Nov 5, 2024 | Culture, History Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers We cannot do what we do without your support a new movie by Hollywood star Jesse Eisenberg that was mostly shot in Poland which is being tipped as an Oscar contender the country from which his ancestors hailed Eisenberg wrote and directed A Real Pain and also stars in it alongside Kieran Culkin The pair play American cousins whose grandmother prompting them to embark on a tour of Poland which opened in the US at the start of this month has already won rave reviews and yesterday premiered in Poland at a screening held in the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews during the opening of the 22nd Warsaw Jewish Film Festival “I have such a wonderful feeling here. My family is from here,” Eisenberg told broadcaster Polsat at the premiere, which he attended alongside Culkin. Earlier this year, the star revealed that he has applied for Polish citizenship but my experience of coming back here eighty years later has been amazing,” the filmmaker told Polsat While Poland once had Europe’s largest Jewish population, numbering over three million before World War Two, around 85% were killed during the Holocaust and many others fled in the postwar period. There are now only 15,700 people who identify as Jews in Poland, according to the 2021 census – Ten film to mój list miłosny do Polski – mówi Jesse Eisenberg, aktor i reżyser. Jego najnowsze dzieło nosi tytuł "Prawdziwy Ból".https://t.co/MFz4CcTGxU — PolsatNews.pl (@PolsatNewsPL) November 5, 2024 Eisenberg noted that many of A Real Pain’s filming locations are connected to his family history the town council of Krasnystaw awarded the filmmaker honorary citizenship of the town noted that Eisenberg had first visited in 2007 while exploring his family roots then returned last year to film A Real Pain He thanked Eisenberg for “promoting Krasnystaw around the world” One scene in the movie was even filmed at an apartment that his family fled from in 1938 Other parts were shot in the former German-Nazi concentration and extermination camp of Majdanek in Lublin and at the Warsaw Uprising memorial He says he feels a strong connection with the country – where his upcoming movie was filmed – and wants to help improve Polish-Jewish relations https://t.co/kdtrzFybrR — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) May 23, 2024 Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications , , Karol Nawrocki even suggested that the state security services were involved in creating the scandal , , The 1,200 square metre national symbol was unfurled on the beach in Międzyzdroje , , The proportion of Poles saying the US has a positive influence on the world has also fallen to its lowest recorded level Apr 30, 2025 | , , , That response will include “large Polish and NATO exercises in Poland” Apr 29, 2025 | , , , Those employed in Poland work on average the third-longest hours in the European Union Apr 28, 2025 | , , , , Westinghouse and Bechtel were first chosen in 2022 as partners on the 192 billion zloty ($51 billion) project please consider helping us to continue and expand it [email protected] Copyright © 2025 Notes From Poland | Design jurko studio | Code by 2sides.pl Senior Research Fellow at the Global Europe Centre ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Weronika Strzyżyńska is currently studying journalism at Goldsmiths as a Scott Trust Bursary recipient She  has written on issues immigration and Brexit for New Statesman and Prospect Agnieszka Wądołowska is managing editor of Notes from Poland She has previously worked for Gazeta.pl and Tokfm.pl and contributed to Gazeta Wyborcza ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland and assistant professor of history at the Pedagogical University of Krakow The Independent and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Stanley Bill is the founder and editor-at-large of Notes from Poland.He is also Senior Lecturer in Polish Studies and Director of the Polish Studies Programme at the University of Cambridge Stanley has spent more than ten years living in Poland He founded Notes from Poland in 2014 as a blog dedicated to personal impressions cultural analysis and political commentary He is committed to the promotion of deeper knowledge and understanding of Poland He is the Chair of the Board of the Notes from Poland Foundation ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Professor of European Studies at Oxford University ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Professor at the Institute of History of the Jagiellonian University ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Executive Director of Taube Family Foundation ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Associate Professor at the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Science ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Jesse Eisenberg has opened up about becoming a Polish citizen while discussing his new film In the film – which sees Eisenberg star alongside Kieran Culkin Liza Sadovy and Daniel Oreskes – two cousins head to Poland to explore their family’s roots and celebrate their late grandmother In a Q&A moderated by Variety Eisenberg spoke about his family history and how it influenced him to make the film but his cousins and uncles lived in [Polish town] Krasnystaw and they all died in horrible ways “My hope with this movie is that everyone from any country is watching it Why have I never asked my parents where they’re from or where our name comes from?’ I hear this a lot from people.” The actor was originally working on a story set in Mongolia “The characters were going to live in yurts and it was pretty funny,” he said before explaining that a certain online ad changed his plans ‘Auschwitz tours – with lunch.’ It’s such a weird idea I threw out my Mongolia script and looked at the photos from my first visit to Poland in 2008 The Social Network actor went to explain how he’s unable to emotionally connect with what he witnessed on the tours ‘There’s nothing I can do to make myself connected to this trauma.’ What am I supposed to do There’s nothing you can do to feel what people felt in [concentration camp] Majdanek I was standing in front of my family’s house Eisenberg praised his Polish colleagues on the film ‘This is the most incredible crew.’ And she’s been on the greatest sets in the world.” the actor said he’ll continue to focus on personal stories My next movie is about musical theater in New Jersey I’m always looking for anything in my life that happened to me that could be a story “My background is in theater and I’ve been writing plays for 20 years people just didn’t like them as much,” he said with a laugh Elsewhere, 2025 will see Eisenberg return for Now You See Me 3 with his original cast mates The film has faced several production delays but is now moving forward with director Ruben Fleischer The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 Now, Jewish actor Jesse Eisenberg is doing the same In a recent interview with Polish publication “Głos Wielkopolski,” the “Social Network” actor revealed that he is in the final stages of receiving Polish citizenship I’ve heard stories of the Polish relationship with my Jewish family and all the stories were great: we were best friends with the Poles My family lived in Krasnystaw up until the war one person survived the war and moved to Szczecin,” Eisenberg who began the application process nine months ago Eisenberg’s reclaiming of his Jewish family’s Polish citizenship comes just months ahead of the release of his new film “A Real Pain.” The movie which is written and directed by and starring Eisenberg highlights the drama and hilarity of two cousins touring Poland to honor their late Holocaust survivor grandmother “in all the places where [Eisenberg’s] family is from.” In addition to Krasnystaw “While I was working here, I met some people who worked in positions related to the government. I said to them: ‘I would love to create better relationships between Jews and Polish people,” Eisenberg said, perhaps referencing the issue of antisemitism in Poland Is there any way we could apply for Polish citizenship’?” When the Polish interviewer asked what Eisenberg loved the most about the country he again referenced the fact that his family lived there for “generations apart from the people who were there first the Indigenous Americans,” Eisenberg explained “Poland made me feel a real connection to something historically bigger than myself.” Evelyn Frick (she/they) is a writer and associate editor at Hey Alma She graduated from Vassar College in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature she's a comedian and contributor for Reductress and The Onion By submitting I agree to the privacy policy. Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb Eisenberg first visited the town in 2007 while searching for his family roots and he returned in 2023 to film "A Real Pain," a tribute to his great-grandmother Mayor Daniel Miciuła emphasized that Eisenberg and his film have brought international recognition to the town represented by Witold Woiński and Wojciech Machejus who is expected to accept the title in person Honorowym Obywatelem Miasta Krasnystaw został Jesse Eisenberg, twórca hollywoodzkiej produkcji „A Real Pain”, do której zdjęcia kręcone były https://t.co/UK2yMnAXao Uchwałę w tej sprawie jednogłośnie podjęła Rada Miasta "A Real Pain" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival Eisenberg explained that the film is based on his family's true story and follows a journey through Poland in search of ancestral roots premiere of the film is set for November 1 with the Polish premiere taking place in Warsaw on November 4 The Würzburg Gestapo ordered some 800 Jews from 19 different sub-districts and three