Viadrina Prize for opening the ears of Germans and building bridges

The European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) awarded Krzysztof Penderecki a prize for services to Polish-German reconciliation in music.
Penderecki – we read in Viadrina’s Monday press statement – “started building bridges to Germany soon after the Second World War finished”. “The Polish composer opened the ears of Germans to contemporary Polish music, and through his multifaceted collaboration with German orchestras, choirs, broadcasting stations and higher education institutions, he has significantly contributed to positive changes in the way the two societies perceived one another ".
The prize (2500 euros) awarding ceremony will take place on 7 May in Frankfurt. According to DPA agency, the composer confirmed his participation in the ceremony.
The Viadrina Prize has been awarded since 1999. The past recipients include Karl Dedecius (translator of Polish literature in Germany), German Nobel Prize laureate Guenter Grass, and Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Poland’s first non-Communist Prime Minister.
The Prussian university, which existed from 1506 to 1811, was re-established in 1991. Thanks to its convenient location, it is popular with Polish students. Among 6452 students, there were 755 Poles n the autumn semester of 2011/2012.