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Comments

• [1] Jaime from Queens December 08, 2008 - 12:50PM

  I am surprised she has a past to discuss. Look at the Jewish population in Poland before World War II and the population today. anti-Semitism in Poland is a national past time. The germans had no troble finding Jews with the polish people providing road signs to find them. Its sometimes hard to understand why the west intervened on their behalf when the polish nation had such an attitude. German invasion just gave them an opportunity to bring action to their attitude. And, in case your wondering, little has changed on this point in spite of the lessons learned.

  
  
• [2] vladimir from jersey December 08, 2008 - 01:20PM

  this sound like a story in '' this american life'' in the story the woman who took care of her mother was still alive wen she went to poland

  
  
• [3] Chris Duerr from Brooklyn December 08, 2008 - 01:26PM

  Leonard,

  The same questions stemming from a Ukrainian birth certificate of a deceased grandparent have caused quite a controversy in my own family. However, during a trip to the Polish Art Center in Hamtramck, MI, this past summer, I was given an explanation. It was explained to me that because of various reasons, including numerous border changes, many Poles were born within the technical borders of Ukraine, but still consider themselves Polish in every sense of the word.

  
  
• [4] Jurek December 08, 2008 - 07:40PM

  Jamie from Queens: How many Palestinians have you thrown from their land and/or killed lately?

  
  
• [5] Waldemar Galka from Smithtown NY December 08, 2008 - 09:38PM

  Poles provided road signs for the Germans to find the Jews?? Nonsense. Please provide solid proof that this was the dominating attitude of the occupied Poles. Go to Jerusalem and you will find that most of the trees planted are for the Poles who risked their lives to save Jews!

  You mentioned the German invasion... How many Jews died in fighting the German invaders in Sep. 1939? Very few. There were 10 Polish Jews in my neighbor's unit and they all deserted from the Polish Army in the first days of the fighting. Shame. In Lwow, Polish Jews greeted the invading Soviets with flowers!! And you expect Polish gratitude for this sort of cowardly treason?! Get real.

  Yet Poles saved more Jews than any other nation occupied by the Germans. Explain that paradox to me my felow American... It sure sounds like Christian compassion and not alleged anti-Semitism.

  
  
• [6] Polish Jew from NYC December 08, 2008 - 11:05PM

  You have it totally wrong J. Jews in Poland were killed by Germans not Polish. Saying all the things you said it's just simple ignorance. I'm Jew and I'm Polish and many of my family members were saved by Polish during the war. And what did Americans, Brits and your family do when my ancestors were prosecuted and killed in AUschwitz??? NOTHING NOTHING but watching. SO how dare you speaking these words of hate? First learn the history then speak. ShALOM

  
  
• [7] joseph December 09, 2008 - 10:25AM

  To Waldemar:

  Ever heard of Kielce, Poland? Surviving Jews returned there to rebuild their lives. The Polish population killed 46 of them.

  I have personal knolwedge of many survivors who escaped the Nazis but were betrayed by their Polish neighbors. Of course, there were Poles who were great humanitarians and saved Jews and they must be acknolwdeged. But on the whole, they welcomed Nazi extermination of the Jews and believed they deserved it for being "Christ killers".

  
  
• [8] Boris from NJ December 11, 2008 - 02:32PM

  The biggest argument Poles bring when accused of antisemtism is the number righteous gentiles among them. Yes, the number of individuals who saved Jews during WWII is the highest among Poles, but one must remember that Poland had the highest population of Jews before the war - thus, more victims and more people who had saved some.

  What is not disclosed is that these righteous Poles had often hid the fact that they saved Jews from their neighbors even after the war. The reason - the act of saving a Jew would not win any popularity among Poles, and many righteous gentiles faced threats and violence from their own community, and had to run away.

  Which makes their deed even more righteous!!!