EJP

Jewish leader discusses with Polish ambassador concern over Polish ‘Holocaust bill’ and rising anti-Semitism

PARIS—The President of B’nai B’rith Europe, Serge Dahan, expressed the Jewish community’s concern about the publication of a Polish law which frames the way in which it is possible to evoke the responsibility of Poland during the Holocaust,  at a meeting with Polish Ambassador to France, Tomasz Mlynarski.

 

He also raised the issue of rising anti-Semitism in Poland.

 

Dahan said that ifthe death campswere indeedcreated bytheNazisinPoland,withtheintentionto assassinateJewswithintheframeworkofthefinal solution,the new legal text ‘’tends to modify historical truthconcerningtheassistancereceived by the Germans on behalf ofpartofthePolishpopulationduringtheHolocaustaswell astherecognitionofthefatalpogromsmadebyPolish people;in particularthepogromofKielcewhichtook placein July 1946’’.

During the ‘’open and constructive dialogue’’, the ambassador recalledthatmore than6millionpolish people were killedbytheNazis, of which half were Jewish,thatPolanddid not collaboratewithGermanyandhepaidtributeto Polishresistance.

 

He also emphasized that Poland has the largest number of Righteous among the Nations.

He specifiedthattheexpression“Polishdeath camps”was used in the worldwhereashistorical truthwasthatthecampswere createdbytheGermansinPoland.HerecalledthatPresidentAndrzej Dudawasthefirst to take partinthecommemorationsofthepogromofKielcewhich occurredin July 1946,oneyearandhalfafterthedepartureoftheNazis.

The Polish ambassador said that the intention of the government bill ‘’is not to modify history but to protect Poland and Polish people in the face of remarks which harm their pride and their reputation.’’

 

He noted that the Polish President had asked the Constitutional court to examine the law.

Regarding the Jewish community’s concern over the rise of anti-Semitism in the country, Ambassador Mlynarski recalled that his government condemns anti-Semitism, is very active on memory work of the Shoah on the Polish ground and is very committed to fight anti-Semitism. He pointed out that the Shoah is included in school programs in Poland.

The Polish diplomat also exposed his project to organize a broad exhibition on the history of the Jewish community in Poland within the Paris Embassy.

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