Jürgen Telschow

Jürgen Telschow - Since the foundation has been built Jürgen Telschow honorary works within its committees. Until April 2010 he has been chairperson in the board of directors.

Which kind of relations did you have to Poland before 1989?

In 1976 I took part in a studytrip to South-Poland. Thereby we have also been to Wroclaw and had a discussion in the house of the KIK Wroclaw, among others with Ewa Unger. On this trip it became clear to me how important the understanding between Germany and Poland is for Germany, Poland and Europe.

Together with others I founded the association „Signs of Hope – Znaki nadzieji“ in Frankfurt a.M. We undertook the task to support former polish prisoners of concentration camps and also to promote this understanding through studytrips, exhibitions and so on.I also had contact to protestant parishes and the polish ecumenical board which led to the fact that since 1981 I organised and led a few relief transports.

For the 1^st of September 1989 I had organised an exhibition in Frnakfurt which aimed to explain that after every war, people say „never again“ but after a while they are preparing and executing the next one. Thereby I met family Czaplinski from the KIK organisation in Wroclaw. During the first meeting the you Michal Czaplinski talked passionaly about the project in Krzyżowa. For me the idea of that time to do something for the youth together with the people from Silesia was convincing. Therefore I took part in the Krzyżowa-conference 1989 in Wroclaw and from that time on nothing could get me away from that place.

When looking back on the past 20 years since the founding of the foundation, what make you exeptionally pround and what are you worrying about?

I have reservations regarding the word „proud“ because it is closely connected with arrogance. But I am deeply thankful that the Wende took place 1989 and that we together could built a new Krzyżowa, so that many – especially young – people can come here and feel good and I am also thankful that I can help with this and experience so many things. A serious worry in my view is that both governments in the beginning spend much money on rebuilding and rnnovation but are not willing to constantly and institutionally support the work. This leads to constant financial problems in the Krzyżowa foundation, because the infrastucture cannot be held up through the current revenues.