different counties (a total of 80 different communities) to present themselves in Platz’schen-Garten, for the purpose of "evacuation". On the 25th of April, 78 Jews from Würzburg were ordered to present themselves as well. At about 3:00 PM the deportation train left Würzburg, carrying 852 Jews The train stopped at Bamberg to collect 103 Jews from the area who had not been deported in the previous transport on the 23rd of March On April the 28th the deportees reached Krasnystaw in the Lublin district of Poland Courtesy of the State Archives in Würzburg (Staatsarchiv Würzburg) A mocking caption in German appears under the photograph reading: “The most beautiful of all the beauties of the chosen people” Rosa Klein (née Kremer) was born in 1904 in the small town of Poppenlauer Her daughter Hanna was born in January 1941 which had housed a Jewish community from the early 16th century Yad Vashem Photo Archives 7900/97Courtesy of the State Archives in Würzburg (Staatsarchiv Würzburg) Yad Vashem Photo Archives 7900/104Courtesy of the State Archives in Würzburg (Staatsarchiv Würzburg) Yad Vashem Photo Archives 7900/53Courtesy of the State Archives in Würzburg (Staatsarchiv Würzburg) Yad Vashem Photo Archives 7900/116Courtesy of the State Archives in Würzburg (Staatsarchiv Würzburg) Yad Vashem Photo Archives 7900/102Courtesy of the State Archives in Würzburg (Staatsarchiv Würzburg) Gustav Petri from Aschaffenburg wrote to the Würzburg Gestapo: We have heard that some of the Jews will be taken from here and Siegfried Israel Solingen are working for us If we will have to part with these three Jews because many of our own workers have been drafted by the Wehrmacht the officer of the Würzburg Gestapo charged with implementing the deportations ordered on the 27th of March that this communication be filed under the heading of "Jewish Evacuation" with a note stating that the request could not be complied with from Würzburg were 128 Jews from Aschaffenburg Jews were thoroughly searched for valuables hidden on their person or in their luggage According to documents of the German police a total sum of 12,885 RM (Reichsmark) was confiscated from the Jews concentrated in Würzburg After the deportees reached Krasnystaw they were marched by foot to Krasniczin The local Jews were murdered on the very day the Jews of Würzburg arrived It seems that the surviving deportees were finally deported to Sobibor on the 6th of July This deportation of 852 Jews from Würzburg was documented by German policemen and the photos were collected in an album for Michael Völkl the Würzburg Gestapo officer charged with implementing the deportation View the full photo album in Yad Vashem's photo archives The Yad Vashem website had recently undergone a major upgrade The page you are looking for has apparently been moved We are therefore redirecting you to what we hope will be a useful landing page For any questions/clarifications/problems, please contact: webmaster@yadvashem.org.il a bus with Ukrainian citizens veered into a ditch causing the vehicle to tip over on its side The police reported that the bus traveling from Kyiv to Warsaw was Polish Photos from the scene of a bus accident with Ukrainians in Poland (x.com/PolicjaLubelska) This is not the first accident involving Ukrainians in Poland two Ukrainian teenagers died in a car crash in Gdansk Among the victims were two Ukrainian citizens Szmul Mordechaj Zygielbojm (pseudonym „Artur”) was born on 21 February 1895 in the village of Borowica as the oldest of eleven siblings the family moved to the nearby town of Krasnystaw Szmul was learning in a cheder until the age of 10 but due to his family’s poor financial situation he began to work in a box factory where he trained to become a carpenter After an accident in which he lost two fingers of his left hand where he began his training as a glovemaker he was working at a military hospital Zygielbojm involved himself in local Bund structures and soon became one of the most active members His rhetorical talent played a significant role he started his own family – he married Gołda née Sperling with whom he had son Józef Lejb and daughter Rywka he became a delegate to the first Bund rally in Lublin – a prognostic for his political career the Zygielbojm family moved to Warsaw where Szmul engaged himself in union activity quickly gaining popularity among Warsaw factory workers he became a member of Bund’s Central Committee (he remained in position until the end of his life) and three years later – a council member of the city of Warsaw He remained in position until 1933 He also worker as a secretary of the Jewish Department of the Central Commission of Workers’ Unions in Poland and editor of „Arbeter Fragn” (Yiddish for „Workers’ Issues”) he married again – with Maria called Mania née Rozen (Rosen) where Szmul became a secretary of local party organization and in 1938 – a council member where he engaged himself