Open air battle re-enactments, rock concerts, mural and comic book contests, bicycle rallies, vigils journeys and city games are only some of the ways the new generation of Poles remember the country's history.

Joanna Najfeld reports

Commemoration of important events is no longer limited to solemn celebrations attended mostly by veterans. Increasingly often young people take initiative, get actively involved and find their own ways of paying tribute to the heroes of the past. Such is the case with the celebrations of the 64th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising. 

[WARSAW RISING REENACTMENT SOUND EFFECTS] 'Boys, we attack the Germans. Jerzy strikes first, then Blondyn, then us. Is that clear? Fire!'

Open air reenactment of the Warsaw Rising is organized annually in the Polish capital to remember the days of the Nazi occupied city's heroic fight for independence and freedom. Young people, many of them scouts, equipped in era clothing and weapons, act out  Poland's painful World War Two history.

Such events are organized increasingly often in Poland but are only one of many ways in which the new generation of Polish patriots express their love for their homeland, respect for the history, and tribute to their ancestors.

The recent government program "Patriotism for Tomorrow" was definitely helpful in promoting patriotic values among the younger generation, but for most youngsters the idea comes from the family.

[TEENAGE GIRL] 'For me, it's important to remember about our history, our past. The past, which can have some relation to the future. We should learn about our history. Talk about this, we should remember about those people who were trying to fight with Germans.'
[TEENAGE BOY] 'My grandfather  fought in the Second World War. He was also a teenager and a scout. I think I am a scout because my grandfather was one.'

Next to battle reenactments, other unconventional ways of observance of patriotic anniversaries include vigils, bike rallies, city games, mural contests, music and pop cultural events. All that to involve young people in active celebration of history.

'The way of celebrating patriotic anniversaries changed in the last few years. Young people began to feel that it's not only boring ceremonies, but they can express their emotion in their own way. In the Warsaw Rising Museum we try to convince them that every way of expressing emotion about historical events is good. We organize rock concerts, bicycle races, theatrical performances, city games - many events. Everybody can find something for himself and take part in the celebration. They find the emotion and they want to participate in anniversary celebrations,' says Paweł Ukielski, deputy director of the Warsaw Rising Museum - a modern center of history education.

One of those who got interested in youth-targeting initiatives of the Warsaw Rising Museum was Tymek Jezierski. He won the contest for a comic book about the Warsaw Rising. In his 8-page book "The last concert", Tymek told the story of a building in Zoliborz district, which hosted concerts during the Rising: 'This place doesn't even have a commemorative plaque on the wall so hardly anybody knows what happened there. We thought it was worth telling that such a thing took place there in Zoliborz where my friends live these days. Many people pass this building every day without realizing that 30 people died in it the massacre of the Warsaw Rising.'

Jazz vocalist Aga Zaryan’s latest CD features settings of poems from the period of the Warsaw Rising: 'I started looking for poetry from the war time and I found beautiful lyrics. And I thought this is really what I should do. So for me it's a kind of tribute to all the people who were fighting. You know, I'm very proud of being Polish. I'm proud! I come from Warsaw and my grandparents were taking part in the Warsaw Rising, they were fighting, real patriots. After the Second World War they were in opposition. My grandfather was in jail during Stalin's time and in my house there was a lot of talking about Poland' freedom and independence. Being patriotic is maybe not a very fashionable thing but I am. I am and I will be.'