, as it encourages open dialogue about historical injustices. It also plays a crucial role in preserving historical memory through legal proceedings like war crime trials. These trials provide an official record of past atrocities and ensure that the lessons learned from that period are not forgotten. These are just a few of the themes that will be addressed by our speakers.

This year’s conference has some interesting key speakers. How did you choose them and what can they bring to the discussion?

We have selected the speakers with a diversity of expertise, and backgrounds, coming from different countries, bringing complementary perspectives. We were, for example, particularly interested in the work of the EVZ Foundation, which is instrumental when it comes to the topic of compensation, but also in how to address Germany’s responsibility for the future. The presence of Dr Andrea Despot, its CEO, is a chance for the discussion. We were also very keen to invite speakers with very personal experiences related to the justice processes. For example, the historian Dr. Carlo Gentile has been testifying as an expert in various trials in Germany, Italy, and Canada. Anne Webber, Co-Chair of the Commission for Looted Art in Europe (CLAE), has a remarkable track record in advocating for restitution policies globally and achieving the return of over 3,500 cultural items. This is the type of diversity we always want to have in our conferences.

And last but not least, the presence of Mala Tribich, a Holocaust survivor of the Ravensbrück and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps, is an immense privilege. Hearing her story and reflections will be for sure an emotional and powerful conclusion for our conference.

What do you want the public to take home from the LRE Conference 2024?

Our idea with this theme is that our audience is confronted with different angles constituting the processes of justice and remembrance, and they can relate to what happened in their own country or own region. We hope that those perspectives and examples will be a reflection starting point, especially connecting with contemporary conflicts and a reason for discussions after the conference between participants. If our conference brings up such discussions, it means that we have succeeded.

The conference is open to everyone. Click here to register!

New Themed Route explores the 100th Bombardment Group, the ‘Masters of the Air’

Posted on January 26, 2024January 26, 2024 by Viola Scalacci

With the release of the new ‘Masters of the Air’ series on Apple TV, the Foundation, LRE UK and partners have created a new Liberation Route Europe themed walk in Norfolk, East Anglia. It will be of no surprise to those who have been eagerly awaiting the series, that this new 6km (4 miles) Themed Route focuses on Thorpe Abbots, or Station 139 as it was designated by the United States Army Air Force. The trail provides an opportunity to delve into the past and explore the remnants of a once-bustling airfield.

The 100th Bombardment Group, Station 139, Thorpe Abbots Themed Route encompasses concrete remnants, old roads, perimeter tracks, and a public highway, offering walkers a glimpse into the daily lives of air and ground crews during World War II. The route intersects the former runways, providing an immersive experience as hikers follow in the wheel tracks of the legendary B-17 Flying Fortresses aircraft.

With over 2,000 personnel stationed there, Station 139, Thorpe Abbots was not just a military base but a thriving community that played a pivotal role during the ‘Friendly Invasion’. The Themed Route unveils the scale of the site, showcasing the purpose of various facilities and infrastructure. From accommodations to dispersal pans and the former runway, visitors can learn the stories of those who served and local civilians who witnessed wartime activities.

The 100th Bombardment Group Memorial Museum is a recommended starting point for the themed walk. It houses an impressive collection of original artefacts and interpretation panels. The meticulously restored control tower, including the glass house on top, offers a panoramic view of the former airfield, providing context to the site’s historical significance during WWII.

“This Themed Route marks the beginning of LRE UK’s development into East Anglia,” says Ben Mayne, LRE UK Director “and what better occasion to launch the new walk than the release of the “Master of the Air” series? It offers a great opportunity for people to learn about the airfield and surrounding area, the crews that worked here and who flew from here (some never returning), and the civilian perspective of the Friendly Invasion. This is just one airfield from East Anglia’s WW2 history and heritage, and we want to help remember what happened.”

Exploring Pilsen’s rich history: three new Themed Routes unveiled

Posted on November 27, 2023November 27, 2023 by Viola Scalacci

We are thrilled to announce that the LRE Foundation- in collaboration with the City of Pilsen – has created three new Liberation Route Europe themed routes through the Czech city steeped in World War II history. With a new network of hiking trails, anyone willing to discover the hidden gems of Pilsen gets the chance to experience the most significant sites, monuments and stories related to the city’s Occupation and Liberation.

“Most foreign visitors are aware that Pilsen was probably the very last big city in Europe liberated by the US Army,” says Jan Engler, City of Pilsen’s marketing manager. “Not many know its role in the resistance, involvement with the airdrops of the Czechoslovak paratroopers from the United Kingdom or the story of the 2 613 Jews deported to the concentration camps. Thanks to the great cooperation and support of the LRE Foundation, tourists may discover the three new themed routes just by clicking on the Liberation Route Europe webpage.”

Starting at the symbolic Peace Square (náměstí Míru), one of the city’s first memorials, the path along the history of the Pilsen’s Liberation in May 1945 leads past numerous relevant sites like the Pilsen brewery complex, Klatovska Street 19 or the Patton Memorial Museum, honouring American General Patton, an important figure in the city’s liberation process.

A second route takes you to the most interesting sites thematising the Pilsen Uprising against German occupiers on May 5, 1945. The trail showcases the triumphs and tribulations of Pilsen’s’ Resistance. Notable landmarks include memorials like the Jindřich Křečan commemoration plaque at the Roosevelt Bridge.

Allowing you to connect with the everyday lives and extraordinary stories of Pilsen’s inhabitants, a third themed route connects sites and monuments presenting the Civilian Experience in Pilsen. From the memorial plaque at Čechova Street to the Hotel Continental, the route encapsulates the stories of ordinary citizens, resistance fighters and the Jewish community during the Second World War.

“The new themed routes through Pilsen are opening the doors to a deeper understanding of the profound impact that World War II had on its streets and its people,” says Emerald Johnson, Project Officer at the LRE Foundation. “We are excited to share these new hiking trails, and we look forward to the meaningful experiences they will offer to all who embark on this historical journey with us.”