Lemkin Laboratory | Mieroszewski Centre

The “Lemkin Laboratory” project is a joint initiative of both institutions, defining the terms and scope of their engagement with regard to the mutual sharing of collections of testimonies of war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of genocide committed by the Russian state in the past and at present, as well as the organisation and implementation of other activities related to the project.

The signing of the cooperation agreement between the institutions will enable not only the continuation of the archival work currently being carried out within the Lemkin Centre project, but also the expansion of research activities.

The “Lemkin Laboratory” project falls within the statutory activities of both institutions.

In the case of the Pilecki Institute (pursuant to the Act of 9 November 2017 on the Witold Pilecki Institute of Solidarity and Valour), this includes initiating, undertaking and supporting activities aimed, inter alia, at conducting research in the field of historical studies and interdisciplinary research using tools related to the humanities and social sciences, in particular the study, documentation and expansion of knowledge about totalitarian regimes and Nazi and communist crimes of the twentieth century.

The mission of the Mieroszewski Centre (pursuant to the Act of 25 March 2011 on the Juliusz Mieroszewski Centre for Dialogue) is to initiate and support activities aimed at dialogue and understanding in relations between Poles and the nations of Eastern Europe. The Centre’s tasks include conducting academic research and publishing activities, disseminating knowledge about the political situation, history and culture of the region, as well as educational activities, countering disinformation, and organising expert events and scholarship programmes.

Under the signed agreement, the parties will undertake joint activities – within their respective statutory competences – related to research on issues concerning violations of international law in Central and Eastern Europe and their consequences, in particular war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of genocide committed by the Russian state in the past and at present. They will also engage in disseminating knowledge on these issues in Poland and abroad.

The “Lemkin Laboratory” project will be implemented from 1 January 2026.

Lemkin Centre

The Rafał Lemkin Centre for the Documentation of Russian Crimes in Ukraine (the Lemkin Centre) was established by the Pilecki Institute on 26 February 2022, in response to the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, as a result of which the Ukrainian civilian population became the victim of numerous war crimes. The Centre was named in honour of Rafał Lemkin, a Polish lawyer of Jewish origin, the creator of the term genocide and co-author of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948).

This project, implemented since the outbreak of the full-scale war in February 2022, has focused on collecting various types of civilian testimonies in order to preserve – for the purposes of, among others, researchers and journalists – evidence of crimes committed by Russian forces. In particular, this has involved collecting eyewitness testimonies documenting military actions by Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine, with special emphasis on specific crimes committed in Ukraine by soldiers of the Russian Federation, as well as gathering information and recordings concerning the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure and cultural heritage by Russian forces, including sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Ukraine.

On the basis of the collected testimonies, an anonymised archive has been created and made available through the Pilecki Institute Archive, containing accounts of crimes committed by Russian forces on the territory of Ukraine.

Testimonies have been collected in various forms, including screening questionnaires completed by witnesses in their native languages (available in Ukrainian, Russian, Polish and English), audio testimonies, and filmed witness accounts (video testimonies).

To date, approximately 1,600 testimonies have been collected within the Lemkin Centre project in written and audiovisual formats. The questionnaires, testimonies, photographs and videos documenting crimes committed by Russian forces against Ukrainian civilians are currently being processed, anonymised, digitised and transcribed from Ukrainian and Russian into Polish and English.

Based on the collected testimonies, three reports have been prepared and published:

• “Like it or not, endure it, my beautiful – unpunished crimes. Sexual violence by Russian occupying forces against Ukrainian women”
• “Stolen Childhood. Crimes against children committed by Russian forces”
• “‘We do not attack civilians…’ The green corridor in Lypivka as a trap set by Russian occupying forces”

The reports are available at:
instytutpileckiego.pl/pl/badania/centrum-lemkina/raporty

The reports have been published in four language versions – Polish, English, Ukrainian and German – and have been presented in Poland and abroad.

The collected testimonies are not classified and may therefore serve as material for academic analysis or as a source of information for journalists; they have been repeatedly cited by media outlets around the world. As part of the Lemkin Centre project, cooperation is being developed with scholars, researchers, historians, lawyers, journalists, archivists, as well as public and academic institutions, Ukrainian archives and non-governmental organisations.

More information about the Lemkin Centre project:
instytutpileckiego.pl/pl/badania/centrum-lemkina