Harald Kirschner, born in 1944 in Reichenberg (now Liberec, Czechia), grew up in Altentreptow, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. From 1968 to 1973 he studied photography at the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig and from 1973 to 1981 was a postgraduate assistant and university lecturer. Since 1981 he has worked as a freelance photographer in Leipzig, focusing on social documentary photography and reportage.

Curator Bernd Karwen began working at the Polish Institute Leipzig in 1999 after studying in Leipzig and Warsaw. There, he works on the subject areas of literature, history and politics, as well as on other cultural projects. He is also involved on a voluntary basis in the Leipzig-Kraków City Partnership Association.

Twin city Kraków: civic pride meets royal dignity

Kraków (Polish: Kraków) is an appealingly modern yet venerably tradition-conscious European metropolis. It was the capital of Poland for a long time and remains a vibrant cultural centre of Europe to this day.

In September 1973, Leipzig and Kraków signed a partnership agreement, which was renewed in 1995 under the new political conditions.

As early as 1969, a Polish Information and Cultural Centre opened in Leipzig; today, as the Polish Institute Berlin – Leipzig branch, it is based on the Markt. Leipzig has a dense network of partners – institutions and civic associations – active in the German-Polish context. At present, the focus of cooperation with Kraków is on the fields of culture and social affairs. In 2023, Leipzig and Kraków celebrated 50 years of city partnership.