Bridging Borders: Voices from Görlitz and Zgorzelec

Borderlands shape how people live, think and connect. Exploring life on the Neisse river, this podcast takes you to Görlitz and Zgorzelec, cities in between the German–Polish border. We gathered perspectives from locals, experts and cross-border initiatives to uncover how bridges (both literal and metaphorical) are built, and how communities have evolved transnationally. By listening to these voices from Görlitz and Zgorzelec, the episode reflects on what it means to inhabit a borderland, where identities are not fixed, but constantly redefined through dialogue, shared memories and cooperation.

This podcast is the result of the project “In Between? 2025” by the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity. ENRS is funded by the Ministries of Culture of Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania. The project “In Between? 2025” is co-funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

A quote from Quatour pour la fin du dempes by Olivier Messiaen was performed by Antje Weithaas, Sol Gabetta, Saine Meyer and Bertrand Chamayou.

Produced by: Luisa Chis, Antonia Kitze, Jakub Krasny, Zalikha Kurbanalieva, Alicja Nizioł, Karla Šavrtková, Rida Fatima Syeda, Ottilie Tabberer, Hanna Vollmers and Marek Wójtowicz with the support of Konrad Bielecki, Jarek Kociszewski and Helena Link.

With the contribution of: Robert Brachun (Park Mużakowski), Holger Daetz (Foundation “Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau“), Hanna Ilnicka (Interclub Femina), Valérie Lher, Marek Wolanin (Foundation MEC) and Małgorzata Zysnarska (Lusatian Museum).