Prawda o wizycie Premiera Polski Donalda Tuska w USA 2008
Donald Tusk w Nowym Jorku
Profesor Wolniewicz RM Prawda o Tusku 1/4
Prof.Boguslaw Wolniewicz o antypolskiej postawie mediow
Prisimy Polonie i Polakow w kraju o posanie list protestu do kabinetu premiera tuska, prezydenta i ministra spraw zagranicanych
Kontakt dla dziennikarzy zajmujących się tematyką krajową:
tel. 022 694 65 06,
tel. kom. 601 375 012
Kontakt dla dziennikarzy zajmujących się tematyką gospodarczą:
tel. 022 694 66 13,
tel. kom. 607 497 342
Kontakt dla dziennikarzy zajmujących się polityką zagraniczną:
tel. 022 694 68 11,
tel. kom. 601 989 503
Kancelaria Prezesa Rady Ministrów
Centrum Informacyjne Rządu
00-583 Warszawa, Al. Ujazdowskie 1/3
telefon: 022 8413832; 6946983
faks: 022 6252872; 6284821
e-mail: cirinfo@kprm.gov.pl
Dolnośląski Urząd Wojewódzki
Dagmara Turek-Samól
tel.: 071 3406590, 071 3406589
tel. kom.: 608 026645
faks: 071 3406601
e-mail: b.turek@duw.pl
Kujawsko - Pomorski Urząd Wojewódzki
Piotr Kurek
tel.: 052 3497598,052 3497654
tel. kom.: 693 705895
faks: 052 3497460
e-mail: rzecznik@uwoj.bydgoszcz.pl
Lubelski Urząd Wojewódzki
Małgorzata Tatara
tel.: 081 7424770
tel. kom.: 605 111133
faks: 081 7424769
e-mail: rzecznik@lublin.uw.gov.pl, press@lublin.uw. gov.pl
Lubuski Urząd Wojewódzki
Małgorzata Nowak
tel.: 095 7115537, 0957115640
tel. kom.: 601 809474
faks: 095 7115560
e-mail: rzecznik@uwoj.gorzow.pl
Łódzki Urząd Wojewódzki
Krzysztof Sztrajber
dyrektor Gabinetu Wojewody
tel.: 042 6641015, 6641515, 6641341, 6641322
tel. kom.: 605 725197
faks: 042 6641342
e-mail: biuroprasowe@lodz.uw.gov.pl
Małopolski Urząd Wojewódzki
Małgorzata Woźniak
tel.: 012 3921116 , 3921129
tel. kom.: 601 483277
faks: 012 3921545
e-mail: mwoz@malopolska.uw.gov.pl
Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki
Ivetta Biały-Sokołowska
tel.: 022 6956063, 022 6956272
tel. kom.: 696 652782
faks: 022 6201375
e-mail: rzecznik@mazowieckie.pl
Opolski Urząd Wojewódzki
Kordian Michalak
tel.: 077 4524280
tel. kom.: 609 530802
faks: 077 4524705
e-mail: kmichalak@opole.uw.gov.pl
Podlaski Urząd Wojewódzki
Jolanta Gadek
tel.: 085 7439397
tel. kom.: 607 260063
faks: 085 7439350
e-mail: rzecznik@bialystok.uw.gov.pl
Podkarpacki Urząd Wojewódzki
Wiesław Bek
tel.: 017 8671254
tel. kom.: 605 999358
faks: 017 8671955
e-mail: wbek@rzeszow.uw.gov.pl
Pomorski Urząd Wojewódzki
Maja Opinc - Bennich
tel.: 058 3077232, 058 3012632
tel. kom.: 609 692 878
faks: 058 3011947
e-mail: rzecznik@gdansk.uw.gov.pl
Śląski Urząd Wojewódzki
Marta Malik
tel.: 032 2554967
tel. kom.: 694 471874
faks: 032 2563101
e-mail: malikm@katowice.uw.gov.pl
Świętokrzyski Urząd Wojewódzki
Agata Wojda
tel.: 041 3421803
tel. kom.: 667 910016
faks: 041 3421693
e-mail: agata.wojda@kielce.uw.gov.pl
Warmińsko-Mazurski Urząd Wojewódzki
Edyta Wrotek
tel.: 089 5232410, 5232276
tel. kom.: 602364064
faks: 089 5351881
e-mail: rzecznik@uw.olsztyn.pl
Wielkopolski Urząd Wojewódzki
Tomasz Stube – p.o. rzecznika
tel.: 061 8541941,8541750
tel. kom.: 609 307063
faks: 061 8541961
e-mail: biuroprasowe@poznan.uw.gov.pl
e-mail: rzecznik@poznan.uw.gov.pl
Zachodniopomorski Urząd Wojewódzki
Agnieszka Muchla
tel.: 091 4303589, 091 4303579
tel. kom.: 696031177
faks: 091 4347404
e-mail: rzeczwoj@szczecin.uw.gov.pl
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Kancelaria Prezydenta RP:
Siedziba Prezydenta RP:
Pałac Prezydencki
ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 48/50,
00-071 Warszawa
Kancelaria Prezydenta RP
ul. Wiejska 10,
00-902 Warszawa
Tel. (+48 22) 695-29-00
Biuro Listów i Opinii Obywatelskich
ul. Wiejska 10,
00-902 Warszawa
Tel. (+48 22) 695-20-29
Fax (+48 22) 695-22-38
e-mail: listy@prezydent.pl
--------------------------------
Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych / Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Biuro Rzecznika Prasowego MSZ / MFA Press Spokesman
Rzecznik Prasowy: Piotr Paszkowski
Dyrektor Biura: Alicja Rakowska
Kontakty z mediami.
