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Auschwitm vs auschwitz
The new law prohibits talking about Poles's involvement in the Holocaust, provoked an international scandal and can put Poland’s relationship with Israel on the line
*Aushvitz -Birkenau memorial dedicated to the victims of Nazism, Auschwitz, Poland *Photo: Turbina.ru
On the night of January 31 to February 1, the Polish Senate voted to amend the Law on the Institute of National Memory (IPN). The document was adopted without a single amendment by a majority vote: 57 - for, 23 - against, two abstained. At the same time, the law caused hot disputes in Poland itself, the tough reaction of the US State Department and intensified relations between Poland and Israel. The Knesset will now make a law for a discussion by which Poland will be recognized as a country denying the Holocaust. And this will follow the review of the ambassador, reports NT sources in circles close to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
According to the text of the document, the one who “publicly and groundlessly attributes the responsibility for the Polish people or the Polish state for participation or complicity in the atrocities of the Nazis during the Second World War, for crimes against humanity, war crimes” will incur either financial punishment or criminal liability for up to 3 years.
Too wide formulation
The lawyer of the Polish Helsinki Committee Konrad Semashko, in a conversation with a NT correspondent, notes that a year and a half ago, when the draft law fell into the Sejm, the committee made its comments, but they remained unheated.
“The law is aimed at combating such definitions as“ Polish concentration camps ”, and other similar formulations. It is clear that they are not true, and we also believe that they should not be used. However, we are afraid that the law opens up opportunities for abuse, ”the lawyer notes. According to Semashko, the wording of the law is too wide, and the punishment for those who fit this is very serious.
“This can lead to the fact that people will be afraid to express their opinion on controversial moments in history,” the lawyer believes. - The law says that this does not apply to scientific and artistic works. But if reviews in the media appear about such artistic works, it is quite possible that the author may be responsible. After all, journalistic activities are not defined in this law. ”
Interference in the affairs of the country
Last Friday, January 26, the lower house of the parliament - the Sejm - adopted the law without any preliminary consultations. The moment, in any case-for additional resonance, was chosen more than appropriate: Saturday, January 27, the day of memory of the Holocaust, when the 73rd anniversary of the release of Auschwitz was celebrated. Speaking in Auschwitz, the Israeli ambassador to Poland Anna Azari demanded to change the law, and also noted that she evaluates it as "the possibility of punishment for evidence of the Holocaust survivors."
On January 28, an official statement of the Institute of National Memory appeared on the IPN website, which considers "inappropriately interfering the embassy of another country in the process of work on the document." Moreover, the institute emphasizes, "the words of the Israeli ambassador were uttered in Poland, which became the first victim of the Nazis."
“The Poles were first sent to Auschwitz, and only then did it become a concentration camp for the Jews. During the Second World War, 6 million Poles were killed, half of whom were Polish Jews, and half were ethnic Poles, ”the IPN statement said.
On January 29, Anna Azari was invited to consult the Presidential Palace, which was extremely critically appreciated by the leader of the Polish nationalist movement Robert Vinnitsky: “For such words, the ambassadors immediately offer to leave their post, and not invite to conversations ...”
First they will accept, then fix it
In a conversation with NT correspondent, Vinnitsky appreciated how the “too soft reaction” of the Polish government to the attacks, which Poland is being subjected to the international arena in the light of the adopted document. In addition, he criticized the authorities of the country, which “scared and did not allow” his movement to arrange a demonstration near the Israeli embassy in Poland on January 31: “It would be necessary to resolutely respond to what Israel is doing - to this impudent and brutal attack on Poland.” However, his opinion on the new law seems to be most reflected in the point of view of those who accepted it: “Firstly, in recent years, Polish concentration camps have been stable in recent years: as if the Poles, not the Nazis created them. And secondly, an attempt occurs, especially this is obvious in Israel, to make the Poles responsible for the Holocaust. Of course, there were isolated cases when the Poles gave the Germans Jews, but we need to talk about the proportions of this phenomenon! These were isolated cases! The Polish people helped the Jews! "
Ex-President of Poland Alexander Kvasnevsky said that his consequence will be “tremendous image losses” for Poland and that such a “policy aimed at ensuring that the German does not spit in the face, and the Jew does not write the laws is erroneous”
Ex-President of Poland Alexander Kvasnevsky, commenting on February 1 on the TOKFM radio law, stated that his consequence will be “tremendous image losses” for Poland and that such a “policy aimed at ensuring that the German does not spit in the face, and the Jew does not write laws is erroneous.” Kovasnevsky also noted that “Poland in relation to the Jews should be“ extremely careful ”. And what is happening today says "about the lack of professionalism in people standing in power." In addition, the ex-president of Poland emphasized that President Andrzej Duda should impose a veto on this law, because he is “meaningless”. True, Kvasinevsky expressed doubts that Duda would go. “It will be, as usual with us,” they will first accept, and then they will try to fix it somehow. ”
"Marsh of Life" in question
The chief rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine Moshe-Raven Asman addressed the Minister of Education and Diaspora of Israel on February 1 to Benneta, proposing to cancel the traditional “margin of life” of thousands of Israeli schoolchildren in the former Nazi concentration camps on the territory of Poland-in protest against the new Polish law and anti-Semitic campaign in Poland. “In recent days, we see anti -Israeli and anti -Semitic hysteria in the Polish media and in the Polish parliament,” the letter says.
According to the minister, “in the choice between considerations of foreign policy and moral values, perpetuating the victims of the Holocaust should be priority”
The building of the Israeli Embassy in Warsaw, writes a rabbi, blocked by the police in order to protect against radical nationalists. In his opinion, there is a danger of anti -Semitic attacks by Polish extremists in Israeli schoolchildren. “Holding“ marches of life ”is the costs of tens of millions of dollars from Israel annually. Therefore, I consider it right to punish Poland financially for an anti -Semitic law, which is trying to close their mouth to historians and witnesses of the Holocaust, ”writes the main rabbi of Ukraine. He proposed to conduct such "marches of life" in Ukraine in 2018.
On the same day, the Minister of Transport and Intelligence, Israel Katz demanded from Prime Minister Beniamin Netanyahu to withdraw the ambassador of Israel from Warsaw. According to the minister, "in the choice between considerations of foreign policy and moral values, perpetuating the victims of the Holocaust should be priority."
The Israeli historian Shimon Briman believes that "the nationalist politicians of the ruling coalition of Poland built the concept of" people-victims, pure and innocent from any accusations. " “For any mention of how the Poles in some city helped the Nazis seek out and destroy the Jews, participated in the plunder of Jewish property or, as in Nosvabne, they themselves burned their Jewish neighbors without the participation of the Germans,” now criminal punishment was introduced for all this, ”Griman states. The new law is “an attempt to close your mouth to historians and surviving in the Holocaust,” the scientist summarizes.