ABSTRACT
The chapter, though personal, has a clear social and cultural resonance. It concerns Lower Silesia, an area which was incorporated into Poland after World War II. While the former German inhabitants were forced out of the region, Poles arrived to settle and live there. I describe the experience of the newcomers and people born there as “living amidst the ghosts” and depict their efforts to find their bearings in a new, different world. In trying to capture this unique experience, I draw on the philosophy of Karl Popper and on the hauntology of Jacques Derrida. The central focus of this chapter is to establish whether (and if so, in how far) it is possible to engage in dialogue with a culture which is no more. Living amidst the ghosts inspires fear, but it also offers an opportunity to arrive at a better understanding of the self and others.