Cooperates with the media.
rzecznik@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48-22) 5239356
fax. (+48-22) 5239099
Informacja konsularna / Consular Information
Praktyczne informacje dla wyjeżdżających lub przebywających za granicą.
Information for Polish citizens abroad.
tel. (+48-22) 5239451
Departament Afryki i Bliskiego Wschodu / Department of Africa and the Middle East
Dyrektor: Jacek Chodorowicz
Zastępca Dyrektora: Juliusz Gojło
Zastępca Dyrektora: Maciej Kozłowski
Sprawy dotyczące państw regionu Afryki i Bliskiego Wschodu (z wyłączeniem kwestii wizowych i konsularnych) oraz międzynarodowych organizacji regionalnych: LPA, DA, OKI, SADC, RWPZ, UMA, COMESSA, ECOWAS, COMESA.
Is engaged in Poland ’s policy towards nations of Africa and the Middle East and its cooperation with the said nations, collects information on the political, economic, scientific and cultural situation in particular nations of Africa and the Middle East , is in charge of bilateral consultations and official visits, exercises supervision of the work of Polish diplomatic missions in Africa and the Middle East.
tel. (+48 22) 5239583
fax (+48 22) 6287819
Departament Ameryki / Department of the Americas
Dyrektor: Artur Orzechowski
Zastępca Dyrektora: Ewa Kinast
Sprawy dotyczące państw kontynentu amerykańskiego (z wyłączeniem kwestii wizowych i konsularnych) oraz organizacji regionalnych : OPA, NAFTA, MERCOSUR, FTAA.
Is engaged in Poland ’s policy towards nations of the Americas and its cooperation with the said nations, collects information on the political, economic, scientific and cultural situation in particular American nations, is in charge of bilateral consultations and official visits, exercises supervision of the work of Polish diplomatic missions in the Americas.
tel. (+48 22) 5239270
fax (+48 22) 6226462
Departament Azji i Pacyfiku / Department of Asia and Pacific Region
Dyrektor: Tadeusz Chomicki
Zastępca Dyrektora: Krzysztof Majka
Zastępca Dyrektora: Beata Stoczyńska
Sprawy dotyczące państw regionu Azji i Pacyfiku (z wyłączeniem kwestii wizowych i konsularnych) oraz międzynarodowych organizacji regionalnych: ASEAN, APEC, ASEM, ARF, KNPN, KEDO i innych.
Is engaged in Poland ’s policy towards nations of Asia and the Pacific region and its cooperation with the said nations, collects information on the political, economic, scientific and cultural situation in particular nations of Asia and the Pacific region, is in charge of bilateral consultations and official visits, exercises supervision of the work of Polish diplomatic missions in Asia and the Pacific region
tel.: (+48 22) 5239302
fax (+48 22) 5239599
Departament Europy Środkowej i Południowej / Department of Central and Southern Europe
Dyrektor: Adam Hałaciński
Zastępca Dyrektora: Zbigniew Krużyński
Sprawy dotyczące państw Europy środkowej i południowo-wschodniej.
Is engaged in Poland's policy towards nations of Central and Southern Europe.
tel. (+48 22) 5239251
fax (+48 22) 5239369
Departament Europy Zachodniej i Północnej / Department of Western and Northern Europe
Zastępca Dyrektora, Kierujący Departamentem: Jacek Bazański
Zastępca Dyrektora: Romuald Szoka
Sprawy dotyczące państw i podmiotów prawa międzynarodowego na obszarze Europy Zachodniej i Północnej.
