The Ghosts of Lower Silesia

German inscriptions on houses, books left behind, a sugar bowl on the kitchen table: for Leszek Koczanowicz, traces of Lower Silesia’s former inhabitants were part of everyday life during his childhood. He grew up in Legnica (formerly the German city of Liegnitz), where people began new lives after war, shifting borders and forced displacement. The German past remained visible in everyday objects. The experiences of the newcomers, by contrast, often went unspoken.

What is it like to grow up in such surroundings? What does it mean to live in other people’s homes? And when does an unfamiliar place become home?

In conversation with writer Karolina Kuszyk, the philosopher and cultural theorist brings together his personal memories and reflections on the region’s history. Their discussion explores hauntology: the question of how a seemingly bygone world continues to shape our everyday lives and ways of thinking.