Serge Dahan, President of B’nai B’rith Europe and Jacques Jacubert, Director of the office of international affairs met with H.E. Mr Tomasz MŁYNARSKI, Ambassador of Poland in France on Thursday, February 15 2018, at 11 a.m.

H.E. The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr. Patryk Blaszczak, first secretary, Chief of the Political Service of the Embassy.

Serge Dahan, President of B’nai B’rith Europe and Jacques Jacubert shared, in a long discussion with H.E. Mr Tomasz MŁYNARSKI, their concerns and those of all the Jewish community about the publication of a law which frames the way in which it is possible to evoke the responsibility of Poland during the Shoah. This law carries the risk to reduce freedom of expression and the essential scientific research of memory work.

The President of B’nai B’rith Europe raised his dialogue with H.E. the Ambassador that if the death camps were indeed created by the Nazis in Poland, with the intention to assassinate Jews within the framework of the final solution, the legal text tends to modify historical truth concerning the assistance received by the Germans on behalf of part of the Polish population during the Holocaust as well as the recognition of the fatal pogroms made by Polish people; in particular the pogrom of Kielce which took place in July 1946.

H.E. Mr Tomasz MŁYNARSKI recalled that more than 6 million polish people were killed by the Nazis, of which half were Jewish, that Poland did not collaborate with Germany and he paid tribute to Polish resistance.

H.E. Tomasz MŁYNARSKI emphasized that Poland has the largest number of Righteous among the Nations.

H.E. Mr Tomasz MŁYNARSKI specified that that the expression “Polish death camps” was used in the world whereas historical truth was that the camps were created by the Germans in Poland. He recalled that President Andrzej Duda was the first to take part in the commemorations of the pogrom of Kielce which occurred in July 1946, one year and half after the departure of the Nazis.

The intention of this government bill is not to modify history but to protect Poland and Polish people in the face of remarks which harm their pride and their reputation. H.E. Mr Tomasz MŁYNARSKI specified that the Polish President had asked the Constitutional court to examine the law.

Serge Dahan also expressed his concern regarding the rise of anti-Semitism in Poland.

H.E. Mr Tomasz MŁYNARSKI reassured him and wishes to reassure the Jewish community by recalling that his Government condemns anti-Semitism, is very active on memory work of the Shoah on the Polish ground and is very committed to fight anti-Semitism. Mr Ambassador pointed out that the Shoah is included in school programs in Poland.

In conclusion HE. Mr Tomasz MŁYNARSKI and the President of B’nai B’rith Europe, Serge Dahan, proposed to continue these encounters and this open and constructive dialogue.

H.E. Mr Tomasz MŁYNARSKI exposed his project to organize a broad exhibition on the history of the Jewish community in Poland within the Embassy.