Jacek Borkowicz - born 1957. A member since 1995 of the editorial staff of Więź, where he is responsible for the Polacy i ich sąsiedzi [Poles and Their Neighbors] desk. Author of numerous publications on coexistence between the nations and cultures of Central and Eastern Europe and of the book Powrót do Sowirogu [Return to Sowiróg]. Member of the Polish Council of Christians and Jews. He lives in Józefów near Warsaw.
Halina Bortnowska - born 1931. Catholic activist and commentator. From 1960 to 1983, a member of the editorial staff of Znak. From 1967 to 1982, she participated actively in the work of the World Council of Churches. From 1991 to 1997, member of the International Council of Pax Christi. Co-founder of Otwarta Rzeczpospolita [Open Republic] Association Against Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia. She lives in Warsaw.
Father Michał Czajkowski - born 1934. Roman Catholic priest, professor of Biblical studies. He holds the Chair of Ecumenical Theology at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw. Co-chairman of the Polish Council of Christians and Jews, member of the Polish Episcopate's Committee for Dialogue with Judaism, member of the International Auschwitz Council. Church consultant to Więź. Author of numerous books, including Słowo blisko ciebie. Wędrówki po Biblii i biblistyce [The Word Close to You: Journeys Through the Bible and Biblical Studies], Lud Przymierza [The People of the Covenant], W drodze do Jerozolimy [On the Way to Jerusalem]. A prolific writer and commentator. He lives in Warsaw.
Adam Dobroński - born 1943. Historian, professor at the University of Białystok. Director of the Institute of Regional History. Author of several scholarly studies and books for a general readership, including Losy Sybiraków [The Fate of Those Banished to Siberia], Łomża w latach 1866-1918 [Łomża between 1866 and 1918]. Editor of the series Białostoccy Żydzi [The Jews of Białystok]. He lives in Białystok.
Konstanty Gebert - born 1953. Journalist and writer. Co-founder of the (unofficial) Jewish Flying University (1979) and the Polish Council of Christian and Jews (1980). After avoiding internment in the 1981 coup, Gebert became-under the pen-name of Dawid Warszawski, which he still uses-well-known as the editor and columnist of KOS fortnightly and of other underground publications. In 1989, he joined Gazeta Wyborcza, the new independent daily for which he continues to write. He is a frequent contributor to other Polish and international media. In 1997, he founded, and until 2000 was the editor-in-chief of Midrasz, the Jewish intellectual monthly of which he is now the publisher. Author of four books, including one on the 1989 Polish round table negotiations and another on the wars in the former Yugoslavia. He lives in Warsaw.
Michał Głowiński - born 1934. Literary historian, professor at the Literary Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. Author of a number of books on the theory of literature and the history of the Polish literature, as well as one devoted to the language of communist propaganda. In 1998, he published his memoirs of the war-time period under the title Czarne sezony [Black Seasons; an English translation is forthcoming]. He lives in Warsaw.
Krzysztof Godlewski - born 1955. Educated in computer science, mayor of Jedwabne since 1992.
Jan Tomasz Gross - born 1947. Sociologist, political scientist, historian. Professor of Political Science at New York University. He left Poland in 1969, after the March 1968 events in which he took an active part. Author of books on recent Polish history including Polish Society Under German Occupation - Generalgowernement. 1939-1944; Revolution from Abroad: The Soviet Conquest of Poland's Western Ukraine and Western Belorussia; W czterdziestym nas matko na Sybir zesłali [In 1940, Mother, They Sent Us to Siberia]; Upiorna dekada 1939-1948. Trzy eseje o stereotypach na temat Żydów, Polaków, Niemców i komunistów [The Ghastly Decade 1939-1948: Three Essays on Stereotypes About Jews, Poles, Germans and Communists]. In May 2000, he published the original Polish edition of his book on the murder in Jedwabne: Sąsiedzi. Historia zagłady żydowskiego miasteczka [Neighbors: The Story of the Destruction of a Little Jewish Town].
Israel Gutman - born 1933 in Warsaw, he fought in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and was later imprisoned in Majdanek, Auschwitz and Mauthausen. After the war, he emigrated to Israel. Professor of History at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, chairman of the Scientific Council of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Institute in Jerusalem. Deputy chairman of the International Auschwitz Council. He lives in Jerusalem.
Radosław Ignatiew - Prosecutor at the Institute of National Remembrance Departmental Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes Against the Polish Nation in Białystok, responsible for the investigation of the Jedwabne murder.