Is engaged in Poland's policy towards nations and international organisations of Western and Northern Europe.
tel. (+48 22) 5239757
fax (+48 22) 5239817
Departament Wschodni / Eastern Department
Dyrektor: Jarosław Bratkiewicz
Zastępca Dyrektora: Michał Łabenda
Zastępca Dyrektora: Mariusz Maszkiewicz
Sprawy dotyczące państw Europy Wschodniej, Azji Środkowej i Kaukazu Południowego oraz Partnerstwa Wschodniego i polityki wschodniej Unii Europejskiej.
Responsible for questions concerning nations of Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Southern Caucasus as well as Eastern Partnership and eastern policy of European Union.
tel. (+48 22) 5238264
fax (+48 22) 5238232
Departament Dyplomacji Publicznej i Kulturalnej / Department of Public and Cultural Diplomacy
Dyrektor: Aleksandra Piątkowska
Zastępca Dyrektora: Joanna Stachyra
Realizuje działania mające na celu kształtowanie pozytywnego wizerunku Polski z wykorzystaniem instrumentów dyplomacji publicznej. Zarządza serwisami internetowymi MSZ.
Is in charge of promotion of the Republic of Poland abroad and elaborates appropriate strategies serving that end, encourages contacts with various social groups in foreign countries, focusing on opinion-forming circles, is responsible for creating a positive image of Poland abroad. Manages the MFA's websites.
dprom@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239975
fax (+48 22) 5239898
Departament Konsularny i Polonii / Department of Consular and Polish Diaspora Affairs
Dyrektor: Jarosław Czubiński
Zastępca Dyrektora: Joanna Kozińska-Frybes
Zastępca Dyrektora: Wojciech Tyciński
Sprawy konsularne (opieka konsularna, wizy) oraz sprawy dotyczące Polonii za granicą.
Supervises the work of Polish consular offices and officers, ensures protection of Poland ’s rights and interests abroad as well as of those of Polish nationals and legal persons in foreign countries, elaborates guidelines for cooperation with other nations in the field of movement of persons as well as visa, migration and asylum policies, is involved in protection of rights of Polish communities abroad, authenticates Polish documents meant for use abroad.
tel. (+48 22) 5239444
fax (+48 22) 5238029
Departament Narodów Zjednoczonych i Praw Człowieka / Department of United Nations and Human Rights
Dyrektor: Marcin Nawrot
Zastępca Dyrektora: Marek Kuberski
Zastępca Dyrektora: Mirosław Łuczka
Współpraca Polski z organizacjami i organami Narodów Zjednoczonych.
Poland ’s cooperation with organizations and organs of the United Nations’ system, ensures assistance to Poland ’s representatives in the disarmament-related work of UN bodies and organizations, handles the issue of Poland ’s participation in peacekeeping operations of the United Nations, coordinates establishment of Poland ’s positions with regard to global problems, deals with cooperation for development.
dsnz@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239400
fax (+48 22) 6210217
Departament Polityki Bezpieczeństwa / Department of Security Policy
Dyrektor: Adam Kobieracki
Zastępca Dyrektora: Tomasz Łękarski
Zastępca Dyrektora: Marek Szczygieł
Kwestie dotyczące bezpieczeństwa i obronności Polski.
Deals with security and defense-related issues, with due account of threats posed to security of Poland , attends on the cooperation of the Republic of Poland with NATO, WEU and OSCE, as well as with the European Union with regard to the Common European Security and Defense Policy, assists Poland ’s representatives working on NATO projects, is involved in conventional arms control, assists representatives of the Republic of Poland engaged in pursuit of disarmament initiatives, is responsible for the international cooperation of defense industries
dpb@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239205
fax (+48 22) 5238049
Departament Prawno-Traktatowy / Department of Legal and Treaty Issues
Dyrektor: Remigiusz Henczel
Zastępca Dyrektora: Janusz Łącki
Zastępca Dyrektora: Jacek Such
Umowy międzynarodowe, dla których ministrem właściwym jest Minister Spraw Zagranicznych.
Watches over performance of the minister’s responsibilities ensuing from provisions on international agreements, exercises supervision over the implementation of international agreements concluded by the Republic of Poland , in respect of the minister’s area of responsibility, participates in negotiating international agreements, opines on issues related to public and private international law, keeps an archive of all texts of international agreements and related documents, deals with human rights and ethnic minority-related issues, provides extensive assistance to persons representing Poland before international human rights protection bodies.
dpt@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239424
fax (+48 22) 5238329
Departament Strategii i Planowania Polityki Zagranicznej / Department of Strategy and Foreign Policy Planning
Zastępca Dyrektora: Maciej Pisarski
Otoczenie międzynarodowe, stosunki międzynarodowe oraz główne kierunki aktywności międzynarodowej Polski.
