Cooperated and facilitated
Regarding the obsessive desire of the Polish government to silence criticism about the role of so many of the Polish citizens during the Holocaust, one can only say, enough is enough (“Poland can’t silence Israelis about the Holocaust,” May 22).
It has been proven that the Germans were only successful in implementing the Final Solution in countries whose citizens cooperated and facilitated its execution.
In countries where citizens were not virulently antisemitic, many, many Jews were protected and saved by the local population, such as in Denmark and even Italy. That was not the case of Poland or Hungary and most European countries.
Although there have been many cases of incredible bravery displayed by thousands of non-Jewish righteous individuals in Poland and other countries who were often murdered for their courage, the overwhelming majority of the Poles were silently or openly cooperating. If killing Jews had been unacceptable to the local population, not so many Jews would have been murdered.
Poland should learn from Germany, and face the reality of the role of their countrymen during the Holocaust.
Lahav Harkov has written an important analysis. She stated the statistics and hardcore truths regarding Polish citizens’ collaboration with the Nazis during the Holocaust.
I am bothered by Harkov’s description or rather patronization of Noa Kirel’s emotional response to gaining the maximum 12 points from the Polish judges at the Eurovision contest. But I am totally outraged, albeit not surprised by the Polish parliament reaction of “slamming” Kirel for her comments and criticizing Israeli Holocaust education. Perhaps we need to set the record straight.
1. To most students of the Holocaust, the general consensus is that Holocaust victims and their descendants get a free pass when it comes to pride in any achievements, post-Holocaust, by their family’s descendants living, building and accomplishing despite the Nazi intention of complete Jewish genocide. If that pride comes out as expressing the thrill and amazement of Polish judges judging favorably for the Israeli Jewish singer, so be it. Our reaction should be paying homage to the great miracle.
2. No matter how you slice it. Poland is soaked in Jewish blood.
3. There is a special place above for the amazingly righteous Polish Gentiles who risked their lives to save many Jews. They and their families should always be saluted.
4. There is a special place way down below for the Polish collaborators who salivated at the opportunity to savagely wipe another Jew off this earth. Many were not threatened by the Nazis, as Harkov mentioned, but relished in the brutality of hacking Jews to pieces, playing soccer with their heads and burning them in barns in broad daylight.
5. Attention Polish parliament: If you really are concerned about Holocaust education, set aside a special day to own up, atone and beg forgiveness. Remember and recognize each one of those victims who were murdered by your collaborators. Set aside another day to feel shame for those murderous collaborators and vow, never again. Commemorate your citizens who were murdered by the Nazis, too.
6. Never deny what actually happened.
7. Keep educating your new generation regarding the old Poland and the awful past of your country, and about your renewed commitment of the new Poland, one which shows remorse while teaching the importance of tolerance and brotherly love. Do this and you will succeed in earning newfound international respect, while making your country and the world a better place with only tolerance and peace for all despite race, religion, and ethnicity.