The European Civilisation Chair at the College of Europe in Natolin organised a field workshop in Warsaw’s Powązki Cemeteries on All Saints’ Day (1 November 2023). Professor Georges MINK, Nicolas NIZOWICZ, and Jakub KUBICA, provided the students with a guided tour of the two historical cemeteries, the older of which dates back to 1790.
This day is a significant holiday in Poland, widely known as All Saints' Day or Wszystkich Świętych. On this occasion, the students of Natolin experienced an unforgettable evening walk amidst the flickering light of countless candles, thoughtfully placed by Poles who traditionally visit the graves of their loved ones, paying tribute to the departed. This workshop in the anthropology and sociology of death and memory was also an opportunity to learn more about the prominent figures of Polish and European history and culture who are buried at the Powązki Cemeteries.