Krzysztof Jasiewicz - born 1952. Historian, political scientist, faculty member at the Institute of Political Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences. >From 1991 to 2000, he carried out research in 26 archives in the territory of the former Soviet Union, and through 1992 was secretary of the Eastern Archive. Author of a number of books including Lista strat ziemiaństwa polskiego w latach 1939-1956 [Lists of Losses among the Polish Landed Gentry 1939-1956], Zagłada polskich kresów [The Destruction of the Polish Eastern Marches], and Elity sowieckie w okupowanej Polsce 1939-1941 [Soviet Elites in Occupied Poland 1939-1941] (forthcoming). He lives in Warsaw.
Jerzy Jedlicki - born 1930. Historian of ideas. Professor. Director of the History of the Intelligentsia Department at the Historica Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Chairman of the Program Council of the Otwarta Rzeczpospolita [Open Republic] Association Against Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia. Author of many books including Jakiej cywilizacji Polacy potrzebują (English edition: A Suburb of Europe), Źle urodzeni, czyli o doświadczeniu historycznym [Born Lost, or About Historical Experience], Świat zwyrodniały. Lęki i wyroki krytyków nowoczesności [A Depraved World: Fears and Judgments of Critics of Modernity]. He lives in Warsaw.
Maria Kaczyńska - Gazeta Współczesna journalist specializing in regional problems. She lives in Łomża.
Andrzej Kaczyński - born 1948. Rzeczpospolita journalist. Editor in 1981 of Tygodnik Solidarność, and, after the proclamation of martial law, editor of several underground periodicals. He specializes in reportage describing the relations between different denominational and ethnic communities living in Poland. He lives in Warsaw.
Stanisław Krajewski - born 1950. Logician and commentator. Member of the faculty of the Philosophy Institute at the University of Warsaw. Co-chairman of the Polish Council of Christians and Jews, member of the board of the Union of Jewish Communities in Poland, member of the International Auschwitz Council, co-founder of the Polish-Jewish Friendship Association. Author of the book Żydzi, judaizm, Polska [Jews, Judaism, and Poland]. Member of the Warsaw Jewish Community. He lives in Warsaw.
Zdzisław Krasnodębski - born 1953. Sociologist and philosopher; he teaches sociology and the history of culture of Central and Eastern Europe at the University of Bremen (Germany). Author of a number of books including Rozumienie ludzkiego zachowania [Ways of Understanding Human Behavior], Upadek idei postępu [The Fall of the Idea of Progress], Postmodernistyczne rozterki kultury [Post-Modernistic Dilemmas of Culture], and Max Weber. Author of essays, published mainly in Znak. He lives in Bremen.
Jacek Kurczewski - born 1943. Sociologist, professor at the University of Warsaw, he holds the Chair of Sociology of Customs and Law at the Institute of Applied Social Sciences. From 1991 to 1993, he was the deputy speaker of the Polish Sejm [parliament]. Member of the Polish Television Program Council, and of the Mass Media Ethics Council. Author or co-author of a number of books on sociology and the sociology of law, including (in English): The Resurrection of Rights in Poland and, jointly with M. Maclean: Family Law and Family Policy in the New Europe. He lives in Warsaw.
Paweł Lisicki - born 1966. Rzeczpospolita journalist, responsible at present for the Opinie [Opinions] section. He has written numerous essays and the books Nie-ludzki Bóg [An Un-human God] and Doskonałość i nędza [Perfection and the Miserable]. Commentator for Fronda quarterly. He lives in Warsaw.
Paweł Machcewicz - born 1966. Historian, senior lecturer at the Institute of Political Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences, director of the Public Education Office at the Institute of National Remembrance. Author of books devoted to recent Polish history including Polski rok 1956 [The Polish Year 1956], and Władysław Gomułka, co-author of the books Historia Hiszpanii [A History of Spain], and Druga Wielka Emigracja (1945 - 1990), [The Second Grand Emigration 1945 - 1990]. He lives in Warsaw.
Antoni Macierewicz - born 1948. Historian, politician. Activist in the democratic opposition movement under the communist regime, co-founder of the Committee for the Defence of Workers (KOR) in 1976 and later a Solidarność trade union activist. From 1991 to 1993, Sejm [parliament] deputy for the Zjednoczenie Chrześcijańsko-Narodowe [Christian-National Union]. From 1995 to 1997, deputy leader of the Ruch Odbudowy Polski [Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland]. At present independent Sejm deputy, publisher of Głos weekly, and since 1998 chairman of the Ruch Katolicko-Narodowy [Catholic-National Movement]. He lives in Warsaw.
Agnieszka Magdziak-Miszewska - born 1957. She has worked for Więź since 1984, from 1995-2001 as its deputy editor-in-chief. From 1991-1995, counselor-minister at the Polish embassy in Moscow. From 1997 to 1995, adviser to Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek on Polish-Jewish affairs. >From 2000-2001, director of the independent Center for International Relations. Since April 2001, Polish consul general in New York.
