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We are deeply saddened to hear the news that Krystyna Gill has passed away. She accompanied us as a witness to history during Polish-German youth seminars on the history, memory, and culture of the Roma and Sinti, organized at the IYMC. She was a five-year-old girl who survived the massacre in Szczurowa, which took place on July 3, 1943, when 93 people were shot. Every year, she went to the graves of the murdered, remembering the words of her grandmother who saved her: “I will die, you will stay. You cannot forget.” After the war, when she started a family and settled in Nowa Huta, in addition to her professional work, she devoted a lot of time to social work. She liked to help people. For many years she was president of the Association of Roma Women.

For her activities she was awarded the Cross of Merit on Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

In December 2020, volunteers of the Volunteer Club of the 8th Private Academic High School in Krakow prepared recordings of poems as part of the GIVE A POEM campaign and dedicated them to witnesses of history, in the belief that words can be one of the most beautiful gifts that can be given to another person. We would like to remind you of the poems of the Roma poetess “Papusza” titled “Song” and Bolesław Leśmian titled "In the Dream. "The poem for Mrs. Krystyna Gil was chosen by Kamil Kociołek.

The poems for Krystyna Gil: https://youtu.be/2gTN2RIcHVg

You will always be remembered by us!