This week, the Polish punk band Trupa Trupa is set to perform in three major concerts across England, in cities like London, Nottingham, and Manchester. Their tour will extend to the USA and Ireland next year, with Iggy Pop personally inviting them to the In the Meadows festival. Singer Grzegorz Kwiatkowski notes that the band has a stronger following abroad than in Poland, partly due to their frequent exploration of dark historical events, particularly the Holocaust.

Grzegorz performs alongside Wojtek Juchniewicz and Tomek Pawlucszuk. The band's influence extends beyond music, as Grzegorz is also a poet, activist, and lecturer. He explains, "For me, Trupa Trupa, poetry, activism, and university life are all interconnected. It's part of a larger memory art project focused on history, memory, beauty, and creating art."

Grzegorz's poetry is deeply tied to his activism and academic life, with the Holocaust being a central theme. He writes poems about it and conducts research. In 2025, he will participate in the Fortunoff Archive programme at Yale University, where he will compose poems based on Holocaust testimonies. Later, the entire band will be involved in this project.

In Gdańsk, Grzegorz has been advocating for the memory of the city's former ghetto for eight years. He views it as a symbolic place, striving to ensure it is remembered. Near the city center, there are now plans to commemorate the ghetto, allowing visitors to learn about and respect the history of this tragic site.

Grzegorz's work is deeply influenced by his family history. His grandfather was a prisoner at the Stutthof concentration camp, and his wife's family hid in the forest during World War II due to their Jewish heritage. This personal connection drives his commitment to addressing the Holocaust and human rights violations.

For Grzegorz, history is not just about remembrance but about becoming a better person. He believes that remembering past tragedies is essential for fostering a culture of respect and understanding in the present.

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