When we first started developing our short educational mini-series called In Hiding, dedicated to youth aged 15–18 years old, we knew we were stepping into risky territory. Not just because of the topic — World War II, the Holocaust, and the long, complex history of Polish-Jewish relations — but because of the form we chose to tell it in: rap. Yes, that rap. Not a genre commonly associated with historical education.
But for us, it felt right. Rap is direct. It’s emotional. It carries weight. And most importantly — it speaks a language young people understand. Our two fictional characters, 18-year-old Kon and his friend Maja, young wannabe musicians, use rap to process what they learn about their town’s buried past — a past filled with silence, violence, and moments of radical courage.
Stories that Resonate
Over the course of five short episodes (a total of just over 70 minutes), we follow Kon and Maja as they uncover hidden layers of history: Jewish life before the war, Nazi persecution, the experience of hiding, and the moral dilemmas faced by ordinary people. Their journey leads to rap tracks — each one rooted in facts, but charged with feeling.
It’s a bold mix: part documentary, part fiction, part musical reflection. And surprisingly — it works. We’ve had great feedback from young audiences, who tell us it’s engaging, moving, and above all — not cringey. That might sound like a low bar, but for us, it’s a sign that the form is doing its job.
Why This Story, Why Now?
We live in a time when misinformation spreads fast, empathy is often in short supply, and history — especially the difficult parts — is being contested or erased. Antisemitism, xenophobia, racism: they haven’t gone away. Which is why we believe in education that doesn’t lecture, but invites. That doesn’t simplify, but opens space for nuance.
With In Hiding, we’re not just talking about the past. We’re asking what kind of memory shapes the future. And we’re trusting that young people — when treated with honesty and creative respect — are more than ready to carry those questions forward.
A Soundtrack of Emotion
We’re warmly inviting you to listen to a raw and grassroots music album. The series includes 10 short original musical excerpts — fragments of rap tracks born from the characters’ emotional and historical journeys. These pieces carry the tension, grief, resistance, and resilience that pulse through each episode.
We’re happy to offer this unusual legacy — a kind of poetic, musical storytelling rooted in truth. And we’re genuinely curious how different viewers will respond to this mix of memory, beat, and voice.
Link to our music album — listen and watch with music videos:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXVn_r-kIO72B-kMD9V8xXgYaNAlgUZmZ&si=UjSy7zkVNB0Hn-0-
Cast: Róża Czarnecka-Wiącek, Igor Toporowski
Director: Małgorzata Kozera
Screenplay: Małgorzata Kozera and Maciej Eichelberger
Lyrics: Małgorzata Kozera and Maciej Eichelberger
Content development: Marta Eichelberger-Jankowska
Cinematography: Maciej Eichelberger
Editing: Łukasz Kamil Kamiński
Sound designer: Paweł Szygendowski
Music mix and mastering: Jan Pęczak
Sound Postproduction: Łukasz Kamil Kamiński
Historical and educational consultation: Marta Eichelberger-Jankowska
Producer: Łukasz Kamil Kamiński
Production: POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
In the photograph – The heroes of our miniseries – from left: Kon (Igor Toporowski) and Maja (Róża Czarnecka-Wiącek)