Analyses the international environment of the Republic of Poland, elaborates strategies of Poland ’s activities on the international forum, cooperates with scientific institutions, drafts the minister’s exposés as well as reports setting out main Polish foreign policy objectives for the next year.
dsip@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239051
fax (+48 22) 5238051
Departament Unii Europejskiej / Department of the European Union
Dyrektor: Artur Harazim
Zastępca Dyrektora: Cyryl Kozaczewski
Kwestie dotyczące Unii Europejskiej.
Poland ’s policy towards European Union.
due@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239175
fax (+48 22) 6210213
Departament Współpracy Rozwojowej / Department of the Development Co-operation
Dyrektor: Marek Ziółkowski
Zastępca Dyrektora: Barbara Szymanowska
Problematyka międzynarodowej współpracy na rzecz rozwoju, obsługa narodowego programu współpracy rozwojowej, współpraca z instytucjami pomocowymi Unii Europejskiej, OECD (DAC) i Systemu Narodów Zjednoczonych.
Foreign assistance that includes development assistance and support for the process of building democracy and a civil society.
dwr@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5238073
fax (+48 22) 5238074
Departament Zagranicznej Polityki Ekonomicznej / Department of Foreign Economic Policy
Dyrektor: Wojciech Ponikiewski
Zastępca Dyrektora: Grzegorz Gawin
Tworzenie założeń zagranicznej polityki ekonomicznej RP oraz sprawy związane z członkostwem RP w OECD, Światowej Organizacji Handlu, Banku Światowym, Międzynarodowym Funduszu Walutowym, Europejskim Banku Inwestycyjnym i Europejskim Banku Odbudowy i Rozwoju.
Helps work out guidelines for Poland ’s external economic policy, analyses main problems and trends in international economic relations, evaluates the economic security of the Republic of Poland, participates in projects undertaken in connection with Poland ’s membership of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and of the World Trade Organization.
dzpe@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5238522
fax (+48 22) 5239149
Protokół Dyplomatyczny / Diplomatic Protocol
Dyrektor: Mariusz Kazana
Zastępca Dyrektora: Małgorzata Łatkiewicz-Pawlak
Zastępca Dyrektora: Janusz Niesyto
Sprawy dotyczące korpusu dyplomatycznego akredytowanego w Polsce.
Is in charge of visits by heads of state and government as well as those by ministers of foreign affairs, makes arrangements for audiences of foreign diplomats accredited to Poland with Polish top-level state officials, makes arrangements for and provides catering services to diplomatic functions, handles accreditation and exequatur of representatives of foreign states to Poland , watches over the observance of diplomatic and consular privileges and immunities.
protokol@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239220
fax (+48 22) 5239617
Archiwum / Archives
Dyrektor: Małgorzata Mroczkowska
Klasyfikacja, gromadzenie, ewidencjonowanie, opracowywanie, przechowywanie i udostępnianie materiałów archiwalnych MSZ.
Keeps and allows access to the ministry’s archival resources, prepares historical documentation for the ministry, establishes principles governing circulation of unclassified documents, makes subscriptions for foreign press.
arch@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239380
fax (+48 22) 5239109
Biuro Administracji i Finansów / Bureau of Administration and Finances
Dyrektor: Mariusz Skórko
Inwestycje realizowane przez MSZ, administracja nieruchomościami Skarbu Państwa położonymi poza granicami Polski.
Is in charge of State Treasury property abroad administered by MFA, handles investment projects and property repairs in Poland ’s missions abroad, ensures provision of necessary equipment and materials.
ba@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239700
fax (+48 22) 6210317
Biuro Bezpieczeństwa Dyplomatycznego / Bureau of Diplomatic Security
Dyrektor: Grzegorz Poznański
Zastępca Dyrektora: Dariusz Torchała
tel. (+48 22) 5239487
fax (+48 22) 5239819
Biuro Dyrektora Generalnego / Bureau of the Director-General
Dyrektor: Przemysław Czyż
Zastępca Dyrektora: Marzena Krulak
Pełnomocnik Ministra ds. Informatyzacji MSZ: Marek Michalewski
Funkcjonowanie Ministerstwa Spraw Zagranicznych jako resortu.
