Human rights chief criticised for saying ‘Polish nation’ took part in Shoah
Minister says Poland's top human rights commissioner's remark about the Holocaust 'disqualifies him from public life'
A leading Polish human rights official has come under fire for saying the “Polish nation” took part in the implementation of the Holocaust – a controversial statement in a country that never collaborated with Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
Adam Bodnar, the country’s human rights commissioner, or ombudsman, apologised for the comment but members of Poland’s conservative government said he should resign.
The row threatens to weaken Mr Bodnar, who heads one of the last state institutions still independent from the ruling conservative Law and Justice party.
After taking power in 2015, the party moved quickly to consolidate its hold over the Constitutional Tribunal, public media and other state bodies in a way that has eroded the separation of checks and balances, sparking criticism by the European Union.
Mr Bodnar’s office has criticised the government for its steps against the constitutional court and over other human rights issues.
Mr Bodnar, speaking on Wednesday on the state-run TVP Info broadcaster, said: “There is no doubt that the Germans were responsible for the Holocaust, but many nations took part in its implementation. Among them – and I say this with regret – the Polish nation.”
Deputy foreign minister Jan Dziedziczak called Mr Bodnar’s comment “scandalous”, untrue and added it “disqualifies him from public life”.
Mr Bodnar quickly apologised for his choice of words and clarified that he did not mean to say that the entire nation took part in the Holocaust, only that some Poles had committed crimes against Jews.
The behaviour of Poles towards Jews during Germany’s wartime occupation of Poland remains an extremely sensitive subject.
Poland was subjected to a cruel occupation during the war and was the site of many death camps where the Germans murdered Jews, Roma and many others, among them Polish priests and members of the Polish resistance.
Poles today are hugely offended at suggestions that they somehow took part in the Holocaust.
There is a state campaign to fight the term “Polish death camps”, which non-Poles, including former US president Barack Obama, have sometimes used unwittingly.
There have also been greater efforts in recent years to face the difficult issue of the Poles who did collaborate in violence against Jews for profit or for other motives.
However, the subject is anathema to the government, which prefers to speak only of the Poles who risked their lives to save Jews, sparking some criticisms of historical whitewashing.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
