How do audiences in your country respond to WWII narratives today? We asked our partners to consider the relevance of their local history in WWII remembrance, here’s what they had to say:

Simon Hebeltoft from Out Of Office, in Helsingør

“WWII is beginning to feel distant in light of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. While the media sometimes draws parallels, people still need to be reminded of its significance.”

Rachel Hameleers and Milena Sundari Nowak from The ACADEMY, in Berlin

“For Berlin audiences, WWII remains a deeply important part of German history and is commemorated in a very specific, serious way — with a sense of grave responsibility. However, this approach can be off-putting to young people, as it’s taught every single year in school and can start to feel repetitive. The challenge is finding ways to make it engaging for them and to ease the heavy atmosphere that often surrounds this part of history.”

Rastislav Mojto from Post Bellum Slovakia, in Bratislava

“It’s a difficult topic in Slovakia, especially given the current conflict in Ukraine. There’s a huge amount of Russian propaganda and many alternative media channels spreading divisive and polarising misinformation. Education on WWII and the Holocaust is compulsory — every student visits Auschwitz. Yet we’re now seeing a generation who received this education but have still fallen into the trap of conspiracy theories and antisemitism. The question is how to prevent people from becoming susceptible to these narratives and how to sustain education and continuous reflection.”

Markéta Kultová, Josef Dolezal and Tereza Durdilová from from Post Bellum Czech Republic, in Prague

“Similar to Slovakia, people here are influenced by conspiratorial information, and recent elections have been highly polarising. It’s important to engage with young people and encourage a message of peace. In the Czech Republic, there’s also a strong East–West divide — a tension between pro-European and pro-Russian perspectives.”

Sára Szilágyi and Viola Kallós from Itt és Most Társulat, in Budapest

“In Hungary, there’s a kind of competitiveness around historical trauma related to WWII — between narratives of territorial loss promoted by the right wing, Holocaust trauma, and differing perspectives of victims and perpetrators. There’s still a lack of recognition of the general population’s responsibility in the Holocaust. For example, a government-commissioned statue depicted Nazi Germany as the sole perpetrator, overlooking the wider complicity of Hungarian society. In light of current conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, these questions feel especially relevant — though there seem to be fewer answers than ever on how to approach this history.

Maris de Jong from Garage TDI in collaboration with Herinneringscentrum Kamp Westerbork, in Assen & Hooghalen

“Working at the site of Kamp Westerbork, we see similar polarisation here in the Netherlands. The WWII motto ‘never again’ is being questioned — people are holding signs that read, ‘When you said never again, who were you talking about?’ in connection to the current conflict between Israel and Palestine!”

Nikolett Gabri from STOP-KLATKA, in Warsaw:

“In Poland, there are many national holidays and large commemorative events connected to WWII, but these often simplify the narrative, focusing mainly on heroism and victimhood. There’s a real need for more complexity and reflection. The 2014 film Ida addressed this by highlighting the responsibility of parts of the Polish population during the war. It’s still an ongoing process — coming to terms with this history and acknowledging its full scope.”

Hilde Tuinstra from Nationaal Holocaustmuseum in collaboration with Shift Happens, in Amsterdam

“Antisemitism in the Netherlands has become a very complex topic — there’s constant debate about when it’s appropriate to use the term and when it’s not. It’s a nuanced issue: some people are accused of being antisemitic when they aren’t, while others take offence when the term is applied to them appropriately. The discussion has become quite accusatory and overheated. It’s a fascinating, if challenging, moment to be creating performances around these themes.”

Francesca Savini from Fondazione Teatro Ragazzi e Giovani, in Turin

“There was a major protest and general strike in Italy on Friday, with national demonstrations in Rome. The atmosphere is polarised, and under the current far-right government, many people are calling for more humanitarian aid to be sent to Gaza. Tear gas was used to disperse crowds, and even schools have joined the movement, with students taking to the streets.

Italy, as the birthplace of fascism, is in constant dialogue with its past. At Casa del Teatro — located in a 1930s building still marked by fascist symbols — we’re literally surrounded by that history and its remains. At the same time, Italy’s resistance movement is celebrated as the moment that brought WWII to an end.”

Evanthi Athanasiadi from Teatr Brama, Goleniów

“I’ve witnessed lots of protests from afar, for example in the Netherlands. I’m originally from Greece, so I’m more of an observer of the Polish approach to historical commemoration and resistance. People here take WWII history very seriously. Commemorations tend to be austere and somber rather than victorious. There’s also a distinct spirituality in places like Krakow — the district where most Jewish residents lived before the war now has a vibrant alternative arts scene. I was struck by the story of Polish soldiers sent to Haiti by Napoleon: they understood that the Haitians were victims and decided to fight against the French.”