Teachers of history and other subjects in primary and secondary schools can apply for the “Righteous from Markowa” competition. The competition task is to prepare a scenario for a 45-minute lesson devoted to the Ulma family and Polish-Jewish relations during World War II.

The organisers of the competition are the Ministry of National Education and the Institute of National Remembrance. Competition proposals can be sent until 30 October to the school superintendents in the individual provinces.  Winners will receive prizes and an invitation to a seminar trip financed by the IPN.

The lesson scenario should be translated into a 45-minute school lesson and be put into practice by the teacher. The scenario must contain biographical information on the members of the Ulma family, the phenomenon of Polish aid to Jews during World War II, Polish-Jewish relations during World War II and the place of the Jews in the history of the town or region where the teacher’s school is located.

The most important objectives of the competition include extending the teachers’ skills with creative and innovative methods of teaching history; broadening the teachers’ knowledge of the phenomenon of Polish aid to Jews during World War II and of Polish-Jewish relations during the German occupation; and using the competences acquired in the competition to broaden students’ knowledge of the Holocaust and of Polish aid to Jews during World War II.

“Examples of helping Jews during the Second World War, the Holocaust and the rescue of Jewish brothers by Polish families are abundant in Poland. These history lessons, the scenario of which will be prepared within the framework of the “Righteous from Markowa” competition, will reveal this truth to Poles”, says the website of the Ministry of Education and Science.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński