2022 | Tomáš Forró "Donbas: Wedding Apartment in the Hotel War" - Instytut Pileckiego

In 2022, due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the Awards Committee of the Witold Pilecki International Book Award established a special category. The award went to the book authored by Tomáš Forró.

• Tomáš Forró (Apartament w hotelu wojna. Reportaż z Donbasu, Wydawnictwo Czarne, Wołowiec 2022).

In 2022, the Awards Committee established a special prize for a book detailing Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine since 2014 or the protests in Belarus since 2020 and the repression associated with them. When evaluating books in this category, a broad scope of reflection, determination in the pursuit of truth, and investigative intuition were particularly appreciated.

While introducing this category during the awards ceremony, Prof. Magdalena Gawin, the Director of the Pilecki Institute, observed:

“We consider it our duty to help Ukraine in various ways in its fight for freedom. We would also like to help the Belarus oppositionists who suffer repression. The war in Europe, the suffering of civilians and the great military effort of the Ukrainian soldiers should change the perception of East-Central Europe in the West. In order to enhance interest in this part of Europe both in Poland and abroad, we have established a special prize devoted to Ukraine and Belarus” – Prof. Magdalena Gawin

The best book in this category was authored by Tomáš Forró (Apartament w hotelu wojna. Reportaż z Donbasu, Wydawnictwo Czarne, Wołowiec 2022).

Beginning in 2016, Tomáš Forró made numerous trips to the Donbas torn between Ukrainian and pro-Russian forces. His book gives voice to the people on both sides of the front line and describes everyday life in the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. The author explores the origins of war in the Donbas and dissects the Kremlin’s anti-Ukrainian propaganda. He analyzes the Russian strategy of hybrid warfare and the nature of puppet states created in the process.

Tomáš Forró is a Slovak reporter, war correspondent and author. He studies political crises and armed conflicts. He has reported from Latin America, East Asia and Ukraine, among others.