Poland

"Close history – undiscovered, untold, unheard…” (2015)

In October 2016, twenty-four award winners from EUSTORY competitions met at a History Camp in Georgia. For this occasion they prepared posters about their projects and findings which were displayed in the National History Museum in Tbilisi.

My competition entry was about was Joseph Cotulla – a Polish immigrant to the United States, a founder of a town in Texas. In our project we were describing his life, struggles and successes.

How did you react when you came upon surprising points during your research?
The biggest problem was keeping in touch with Cotulla’s family members. Even though we received first e-mails really quickly, replies were becoming fewer over time. Once I thought that we won’t get answers anymore. Patience was a required skill.

Did your research affect you personally?
I learned how much effort and time a single project can take up. Moreover, I could practice my English skills in real life and get in touch with people from another continent. Also, learning about the history of one man can be very interesting.

Take a closer look at Nina’s poster here.

For her project on local history in her home town, Nina was awarded in the Polish history competition.