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60 years on, Europe's last pogrom still casts dark shadow

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""This is a great shame and tragedy for Poles and Jews""
Published Date: 05 July 2006
By MATTHEW DAY
IN WARSAW
AIR-raid sirens echoed across the small Polish town of Kielce yesterday to mark the 60th anniversary of Europe's last pogrom.
Dignitaries from Poland and Israel and relatives of those who died unveiled a memorial not far from the inconspicuous building that was the site of a mass murder that still casts a shadow over Polish-Jewish relations.

On 4 July, 1946, a mob armed
with clubs, iron bars and firearms, and angered by rumours a Christian child had been kidnapped by Jews, attacked a building housing Jewish refugees. When the violence ended a few hours later, 40 men, women and children, many of them Holocaust survivors, lay dead.

The bloodletting in Kielce prompted thousands of Jews to flee Poland, with an estimated 60,000 leaving in the three months that followed.

To this day, and despite a formal apology from the Warsaw government, many Poles maintain that the massacre was conceived by Soviet intelligence, eager to discredit Poland in the eyes of the world; a stance regarded by some Jewish groups as evidence of Polish society's unwillingness to confront what they consider to be persistent and pervasive antisemitism.

Yesterday, Lech Kaczynski, Poland's president, said democratic Poland had "no room for racism and antisemitism".

But he insisted Poles should not be tarred as anti-Jewish, saying he rejected "the stereotype of the Polish antisemite".

Mr Kaczynski did not attend the ceremonies -his office said he was ill. An aide read out his sharply worded remarks, which come amid European Union criticism of Poland for an alleged rise in intolerance under the new, conservative government.

"As the president of Poland, I want to say it loud and clear: what happened in Kielce 60 years ago was a crime," he said. "This is a great shame and tragedy for the Poles and the Jews, so few of whom survived Hitler's Holocaust."

Yet, in spite of the memorial service and the passing of time, the ghosts of Kielce aren't going away. A new book, Fear, by Jan Gross, a Princeton University professor, which examines antisemitism in Poland in the months following the end of the war, concludes that the reasons for the massacre lay in a vicious Polish hatred of Jews. He also claims that up to 1,500 Jews died in antisemitic violence in Poland during this period.

Five years ago, a book by Prof Gross on the 1941 massacre by Poles of 1,400 Jews in the village of Jadwabne provoked a storm of controversy in Poland. Fear is widely expected to provoke a similar reaction.

Renewed debate over the Kielce pogrom and Polish antisemitism will add tension to already fraught Polish-Jewish relations.

Radio Maryja, a popular Catholic radio station that has strong ties to the government, has faced numerous accusations of antisemitism and racism, and both the US and Israeli administrations have voiced concerns over the inclusion in the country's coalition government of the nationalist League of Polish Families (LPR).

The party traces its lineage to antisemitic movements in pre-war Poland, and members of its youth wing frequently carry Nazi placards on demonstrations.

The inclusion of the LPR in the government has prompted some to warn that it has given antisemitism a coat of legitimacy, and helped fuel anti- Jewish activity.

In June, Michael Schudrich, Poland's chief rabbi, was attacked by a man said by police to have neo-Nazi links.



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  • Last Updated: 05 July 2006 9:48 AM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Holocaust
 
1

JPaul,

US 05/07/2006 00:00:00

Well I'm sorry if no one thanked you before for saving the lives of Jews, if this is indeed what you did. Those who ultimately perished could not have thanked you, and those who managed to survive may not have had the time back then to thank you or repay you. There is, however, an agency is Israel that recognizes, officially thanks and commemorates the "Righteous Gentiles", if your acts can be documented. There is, in fact, an impressive book by Martin Gilbert (a Jewish historian in England) with that name, which documents and tells the stories of hundreds, maybe thousands, of such individuals who, often at the risk of their own lives, saved the lives of Jews in Nazi-occupied lands.
The question in my mind is not whether such people, and acts of kindness, existed -- there is no question that they did -- it is why only a tiny fraction of Christian Europe saved such a tiny, tiny fraction of their Jewish neighbors....while a larger number collaberated with the Nazi genocide, sometimes even before the Nazi's even asked -- and why -- and perhaps this is part of the answer to my question -- why the organized churches took no official position to encourage and organize the protection of their Jewish population and neighbors....and why, after nearly all the Jews were destroyed by the Nazi's, the few who survived against all odds were often welcome back, in some places like many towns in Poland, with continued hostility and hatred. Christians will need to answer for themselves why a religion whose founders were Jewish and which autensibly preaches love of neighbor, service to mankind, self-sacrifice and humility -- why its adherents and even its leaders, in the vast majority -- failed to live up to these ideals amidst one of its greatest challenges in history....

2

james 1st,

nz 05/07/2006 00:00:00

whilst no doubt a crime this happened sixty years ago. most of the people concerned will have died in the interim. have a memorial if you like but surely its time to let matters like this rest. you might ask why muslims kill other muslims or why in places like ireland christians kill other christians

3

Lissa,

05/07/2006 00:00:00

You know, I am finding these comments tedious -- and they all seem to revolve around evil Catholics. What, no probing documentaries on the slaughters of Tibetans by China?

So here's a little historical reminder: The Catholic Centre Party of Germany opposed the reich in the German elections in PROTESTANT Germany. For our thanks, we were imprisoned after losing the elections. Afterward, Germany invaded Catholic Poland, massacred them with men on horseback going up against tanks.

But the Pope never gave up; issuing Mit Brenner Sorge and personally saving thousands of Jewish lives.

Time goes on. I left my job in Civil Rights when my boss criticized me for visiting the Simon Weisenthal Center for Religious Tolerance; I remember that she stated it was "irrelevant" to Civil Rights.

For sheltering thousands and thousands of Jews, the thanks that we get is a distorted history and shrill, rude, and distorted bigotry from the ignorant and those with agendas. So, I'm not as crazy about the Jews now, since I read a few more of these, what, articles that spat on our hem for saving their lives.

Cordially,


Lissa Fischer

4

Freddy,

USA 05/07/2006 00:00:00

It seems to me that the fact that people werekilled after having survived the Holocaust likely because the non-Jews did not wish to relinquish the property they had taken for themselves, is a crime. Whether thhey are Jews or Catholics is , to me irrelevant. It is a fact, only disputed by some people with questioned motives, that the Holocaust took place. i personally lost 5 relatives and i would have also been killed had I not survived during those years in hiding as a teen in belgium . My family and I survived without any assistance . However, after the war I wrote about Tolerance and was a militant for civil rights. Today, retired, i moderate a yahoo! group called Remember_The_ Holocaust which includes mainly members from all theglobe the majority are not jewish. The group remebers the Holocaust through posting involving tolerance education, human rights, and genocide watch. To make the crimes against humanity simply a "jewish business,'is in itself an insult to humankind. The pograom in poland or the current genocide in Darfur are everybody's business. to ignore is to see them repeat manyfolds, You may not be affected today, but tomorrow you or your descenfdants will be, Remeber what the late Reverend Niemoeller said, First they came.. and I did not.. then when nobody was left , they came for me.

5

Daniel,

USA 05/07/2006 00:00:00

Only when a country squarely faces its past, discusses it, and confronts it with courage and honesty, can it move on. This is what Poland is in the process of doing, a process that may take a very long time, indeed. It is well documented that Poland has a very anti-semitic history, and unfortunately, the number of Poles who stepped forward during the Holocaust to save their Jewish neighbors is tiny. The Catholic church in Poland was complicit in this and continues to this day to deny its role in the horror that was the Holocaust. As the church is finding out, as it begins to confront its nefarious role in tragedies throughout history, it too can then move on. I admire the President of Poland for his pointed remarks calling the Kielce massacre exactly what it was: a massacre of innocents by their Polish neighbors.

6

Dell,

05/07/2006 00:00:00

Daniel's criticism that too few Poles stepped forward to save Jews is pertinent, but it must be remembered that Poles were one of the few peoples in occupied Euopre not to collobaorate on an organised scale with the Germans, and not to take part in a quisling style puppet government. Instead, thousands of Poles escaped to join the allies, and to fight in the Battle of Britian, Italy and the Normandy landings alongside the British, the US and other allies. Yes, there were and are anti-semites in Poland, but they do not tar the poitive reputation of Poles as a whole. Has anyone heard the anti-semitic comment bandied about by muslims these day?

7

TREV,

Poland 06/07/2006 00:00:00

That 'too few' Poles gave any assistance to their Jewish neighbours overlooks the fact that the Poles weren't exactly in a luxurious position either. Auschwitz, known as a place of Jewish persecution, was originally used by the nazis as a concentration camp for Polish intelligensia. Jews were not specifically brought their until later.