in organizing Jewish workers to join Warsaw Workers’ Defense Battalions he found himself among twelve hostages — „outstanding citizens” who were supposed to secure the conditions of capitulation as a member of the Central Committee was among organizers of secret Bund activities in Warsaw he belonged to the Warsaw Judenrat (German for „Jewish council”) But when the idea of creating a ghetto in Warsaw emerged for the first time in November 1939 Public resistance and political activity put him in danger of arrest so – following encouragement from fellow party members – he fled from Poland to Brussels where he spoke out for the first time about the reality of the German occupation in Poland after the takeover of Belgium by Germans he arrived in the United States in September 1940 Szmul Zygielbojm’s family remained in Poland Zygielbojm immediately joined the activities of Bund’s American Representation giving speeches about the Jewish community’s difficult situation in occupied Poland He remained in contact with his family His wife Maria became involved in Bund’s activities working in the reopened Włodzimierz Medem sanatorium in Miedzeszyn She managed to find a place for her son Artur in the sanatorium Zygielbojm became a member of the National Council of Poland in London – an advisory organ of the Polish government in exile Zygielbojm was trying to alert the world about the Holocaust of Jews in occupied Poland From Polish the underground movement and from Jewish organizations in Poland (from Bund member Leon Feiner and others) he was receiving reports informing about the scale and development of the extermination He was particularly impacted by the report from May 1942 which described mass extermination of the Jewish population and including a list of locations in which the killings were taking place The report estimated the number of murdered Jews at 700 thousand Zygielbojm passed the information to the British press BBC radio broadcast a program in which said number was mentioned Zygielbojm shared further details from Bund’s report (which was the main source of information at that time) on BBC radio who passed to him a dramatic message from his fellow party members in Warsaw Leon Feiner told the courier to repeat following words: „The Jews are dying What is the point of Jewish leaders Let them go to the most important leaders Zygielbojm tried to gain political support from Polish and Western politicians He send telegrams to Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill He demanded launching a revenge campaign against the Germans but the only thing he managed to achieve were reassurances about compassion and promises to punish the perpetrators after the war Numerous public speeches during the Labout Party rallies published brochures and media appearances proved to be insufficient when the last fighters were being murdered in the Warsaw Ghetto He left three farewell letters addressed to: his brother Fajwel fellow party members in the United States the President and Prime Minister of Poland (in exile) „I can neither be silent nor live when the last remnants of the Jewish people My comrades in the Warsaw Ghetto have fallen with guns in their hands I wasn’t given the chance to die like them I wish to express my deepest protest against inaction with which the world is watching and permitting destruction of the Jewish people I am aware how little human life means But since I couldn’t achieve it in my lifetime perhaps my death will shake from lethargy those who can and who should act now this handful of Polish Jews who still remain alive.” Zygielbojm’s suicide was one of the most dramatic protests against the silence and inaction of the world in the face of the Holocaust It was also an act of solidarity with people murdered in the Warsaw Ghetto The Bundist believed that he will manage to draw the attention of politicians and the democratic societies to the tragedy happening in an occupied country He wanted to force them to take steps which would save those Polish Jews who still remained alive On a mission against all odds: Samuel Zygelbojm in London (April 1942–May 1943) The Jewish Labour Bund in Poland 1939–1949 Reakcje żydowskich działaczy i organizacji żydowskich na wiadomości z Polski (1942–1943) [w:] „Akcja Reinhardt” Zagłada Żydów w Generalnym Gubernatorstwie YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe Zalewska G., Historia i kultura Żydów polskich Faithful unto Death: the story of Arthur Zygielbaum Zygielbojm Szmul Mordechaj [w:] Polski słownik judaistyczny, t. 2, oprac Arthur Zygielbaum: hero of the Warsaw Ghetto „Journal of Psychology and Judaism” 1994 „Morituri vos salutant”: Szmul Zygielbojm’s suicide in May 1943 and the international socialist community in London the British Labour Party and the Holocaust [w:] Jews „Kwartalnik Historii Żydów” [w druku] Der koach cu sztarben (Miszpoche Buch) Zygielbojm Samuel Artur [w:] Żydzi w Polsce