Attends on the Director-General of the foreign service, supervises organization and functioning of both the ministry and Poland ’s foreign missions, is in charge of lawmaking and ensures legal aid within the ministry, is responsible for the exercise of scrutiny in the ministry and Poland ’s foreign missions, notably for audit and internal scrutiny, supervises the execution of public procurement in the ministry and Poland ’s foreign missions.
bdg@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239787
fax (+48 22) 5238139
Biuro Informatyki i Telekomunikacji / Bureau of Informatics and Telecommunication
Dyrektor: Zbigniew Powałka
Zastępca Dyrektora: Grzegorz Pachulski
Zastępca Dyrektora: Dariusz Toruń
tel. (+48 22) 5239471
fax (+48 22) 6290287
Biuro Kontroli i Audytu / Bureau of Control and Audit
Dyrektor: Witold Spirydowicz
Zastępca Dyrektora: Ewa Pietruszko
tel. (+48 22) 5238543
fax (+48 22) 5238545
Biuro Pełnomocnika do spraw postępowań przed międzynarodowymi organami ochrony praw człowieka
Dyrektor: Jakub Wołąsiewicz
Postępowania przed Europejskim Trybunałem Praw Człowieka, Komitetem Praw Człowieka, Komitetem Przeciwko Torturom, Komitetem do spraw Likwidacji Dyskryminacji, prawne aspekty międzynarodowej ochrony praw człowieka oraz upowszechnianie wiedzy dotyczącej międzynarodowych systemów ochrony praw człowieka.
tel. (+48 22) 5238439
fax (+48 22) 5239512
Biuro Pełnomocnika do spraw Ochrony Informacji Niejawnych
Dyrektor: Monika Sudar
Zastępca Dyrektora: Maciej Kozakiewicz
tel. (+48 22) 5239216
fax (+48 22) 6286313
Biuro Spraw Osobowych i Szkolenia / Bureau of Human Resources and Training
Dyrektor: Beata Brzywczy
Zastępca Dyrektora: Małgorzata Banat-Adamiuk
Zastępca Dyrektora: Roman Kowalski
Sprawy dotyczące kwestii kadrowych (aplikacje, praktyki) oraz szkoleniowych.
biuro.szkolenia@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239231
fax (+48 22) 5239763
Biuro Zamówień Publicznych
Dyrektor: Sebastian Szaładziński
Postępowania o udzielenie zamówień publicznych w MSZ.
tel. (+48 22) 5238143
fax (+48 22) 5238119
Biuro Zarządzania Informacją / Bureau of Information Managment
Zastępca Dyrektora, Kierujący Biurem: Tomasz Szeratics
Zastępca Dyrektora: Małgorzata Wierzejska
Gromadzenie, analiza, zarządzanie informacją.
Is in charge of the system of storing, processing and circulating information within the Ministry and in Polish diplomatic missions, prepares and disseminates information on Poland ’s foreign policy.
bzi@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239318
fax (+48 22) 6283353
Sekretariat Ministra / Secretariat of the Minister
Dyrektor: Cezary Król
Zastępca Dyrektora: Magdalena Rędziniak
Zastępca Dyrektora: Michał Miarka
Powadzi sprawy związane z działalnością MSZ, zapewnia obsługę Ministra w zakresie jego współpracy z Prezydentem RP, Sejmem i Senatem, Prezesem i członkami Rady Ministrów, Najwyższą Izba Kontroli oraz innymi organami administracji rządowej, samorzadu terytorialnego, partiami politycznymi, instytucjami, stowarzyszeniami i innymi organizacjami; prowadzi sprawy dotyczące patronatów i zaproszeń skierowanych do Ministra Spraw Zagranicznych.
Renders services to the minister pertaining to his cooperation with public administration bodies, provides secretarial and clerical attendance on the ministry’s leadership, is in charge of the minister’s agenda, coordinating his visits and appointments.
sekretariat.ministra@msz.gov.pl
tel. (+48 22) 5239201
fax (+48 22) 6257652
Zarząd Obsługi
Dyrektor: Artur Szczepaniec
Zastępca Dyrektora: Krzysztof Cieślak
Zastępca Dyrektora: Małgorzata Tyszkiewicz-Adamczyk
tel.: (+48 22) 5239659
Poland is still poor country and Poland will not pay any compensations to radical Israelis mostly living in US and had nothing to do with victims of the Holocaust in Poland during the second world war by German Army.
Most of them coming now to Poland did live in comfort in the US during the war and did not help the Jews in Poland or Poland in negotiations with Roosevelt and Churchill to put pressure during the war.
It took polish man Mr. Karski to come to US and give all the proof of the Holocaust to US President and the US Congress and unsuccessful attempt in Great Britain.
How you dare to get more money from Poland after you got over $100 billions from Germany and $10 Billions from Switzerland.
What about the Jewish collaborators with the communist Stalin in eastern part of Poland after the 1939 Russia aggression - eastern Poland.
Read the book of Jewish Prof. of History Norman Finkelstein accuses US Jewish institutions - in particular, the Jewish Claims Conference (JCC) - of extorting moneys in the name of "needy Holocaust survivors." The Holocaust Industry .