Poland was also invaded by Russia 2 weeks after the nazis invaded. Both sides waged a cultural and ethnic war on Poles, as well as Jews (and others). However, this is often overlooked. Poles suffered linguistic and cultural persecution, summary arrests, executions, torture etc from both the Soviets and the nazis, yet people always seem to focus on the notion they should have done more to help their Jewish neighbours.

Granted, there was and always will be anti-semitism, however pre-war Polish leaders, such as Pilsudski actually saw a multi-ethnic/cultural Poland as a desireable and vital thing, and that included Jews.

The Jewish ghettoes were enforced and guarded by force and the Jewish population were seperated from the Polish population, who had little idea of what was going to happen to themselves, or the Jews.

I found it interesting that when I visited Auschwitz it was stressed by the guides that the Jews were given the impression, and many believed, that they were destined for a new life in Eastern Europe, this is given as one of the lies the nazis fed them to lessen resistance. Well, one must ask, if this was the case and so many Jews believed it, then why would the Poles themselves have some access to other knowledge? Was it a big joke the nazis were playing which they let the Poles in on? I think not.

The vogue for Pole bashing in Holocaust discussion often seems to ignore facts that while a Polish AK officer (Polish Underground) alerted the Allies to what was happening at places like Auschwitz, the Allies di very little (or was it only a doubly occupied country which was supposed to sort out th

8

laura,

06/07/2006 00:00:00

lissa,

why are you making this into a competition?

can't you just recognize that the pogram was a very sad time in the history of the world - just as the slaughters of the tibetans by the chinese?

you seem like a very angry person who has a lot of issues to work out.

frankly, i feel sorry for you.

9

Julek,

08/07/2006 00:00:00

“There is, however, an agency is Israel that recognizes, officially thanks and commemorates the "Righteous Gentiles", if your acts can be documented. There is, in fact, an impressive book by Martin Gilbert (a Jewish historian in England) with that name, which documents and tells the stories of hundreds, maybe thousands, of such individuals who, often at the risk of their own lives, saved the lives of Jews in Nazi-occupied lands”.

Why not tell the truth about this agency. The fact is that is unless a Jew presents his case to that agency the people will not be recognized. There would be no recognision even when facts do exist but if both the Jews and the person who helped the Jew were killed that case would not be addressed. With that in mind what kind of agency is this. Please look at the end of the list to see additional information regarding this statement.

Attached is a list of just a small protion of Polish people and most have yet to be recoginzed.

Registry of over 700 Polish citizens killed while helping Jews
During the Holocaust:

1. ABRAMEK, Wadysaw, 20, living in Wola Przybysawska, near Garbów, Lublin prov. killed by Germans on Dec. 10, 1942, while staying at his cousin, Józef Aftyka, who sheltered Jews. (see 3-6)
2. ADAMCZYK, Stanisaw, living in £±cko, Nowy S±cz prov.
in Spring of 1943; he was beaten to death by Wadysaw Gleb, the German town mayor of Mszana Dolna, for sheltering a Jew.
3. AFTYKA, Józef, 54, living in Wola Przybysawska, near Garbów, Lublin prov.
4. AFTYKA, Aniela, 52, Józef's wife
5. AFTYKA, Marianna, 14, daughter
6. AFTYKA, Zofia, 17, daughter murdered by Germans on Dec. 10, 1942 together with a group of Jews sheltered by them and with Wadysaw Abramek. On the same day Czesaw and Leonard Gawron from the same village were also killed together with Aniela and Stanisaw Kamiñski, 5 members of the Nalewjka family and 5 others of the Ochmiñski family - a total of 19 peopl

10

TREV,

Poland 09/07/2006 00:00:00

One thing in the above article I find very ironic is President Lech Kaczynski's comment about racism and anti-semitism having no place in a democratic Poland. Considering he has formed a coalition with a right-wing party whose leader (and current education minister), Roman Giertych, is not exactly a liberal, vehemently homophobic dubious and has strong anti-semitic links.

Apparently Giertych recently suggested outlawing a rival political party.

Perhaps it isn't the anti-semitism Kaczynski's government will get rid of, maybe it is the democracy!

11

TREV,

10/07/2006 00:00:00

Here's an interesting link.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shtetl/righteous/...


 

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