Posted on 04/18/2006 11:53:15 AM PDT by lizol
It didn't answer my question. Why wouldn't they go somewhere else in the Middle Ages? Why Poland?
I bet you can answer this question on your own. If you lived in communist Poland under opressive regime, behind the Iron Curtain and suddenly you were given passport and were ALLOWED to go any place you could dream of including USA, West Germany or Sweden, wouldn't you? Some Jewish Poles stayed to this very day even though their parents were members of this commie elite. All? Not all of course, but plenty of them had parents who were high rank members of the commmunist party.
They were invited to settle in Poland by King Casimir.
If you're asking me to defend the statement that Poland was always hostile to Jews, I'm not going to, because I agree it's not true.
You're writing about anti-emitism still thriving in Poland, and mentioned Radio Maryja in this context.
But the fact is, that when I'm reading your comments, I just can't oppose the impression, that you're just like Polish fans of that radio. The only difference is, that their anti-semitism is equivalent of your anti-Polonism - same kind of blind hatred, stupid prejudices and pure bigotry.
You are just like a mirror reflection of each other.
"anti-emitism" should be "anti-Semitism".
The Poles did everything to catch them but they survived only thanks to brave German soldiers. :)
As always the American Jews are the last to know ANYTHING about history of holocaust or WWII. This fact of course don't prevent them from writing such an insanities like above. I'm sorry to inform you that being a Jew itself doesn't make you specialist of the histrory of holocaust. Your stuff is not even a bit better than Arab's conspiracy theories.
"As always the American Jews are the last to know ANYTHING about history of holocaust or WWII."
I dare say that It's not a matter of knowledge.
Polish nuns in Jerusalem are attacked by Jewish fanatics almost every day and no one gives a damn, but when some guy in RM says that "Jews are greedy" then that's a big deal of course.
Again I am the last person to defend nationalist fraction in PZPR. I despise them from the depth of my heart. But you have to remember one thing. Noone asked Polish public opinion who was going to be the target of their attack just like noone asked Poles if they would like to participate in annual commie mascarades on the 1st of May. As you are well aware it took decades to shake off the commie regime, not without the help of RR among others. Polish commies played it as they wanted but Polish society had nothing to do with that. With leaving of Polish Jews we in many cases lost friends and our country lost valuable citizens (lawyers, doctors).
In general I liked your post very much. You are a man of reason.
Thank you. I hear what you are saying, too, and am glad we can talk to each other.
By the way, since you mentioned the fall of Communism, I wanted to mention that I have been thinking of Pope John Paul II again this week as they discussed the anniversary of Pope Benedict's accession. He was a truly great man for your nation and for your church, fighting Communism, but also a great leader for the world and for people of all faiths.
I don't know how many non-Catholics are award of all the good he accomplished, but they should be.
I am glad too. I think that Polish culture without the Jewish element would be like soup without the spices. You would be surprised to know that many young generation Poles are fascinated by the culture of Polish Jews. We have festivals and bands inspired by their heritage, there's also a Jewish theater in Warsaw. Many young people search for real or supposed Jewish roots, learn Yidish or Hebrew. Unfortunately irresponsible and deceitful statements like the one by Maram Stern from WJC make them look like stupid hippies in the eyes of other Poles. We understand the language of truth - even if its bitter, but no historical lies will go unpunished. Our nation suffered too much in its history to allow for that to happen again. Just like yours.
I hope someday you'll come to Poland to see the monuments of times when both are nations were truly great in one country. Also if it finally happens and your trails will lead to Wroclaw I'd be honoured to be your guide.
You can have an opinion, but not your own facts:
1) Camps were in Poland b/c the Jews and Poles were there. The Polish nation was to cease to exist, and 3 million Polish Christians were exterminated (along w/ 3 million Polish Jews) due to their being 'untermenschen'
2) In the Warsaw Uprising, only about 20% of the troops were armed. The AK gave the Jews arms, but there simply weren't that many to go around either in April 1943 or even September 1944.
3) Poland was the first country to fight, and had the fourth largest armed forces on the Allied side, after the USSR, US and UK but ahead of France.
4) Both Jewish and Christian Poles were given ration cards that were at starvation levels.
5) The Poles did not have a Vichy government. Part of the country was incorporated into the Reich, part was adminstered by the Germans (the infamous Frank).
6) Helping a Jew was punishable by death in occupied Poland.
7) The Polish armed forces fought in the Battle of Britain, Normandy (See the book five armies at Normandy), Monte Cassino, North Africa and the Eastern Front. The Poles took Berlin w/ the USSR. Deserting Polish troops fought in Israel's Independence War. The Poles cracked Enigma and gave it to the British and French (the Brits took credit, natch).
8) The Poles had a gvt department to help the Jews, the Zegota. The Polish government sent a man into the Ghetto (Karski). He reported to Roosevelt what he saw.
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