You could have the good press in Poland when after John Paul II died and his house where he was born in wadowice will be given for free for a Pope Museum. But not - Jewish owner from Chicago who the house was given back after 1990 ask millions of dollars and the house was purchase from him by polish businessman and given by him back to the museum of John Paul II Pope in Wadowice. Why was not the Jewish American Congress to come with this idea.
You had option to stay and rebuild Poland after second world like the pianist did but you select to leave to make easy in the west. Most Poles were not able to leave and they had to deal with communist for the next 55 years until the poles had defited the communist and the cold war. It was not Reagan or Margaret Thatcher.
It was the Pope and the Polish People. If you want any restitutions go to Great Britain, United States and Russia.
Why Poland did not got the restitution from Germany or Great Britain, United States and Russia. Why you did not include Poland in restitutions when you were getting you billions
For 1000 years, Poland was the spiritual and religious center of Jewish Diaspora and produced one of the greatest world centers of Talmudic studies. 300 papers in Hebrew were published in Warsaw alone. Jews, unlike Blacks in America, were not forced to settle in Poland, prospered, attended colleges and universities, owned factories, etc.
So in 1264, King Boleslav of Poland granted a charter inviting the Jews there. The charter was an amazing document, granting Jews unprecedented rights and privileges. For example, it stated that:
"The testimony of the Christian alone may not be admitted in a matter which concerns the money or property of a Jew. In every such incidence there must be the testimony of both a Christian and a Jew. If a Christian injures a Jew in any which way, the accused shall pay a fine to the royal treasury."
"If a Christian desecrates or defiles a Jewish cemetery in any which way, it is our wish that he be punished severely as demanded by law."
"If a Christian should attack a Jew, the Christian shall be punished as required by the laws of this land. We absolutely forbid anyone to accuse the Jews in our domain of using the blood of human beings."
"We affirm that if any Jew cry out in the night as a result of violence done to him, and if his Christian neighbors fail to respond to his cries and do not bring the necessary help, they shall be fined."
"We also affirm that Jews are free to buy and sell all manner of things just as Christians, and if anyone hampers them, he shall pay a fine."
Polish King Kazimierz was favorably disposed toward Jews. On October 9, 1334, he confirmed the privileges granted to Jewish Poles in 1264 by Boleslaus V. Under penalty of death, he prohibited the kidnapping of Jewish children for the purpose of enforced Christian baptism. He inflicted heavy punishment for the desecration of Jewish cemeteries.
Although Jews had lived in Poland since before the reign of King Kazimierz, he allowed them to settle in Poland in great numbers and protected them as people of the king.
Another Polish king, Sigismund II Augustus, issued another invitation. Here is an excerpt from his edict, granting the Jews permission to open a yeshiva at Lublin, dated August 23, 1567:
"As a result of the efforts of our advisors and in keeping with the request of the Jews of Lublin we do hereby grant permission to erect a yeshiva and to outfit said yeshiva with all that is required to advance learning. All the learned men and rabbis of Lublin shall come together for among their number they shall choose one to serve as the head of the yeshiva. Let their choice be a man who will magnify Torah and bring it glory."
GOLDEN AGE OF POLISH JEWRY
In Poland, the Jews were allowed to have their own governing body called the Va'ad Arba Artzot, which was composed of various rabbis who oversaw the affairs of the Jews in eastern Europe. The Poles did not interfere with Jewish life and scholarship flourished.
Some important personalities of this period, which a student of Jewish history should remember, were:
Rabbi Moshe Isserles (1525-1572), from Krakow, also known as the Rema. After the Sephardi rabbi Joseph Karo wrote the Shulchan Aruch, the code of Jewish Law, Rabbi Isserles annotated it to fill in the rabbinic decisions from Eastern Europe. His commentary was, and continues to be, critically important in daily Jewish life.
Rabbi Ya'akov Pollack (1455-1530), from Krakow. He opened the first yeshivah in Poland and was later named the chief rabbi of Poland. He developed a method of learning Talmud called pilpul, meaning "fine distinctions." This was a type of dialectical reasoning that became very popular, whereby contradictory facts or ideas were systematically weighed with a view to the resolution of their real or apparent contradictions.
Rabbi Yehudah Loewe, (1526-1609), not from Poland but important to Eastern European Jewry. He was known as the Maharal of Prague and was one of the great mystical scholars of his time. He has been credited with having created the golem, a Frankenstein figure, a living being without soul.
Along with the growth in Torah scholarship came population growth. In 1500 there were about 50,000 Jews living in Poland. By 1650 there were 500,000 Jews. This means that by the mid 17th century about majority of the Jewish population of the world was living in Poland!
Where did these Jews settle within Poland?