Stanisław Marczuk - born 1935. Senator, chairman of the board of the Białystok Region of Solidarność from 1981 - 1991. He lives in Białystok.
Stanisław Michałowski - born 1952. Mechanic. Chairman since 1998 of the Town Council in Jedwabne.
Bogdan Musiał - born 1960. Historian, academician of the of the German Historic Institute in Warsaw. The scientific article in which he proved that the exhibition "Wehrmaht Crimes" comprises materials illustrating NKVD crimes brought him international fame. Author of Deutsche Zivilverwaltung und Judenverfolgung in Generalgouvernement. Eine Fallstudie zum Distrikt Lublin [German Civil Authorities and Persecution of the Jews: The Case of the Lublin District]; "Konterrevolutionäre Elemente sind zu erschiessen". Die Brutalisierung des deutsch-sowjetischen Krieges in Sommer 1941 ["Counterrevolutionary Elements Are to Be Shot": The Brutalization of the German-Soviet War in the Summer of 1941]; and Stosunki polsko-żydowskie na Kresach Wschodnich RP pod okupacją sowiecką 1939 - 1941 [Polish-Jewish Relations in the Polish Eastern Marches Under Soviet Occupation 1939 - 1941]. He lives in Warsaw.
Zbigniew Nosowski - born 1961. Journalist and commentator. Member since 1988 of the Więź editorial board, since 1993 its deputy editor-in-chief. Member of the National Council of Lay Catholics, member of the Board of the Club of Catholic Intellectuals in Warsaw, member of the Polish Episcopate's Committee for Dialogue with Non-Believers. Editor and co-author of the book Dzieci Soboru zadają pytania [The Children of Vatican II Pose Questions]. Author and co-author of more than 300 television programs including the series Boskie i cesarskie [God's and Caesar's; with Tomasz Wiścicki] and Rozmowa dnia [Conversation of the Day]. He lives in Otwock near Warsaw.
Jan Nowak-Jeziorański - born 1913. Courier for the Polish resistance movement during World War II. After the war, he was an editor of the European service of BBC Radio in London and, later, Director of the Radio Free Europe Polish Service. From 1979 to 1992, consultant to the U.S. National Security Council and the National Director of the Polish-American Congress. He has written a number of books and articles for magazines, periodicals and newspapers including Kurier z Warszawy [A Courier from Warsaw], Wojna w eterze [War on the Airways], and Polska z oddali [Poland from Afar].
Father Edward Orłowski - born 1931. Jedwabne parish priest, dean and prelate.
Paweł Paliwoda - born 1963. Historian of philosophy, doctoral candidate at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Regular contributor to Życie, member of the Warsaw Club for Political Criticism. He lives in Warsaw.
Stanisław Przechodzki - born 1955 in Jedwabne. Economist and lawyer. From 1991 to 1997, director of the Provincial Office in Łomża. Chairman of the Organizational Committees that prepared the visits to Łomża by Pope John Paul II (1991) and Israeli President Chaim Herzog (1992). At present, director of the Łomża branch of the Podlasie Public Health Center. He lives in Łomża.
Bohdan Skaradziński - born 1931. Economist and urban planner, commentator, writer, author of historical books. Member of the Editorial Council of Więź, regular contributor to Tygodnik Solidarność [Solidarność Weekly]. In 1952, while he was a student, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the communist military court for "attempts to overthrow the political system," freed in 1956, and later declared not guilty. In the 1960s, he worked as an urban planner in Arab countries in the Middle East. Author of a number of books including Białorusini, Litwini, Polacy [Belorussians, Lithuanans, and Poles], Polskie lata 1919 i 1920 [The Polish Years 1919 and 1920]. He lives in Podkowa Leśna near Warsaw.
Jan Skórzyński - Born 1955. Historian and journalist. Author and co-author of publications devoted to Poland's post-war history including Ugoda i rewolucja [Compromise and Revolution]. Editor-in-chief of the biographical dictionary Opozycja w PRL 1956-1989 [The Opposition in Communist Poland, 1959 - 1989]. Since 1994, a member of the editorial staff of Rzeczpospolita and, at present, first deputy editor-in-chief. He lives in Warsaw.
Tomasz Strzembosz - born 1930. Historian, professor at the Catholic University of Lublin and the Institute of Political Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences. Author of Akcje zbrojne podziemnej Warszawy 1939-1945 [Military Actions of the Underground in Warsaw, 1939 - 1945], Odbijanie i uwalnianie więźniów w Warszawie 1939-1944 [The Rescue and Freeing of Prisoners in Warsaw, 1939 - 1944], and Rzeczpospolita Podziemna [The Underground Republic of Poland]. He also deals with the history of the Polish resistance movement in north-eastern Polish territories under the Soviet occupation between 1939 and 1941. He lives in Warsaw.
