The memory of the Holocaust in Poland is one of the most actively debated topics in contemporary Polish politics, and there are many serious reasons for this. Many in Brussels still remember
the serious scandal that in 2018 led to the resignation of Ryszard Czarnecki from his position as Vice President of the European Parliament. At that time, European parliamentarians had to delve into the meaning of the offensive Polish term "szmalcownik."
This fabricated Polish word refers to a person who informed on Jews or on Poles who protected Jews during the Nazi occupation. The term was used by the Vice President of Parliament in reference to the Polish MEP Róża Thun. Czarnecki made this remark about her after Thun criticized Poland’s ruling party on German television, accusing the government of leading the country toward a “dictatorship.”
MEP Róża Thun, whose full name is Róża Maria Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein, did not forgive such a public humiliation by her compatriot on a pan-European scale and rallied European politicians against Czarnecki. At that time, Christian Democrats, Socialists, Greens, and Liberals all demanded Czarnecki’s resignation. Ultimately, 447 MEPs voted in favor of his dismissal, while 196 voted against it.
And now, a new scandal has erupted in Poland, which, against the backdrop of intense political battles in the country, could gain international significance, as it concerns the memory of Holocaust victims in Poland.
During the days marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, many monarchs, politicians, and heads of state visited Poland. Among those who came to honor the memory of the victims were King Charles III of the United Kingdom, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and other high-ranking guests.
During her speech in Krakow on January 27, Nowacka remarked that on the territory under German occupation, "Polish Nazis built camps that were initially labor camps but later turned into camps of mass extermination."
Later, she realized her mistake and publicly apologized for her statement. "Obviously, the camps were built by the Germans, and Polish Nazis did not exist. That is historically accurate. I apologize for my gross slip of the tongue," she wrote on her social media account.
However, many Polish politicians did not perceive these words as a mere slip of the tongue but rather as a mistake by the minister’s advisors, since Barbara Nowacka was reading her speech from a paper. Many politicians from PiS called for Nowacka to resign from her ministerial position and even to leave politics altogether.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk took the political hit himself, stating that he would not dismiss the minister over this "slip of the tongue." However, judging by the scale and intensity of the discussion, the government's reputational losses will likely be significant.
On January 28, Mariusz Błaszczak, the head of the PiS parliamentary club, stated on the Polsat News program "Graffiti" that after her remarks, Barbara Nowacka "should resign."
"If he does not do this, we will consider the possibility of a vote of no confidence," the right-wing politician emphasized.
Opposition representatives were not convinced by the minister’s explanations, which placed the blame for the mistake on her advisors. "So, they prepared a speech for the minister, and she, like an actress, reads this speech. She has no independent thoughts. She does not understand the issue. She does not realize that we are dealing with lies because it was the Germans who killed the Jews. Poland was occupied by the Germans; Auschwitz was a German camp," he stressed.
Overall, it is not surprising that political discussions in Poland revolve around the history of the Holocaust, a tragedy that unfolded on the country’s territory. Undoubtedly, Europe should pay close attention to what is happening in Poland in this regard, as such discussions are crucial for future generations, educational programs, and the state of interethnic relations, xenophobia, and the future of the EU and Poland.
Dr Oleh Kozerod, vice-president Centre for European Democracy Studies
photo by Mary-Grace Blaha Schexnayder, Wikimedia commons.