Jews were generally urban people as they were historically not allowed to own land in most of the places they lived. However, they also created their own farm communities called shtetls. Although we tend to think of the shtetl today as a poor farming village (like in Fiddler on the Roof), during the Golden Age of Polish Jewry, many of these communities were actually quite prosperous. And there were thousands of them.
The Jews in these independent communities spoke their own language called Yiddish. Original Yiddish was written in Hebrew letters and was a mixture of Hebrew, Slavic, and German. (Note that Yiddish underwent constant development and "modern" Yiddish is not like the "old" Yiddish which first appeared in the 13th century, nor "middle" Yiddish of this period of time.)
Overall, the Jews did well, but working alongside Polish and Ukrainian Christians
How many African Americans till the 20th century were able to do so?
Jews came to Poland on their own will, to the country of great opportunity, found shelter from the hostilities of Western Europe, stayed and prospered, had representatives in the Polish parliament, and had the freedom of expressing their religion and customs. In some towns of Eastern Poland, Jews accounted for more than 50% of the occupants. They were respected citizens, how could this be possible if the country was, as it is widely presented on the Jan Tomasz Gross book as anti-Semitic?
Polish Jews enjoyed equal rights and full protection of the law under the Polish government. The laws changed under the rule of Prussia, Russia, and Austria.
Keep in mind that it also affected Poles as well. Their situation improved after WWI when the Polish government was reestablished.
Why, between wars, was the Jewish population growing 6 times faster than Christian population, if the alleged anti-Semitism took place?
The only prejudice that you can accuse Polish people of is to be anti-Communist.
Marek Edelman, the last leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, who still lives in Poland, said: "It is not a Jew who is the enemy, it is an enemy who is Jewish." I'm sorry to destroy the beautiful image of the peaceful and innocent Jewish people but at the time of the massacre it was well known that there were "informers," "observers," "advisors," or in plain English "Soviet collaborators" among Jews then and through the war and post.
Those did not see the wrong they were doing, the comfort came from accepting a different way of thinking. They considered themselves Poles or Polish Jews before the war, now comfortably became only Jews, so there were no ties of loyalty to Poland or to the Polish people. Collaborators gave out Poles and Jews as well (Jakub Berman as an example).
But this would be too difficult to understand for us who for decades were fed on anti-Polish propaganda. The same propaganda that Nazis used and later Soviets and now is being repeated with a nauseating consistency by the American press.
The public does not know that Poland and Israel have a very good relationship.
It is the backwardness of American Jews to prefer the stereotype. I was hoping that with the raising of the Iron Curtain, the flow of information about Poland would be available to the average American reader and TV viewer.
That did not happen, rather we prefer to publish such articles. Also by hiding from public Polish accomplishments, only adds to the image of the Poles as some primitive tribe.
The fact that Poland's economy is the one of fastest growing in Europe is a thorn in the eye for some. The anti-Polish sentiment spreads to minimize their success. We already forgot who first faced the Soviet power and fought Communism.
Some are even lining up to collect money.
The difference between Holocaust victims in the US and Poland is that in Poland, Jews and Christians believe that there is no price on human despair, I guess American Jews found the price tag and the Holocaust became a good business.
Poles never asked to recompense their losses and they did not receive any help from the Marshal Plan either.
We must not forget that Poland was not only a victim during WWII but only recently freed herself from under Soviet occupation. We should remember that Communism in Poland was FORCED upon its people, that Soviets placed Jews on high positions, which triggered atrocities. There is no perfect nation, there are honorable citizens and there is scum in all of them. But it seems that we only find the bad in Poles and all the good in Jews. For a well-balanced story, the authors should mention what Soviet Jews did to Poles (Koniuchy massacre) and the fact that, from 34 countries, the Poles are those who have the most trees at Yad Vashem.
Poland lost almost 20% of its population; 6 million Poles were killed.
It was the only country in all of Nazi-occupied Europe with the death penalty for sheltering Jews. Germans knew how sympathetic Poles were to Polish Jews and that way, they could get rid of them both. Entire families, sometimes whole towns were murdered for sheltering Jews. 75% spoke only Yiddish, which later became a problem for those who wanted to be saved and pass as Poles. I guess American Jews don't rush to reveal some other information to the American public like: what were the Judenrat and the Jewish Police doing in the ghettos? Who took over the houses of Polish officers and their families when they were taken to Siberia?
In the American consciousness the Holocaust has become synonymous with Jewish history. Historical literature of the Holocaust has focused on the six million Jewish victims to the exclusion of the sixteen to twenty million Gentile victims.
Do we inform that Poland's government was the only one in Nazi-occupied Europe to sponsor the organization to help Jews escaping the ghettos?
What did American Jews do to help their dying brothers?
We allow speculation on almost every aspect of Polish-Jewish relationship never asking: "why don't we speculate how many Jews would save Poles if the roles were reversed?"
