Through role-play and structured discussion, students were encouraged to look beyond simple distinctions between right and wrong. They considered how fear, social pressure, limited information and the risk of punishment influenced people ' s choices. The simulation helped them develop historical empathy without assuming that they could fully understand the experiences of people who had lived under such extreme conditions.
2. Learning Objectives By the end of the activity, students were able to:
- identify the main characteristics of totalitarian and authoritarian systems and explain how these systems restricted individual freedom;- recognise the dilemmas faced by people living under political oppression;- analyse historical situations using reliable sources and distinguish documented facts from interpretations;- explain the historical significance of Jerzy Popiełuszko and Hieronim Dekutowski within the contexts in which they had lived and acted;- evaluate different possible responses to situations involving injustice, censorship, persecution and threats to personal safety;- consider the potential consequences of individual decisions for themselves, their families and their communities;- develop historical empathy by considering the fears, motivations and limitations that influenced people ' s choices;- express and justify their opinions in English, using evidence and clear reasoning;- cooperate in international groups, listen to different perspectives and reach reasoned conclusions;- reflect on the relationship between freedom, courage, responsibility, human rights and civic engagement;- connect historical experiences with contemporary challenges to democracy and human dignity.
3. Preparation and Organisation
Before the activity, the teachers prepared a set of historical dilemmas based on documented events and carefully researched historical contexts. Each scenario presented a situation in which an individual had to make a difficult decision under political pressure. The dilemmas were designed to encourage discussion rather than to suggest that every situation had one obvious or universally correct answer.
The teachers also prepared short biographical materials and historical sources relating to Jerzy Popiełuszko and Hieronim Dekutowski. These materials provided students with the background knowledge they needed to understand the circumstances, risks and motivations associated with the two figures. The teacher selected age-appropriate sources and made sure