Tomasz Szarota - born 1940. Historian, professor at the Historical Institute at the Polish Academy of Sciences, a prominent expert on the history of World War II and the Nazi occupation. The author of a number of books including Okupowanej Warszawy dzień powszedni [Everyday Life In Warsaw Under the Occupation], also published in German, English translation forthcoming; and Życie codzienne w stolicach okupowanej Europy [Ordinary Life In European Capitals Under the Occupation]. In 2000 he published U progu zagłady. Zajścia antyżydowskie i pogromy w okupowanej Europie [On The Threshold of Destruction: Anti-Jewish Riots and Pogroms in Occupied Europe] about anti-Jewish actions in European cities occupied by the Nazis: Warsaw, Paris, the Hague, Amsterdam, Antwerp and Kaunas. He lives in Warsaw.
Gabriela Szczęsna - born 1955. Kontakty journalist since 1983. She deals with local, social and historical issues, as well as nature topics. She lives in Łomża.
Dawid Warszawski - see: Konstanty Gebert.
Stefan Wilkanowicz - born 1924. Catholic activist and commentator, long-time editor-in-chief of Znak. At present deputy chairman of the National Council of Lay Catholics, president of the Znak Foundation for Christian Culture, deputy chairman of the International Auschwitz Council, member of the Polish Episcopate's Committee for Dialogue with Judaism. From 1985 to 1996, member of the Pontifical Council for Laity in the Vatican. Author of the book Dlaczego i jak wierzę [Why and How I Believe], editor of Auschwitz. Konflikty i dialog [Auschwitz: Conflicts and Dialogue]. He lives in Cracow.
Adam Willma - born 1970. Gazeta Pomorska journalist. Author of a series of reports on Siberia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as on the Croatian-Serb war. He lives in Białystok.
Danuta Wroniszewska and Aleksander Wroniszewski - journalists; husband and wife. Their most important articles have been cooperative efforts. They published in the Łomża Kontakty from 1980-1990. After 1983, they also worked for the Prawo i Życie [Law and Life] weekly. At present, they work as free-lance journalists. They live in Gorzów Wielkopolski.
Alicja Zielińska - Kurier Poranny journalist. She lives in Białystok.
Jacek Żakowski - born 1957. Journalist, commentator for Gazeta Wyborcza. One of the founders of the newspaper in 1989. From 1989 to 1990, spokesman for Obywatelski Klub Parlamentarny [the Citizens' Parliamentary Group, i.e. the parliamentary caucus of Solidarność deputies]. Together with Piotr Najsztub, he launched the Tok-Szok TV program. Author of numerous books including Między panem a plebanem [The Lord of the Manor and the Vicar; with Adam Michnik and Father Józef Tischner], PRL dla poczatkujących [Communist Poland for Beginners; with Jacek Kuroń], and Mroczne wnętrza - uwięziony Prymas [Dark Interiors - the Imprisoned Primate]. Winner of the prestigious "Grand Press" award as the Journalist of the Year, 1997. Since January 2001, anchorman of the radio program Gość Radia Zet [Radio Zet Guest]. He lives in Warsaw.
Andrzej Żbikowski - born 1953. Historian, academician at the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw and the Public Education Office at the Institute of National Remembrance. Author of scholarly studies including Ideologia antysemicka 1848 - 1918 [Anti-Semitic Ideology, 1848-1918], Żydzi krakowscy i ich gmina 1869-1919 [The Cracow Jews and their Community, 1869-1919]; and the popular Żydzi [The Jews]. He lives in Warsaw.
Archbishop Józef Życiński - born 1948. Philosopher, Roman Catholic priest, Archbishop Metropolitan of Lublin since 1997 after serving as Bishop of Tarnów from 1990. Professor of the Philosophy of Science, holder of the Chair of Relations between Science and Faith at the Catholic University of Lublin. Member of two Vatican congregations: the Pontifical Council for Culture, and the Congregation for Catholic Upbringing. Member of the Joint Working Group of the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches. Chairman of the Polish Episcopate's Commission for the Lay Apostolate. Author of over 300 books, including (in English): The Galileo Affair: A Meeting of Faith and Science, The Structure of the Metascientific Revolution, The Idea of Unification in Galileo's Epistemology, Three Cultures: Science, the Humanities and Religious Values, and of numerous scholarly articles and commentaries. He lives in Lublin.