From: kkniaz@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Krzysztof W. Kniaz)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish,soc.culture.polish
Subject: Re: On Polish Anti-semitism
Date: 11 Oct 92 14:04:52 GMT
Followup-To: soc.culture.jewish
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In article <1992Oct11.064709.5654@Princeton.EDU> roger@astro.princeton.edu (Roger Lustig) writes:

>
>Gomulka certainly wanted it, as part of the anti-Semitic campaign of the
>government.  Historians whom Davidowicz names as working toward this
>goal include Pilichowski, Walichnowski, Poteranski, and others.  The 
>Polonization of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising itself was accomplished by
>one Eugeniusz Duraczynski, who, according to Davidowicz,
>
>She cites: Leon Shapiro's article on Poland in the American Jewish
>Year Book for 1971, and a 1974 paper by Krzysztof Dunin-Wasowicz.
>(Apologies for missed diacriticals...)
>
>>what silly purposes (after all, Warsaw had its genuine "Polish" uprising
>>and there is no need to steal glory from anybody). Until you (or someone
>>else) bring in some details, I will suspect this is a malicious
>>fabrication.
>
>Sorry, no.  She documents the fabrications and distortions of Jewish
>history in wartime Poland that the official historians created in 1968.

There is indeed a chapter in her book about revisionism of Polish
Historians. Problem is, that all the cited historians were paid by
the communist party to fabricate lies, therefore their "findings"
were treated as yet another anti-semitic communist propaganda.
On the other hand, some Jewish historians eagerly used testimonies
of dubious veracity (from communist, who frequently perpetrated antisemitic
acts), just to support their accusations od the polish society.
See my comments to Schmul-Krakowski "Unequal victims" 
>>>causes are the very thing that interests me.
>
>>Could you give ONE example of "Aryan legislation of Nazi Germany" (or
>>anything even remotely similar) that was adopted by the parliament of Poland
>>in the 30s?
>
>Not by the parliament, but, as I have cited before, by professional
>societies of architects, doctors, and engineers.  On the other hand,
>many of Poland's political parties were officially anti-Semitic.
>
>Roger


And so were parties in many countries in the world - this doesn't proof
anything. Let me cite Schmul and Krakowski:

"It should be stressed that Polish liberal groups, as well as the
Socialist Party, and dissidents from Pilsudski camp, publicly
condemned both the violence and tactical hypocrisy of the goverment,
and even demonstrated in protest, in certain instances declaring strikes
and joining in defensive actions taken by te Jews[...]"
p21.

It is true , however that the right wing parties waged an economical
war against Jews in prewar Poland and achieved quite a success with
indifference (or silent approval from some members) of the goverment.
Again, however some Jewish historians see antisemitism everywhere -
I read a story (perhaps in Davidowicz's book but I'm not sure) about
Poles organising cooperatives in countryside to fight Jewish merchants.
This claim was made, notwithstanding facts about reality of Polish
countryside at that time. 

Usually well balanced Schmul and Krakowski's "Unequal Victims" describes it
in this way:

"Paradoxically, the steps taken to improve and further the economy also
were to the detriment of the Jews. Thus the organisation of the 
cooperative movement supported by leftist elements as well, removed many
burdensome intermediary units between the countryside and the cities,
but at the same time wiped out many Jewish livelihoods" p.13


My point is, that before you make a claim based on some book you read
try to assess if it's well balanced, scientific and very far from
propaganda of any kind. I's suggest you read the subchapter "The Historians"
from Deak's article.


--

Krzysztof Kniaz, University of Pennsylvania |Due to circumstances beyond
Lab for Research on the Structure of Matter |your control, you're master of 
Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA                |your fate and captain of your soul
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish