5 The Polish–Jewish relationship debate
-
Jarosław Kuisz
Abstract
This chapter looks at how Poland’s relationship with the Jewish people and more specifically the Holocaust has been used politically by the Law and Justice government. Many of the Nazi death camps were located in Polish territory, but it was not until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989 and the restoration of scholarly freedom that significant research was conducted in this area. This research challenged Poles’ long-standing view that they were innocent victims in the Second World War by bringing to light incidents such as the Jedwabne pogrom, where Polish people actively participated in the massacre of Jews. When Law and Justice came to power in 2015, they quickly set about reversing the work of the preceding thirty years, seeking to reassure the Polish people that they bore no responsibility for the Holocaust. The most concrete instance of this came in 2018, when a law was passed making it illegal to accuse the Polish government or nation of complicity in the Holocaust. This law caused an international scandal, inviting accusations of antisemitism and significantly weakening Polish soft power. Domestically, however, Law and Justice’s approach was largely successful, as it chimed with the view of many ordinary Poles.
Abstract
This chapter looks at how Poland’s relationship with the Jewish people and more specifically the Holocaust has been used politically by the Law and Justice government. Many of the Nazi death camps were located in Polish territory, but it was not until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989 and the restoration of scholarly freedom that significant research was conducted in this area. This research challenged Poles’ long-standing view that they were innocent victims in the Second World War by bringing to light incidents such as the Jedwabne pogrom, where Polish people actively participated in the massacre of Jews. When Law and Justice came to power in 2015, they quickly set about reversing the work of the preceding thirty years, seeking to reassure the Polish people that they bore no responsibility for the Holocaust. The most concrete instance of this came in 2018, when a law was passed making it illegal to accuse the Polish government or nation of complicity in the Holocaust. This law caused an international scandal, inviting accusations of antisemitism and significantly weakening Polish soft power. Domestically, however, Law and Justice’s approach was largely successful, as it chimed with the view of many ordinary Poles.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction 1
- Epigraph to Part I 20
- 1 Breakthrough? The 2015 elections 21
- 2 The tsunami of populism 46
- 3 True leaders of the nation 77
- 4 Toothless liberals? The current state of democratic opposition 99
- Introduction to Part II 126
- 5 The Polish–Jewish relationship debate 131
- 6 The economic transformation debate 146
- 7 The never- ending de-communisation debate 161
- Introduction to Part III 180
- 8 Sources of post- traumatic sovereignty 187
- 9 Beyond the occupation mentality 206
- 10 Post-traumatic sovereignty strikes back 231
- 11 A kidnapped West in the European Union 243
- Conclusion 261
- Notes 270
- Acknowledgements 346
- Index 349
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction 1
- Epigraph to Part I 20
- 1 Breakthrough? The 2015 elections 21
- 2 The tsunami of populism 46
- 3 True leaders of the nation 77
- 4 Toothless liberals? The current state of democratic opposition 99
- Introduction to Part II 126
- 5 The Polish–Jewish relationship debate 131
- 6 The economic transformation debate 146
- 7 The never- ending de-communisation debate 161
- Introduction to Part III 180
- 8 Sources of post- traumatic sovereignty 187
- 9 Beyond the occupation mentality 206
- 10 Post-traumatic sovereignty strikes back 231
- 11 A kidnapped West in the European Union 243
- Conclusion 261
- Notes 270
- Acknowledgements 346
- Index 349
