From my numerous meetings with Władysław Bartoszewski, I will always remember his civic courage as well as his conviction and commitment towards a united Europe, being the Christian democratic basis for a vision of humanity. His engagement in dialogue and international reconciliation, in particular, was exemplary and always admirable. Your initiative, therefore, deserves full support. It is with the utmost joy that I hope the Konrad Adenauer Foundation may play a role in this initiative.

Dr Hans-Gert Pöttering

Former President of the European Parliament

President of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation

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My congratulations go to the Foundation’s initiative that will bear the name of the deceased. It is also with great joy that I accept the idea of a Władysław Bartoszewski Chair.  (…) In the last few years a deep relationship of mutual trust developed between myself and the distinguished statesman. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to support him in establishing the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation. I would also like to support your project to the best of my abilities. As you are aware, while I have left the post of Prime Minister for North Rhine-Westphalia, I am still active in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Council. I am also trying to tackle issues that were important for the distinguished deceased in my research and educational work as professor of political science at the University of Bonn. One of these issues has been Polish-German ties of friendship, the blossoming of which to a large degree was fostered by the deceased. Others include further European integration in which Polish-German friendship constitutes a cornerstone. Since I am both a member of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Board and the chairperson for the Education Office of the Chancellor Adenauer House Foundation in Rhöndorf, there is certainly the possibility of a substantive partnership in which it would be my great pleasure to take part.

Prof. Jürgen Rüttgers

Former Prime Minister for North Rhine-Westphalia