“A prominent Polish right-wing commentator used an offensive slur to refer to Jews. Rather than being punished, he was welcomed on TV programs, including a state television talk show where he and the host made anti-Jewish comments, including jokes about Jews and gas chambers.
The negative comments just kept on coming. A Catholic priest said on state TV that it was hard to like Jews, and his words were then quoted by the ruling party spokeswoman. An adviser to the president said he thought Israel’s negative reaction to the law stemmed from a “feeling of shame at the passivity of the Jews during the Holocaust.”
Commentators have also suggested that opposition to the Holocaust law was a cover for Jews wanting money from Poland, a reference to reparations that international Jewish organizations seek for prewar Jewish property seized by the communists.”
Hanna, a 33-year-old Jewish woman from Warsaw, says she has finally understood the deep fears of her mother, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor who witnessed the 1968 persecution. She said her mother has always said Jews in Poland had to be mentally prepared to flee at little notice with just a suitcase.
“I always thought she was crazy,” said Hanna, who asked that her last name not be used because she, too, is now afraid. “Now I see that maybe my mom isn’t crazy. Maybe this is the circle of life and history is repeating.”
Mikolaj Grynberg, a writer and photographer, said while young Polish Jews feel shocked and “lost,” he, at 52, has long been aware of Poland’s anti-Semitic undercurrent. While on book tours, Grynberg said people would sometimes ask him “why did you choose to write in our language?” as if he weren’t as Polish as they.
Polish Jews stunned, scared by eruption of anti-Semitism
Published
Mooncustafer 