For me to have a different opinion is to risk being called an anti-Semite. An intelligent but objective Jewish person is called a "self-hating Jew". A "bystander" is someone who chose not to give his and his family's life for a stranger, Jewish person.
Good things are happening in Poland .We don't rush to tell about the annual Jewish Festival in Krakow or about the opening of yet another Jewish school in Warsaw. Or even about the commemorating of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. We don't rush to tell about the "Fiddler on the Roof" in Yiddish at the Jewish Theatre in Warsaw. Instead we publish misleading stories about a music concert in Auschwitz (!?) and killings in Jedwabne. Why is that? American historians should stop wasting their ink only writing about alleged Polish anti-Semitism. Any atrocities toward Jews either occurred during Nazi or Soviet occupation or were triggered by revenge and greed not to be mistaken with anti-Semitism. Also to suggest that all Polish Jews are long gone is wrong, many prospered and became famous: actors (Holoubek, Zapasiewicz, Himilsbach, Rudzki), movie critics (Waldorf), writers (Tuwim), philosophers and editors (Michnik), politicians (Mazowiecki, Suchocka), musicians (Szpilman, Zimmerman), heart surgeons (Marek Edelman), athletes (Kirszenstein a.k.a. Szewinska), singers (Szmeterling a.k.a. Jantar). Some Polish Jews just recently became interested in their religion; Jewish schools are reopening, while the synagogues, museums, and Jewish cultural institutes were always present in Poland's cultural life. Positive Jewish characters are in every Polish classic, there are streets named after Jewish heroes; monuments accommodate their heroism and their tragedy. All this does not seem like an anti-Semitic country does it? But it stays in the American media, as long as we allow it to.
The Other Side of the Coin: Large-Scale Jewish Crimes against Poles, February 27, 2007
The Other Side of the Coin: Large-Scale Jewish Crimes against Poles, February 27, 2007
By Jan Peczkis (Chicago IL, USA) - See all my reviews
This Polish-language book has the title: HUSHED-UP CRIMES: JEWS AND POLES IN THE EASTERN BORDERLANDS IN THE YEARS 1939-1941. Much press attention has been devoted to Polish crimes against Jews, such as the massacre at Jedwabne and the so-called Kielce Pogrom. Why no mention of the other side of the coin? Jerzy Robert Nowak believes that it owes to political correctness, in which the sensibilities of Jews are respected owing to their losses in the Holocaust (pp. 65-66). But Nowak points out that there is no such respect for Polish sensibilities despite Poles having experienced their own Holocaust (3 million Poles murdered by the Germans alone), least of all (in Nowak's opinion) from Jews.
Anyone who follows Jan Tomasz Gross (Jan T. Gross) in believing in the insignificance of Jewish-Communist collaboration is in for a rude awakening upon reading this book. According to cited Jewish scholars, Jews frequently constituted 75%-90% of the Soviet-serving administration in Soviet-conquered eastern Poland (p. 246, 223). In fact, no sooner had the Red Army invaded eastern Poland than her Jews began to engage in large-scale, aggressive anti-Polish actions. Jews helped disarm Polish soldiers, and humiliated them by tearing off their insignia (p. 239). Ironic to the scene in Steven Spielberg's SCHINDLER'S LIST, a mob of Jews threw mud and stones at defenseless Polish prisoners (p. 89). Jews helped the Russians round up Poles on many occasions (p. 9, 61) and played an instrumental role in identifying Poles for imprisonment or deportation to horrible deaths in Siberia (p. 112). Jews helped destroy monuments of Polish heroes (p. 148), frequently desecrated Christian churches (p. 161-on), and even produced a mock atheistic parade in which a horse was dressed up in the vestments of a Catholic priest.
Nowak elaborates on the known murders of Poles by Jews in 17 named cities and towns in Soviet-occupied eastern Poland in 1939 alone (pp. 47-on). Jews were also involved in the murder of Poles (and Ukrainians) imprisoned by the Soviets while the latter were beating a hasty retreat ahead of the unexpected German invasion of June 1941 (p. 62-on).
The fact of extensive Jewish-Communist collaboration is attested to by not only anti-Semitic Poles, but also philo-Semitic ones such as Jan Karski (p. 237) and Stanislaw Kot (p. 240). And to show that this is no Polish imagination, Jerzy Robert Nowak discusses (p. 33-on, pp. 82-83, 105, 115, 142, 220, 225) numerous Jewish authors who don't mince words about the large scale of Jewish-Soviet collaboration, including Harvey Sarner, Ben-Cion Pinchuk, Alexander Smolar, Hugon Steinhaus, Dov Levin, Abraham Sterzer, Arnold Zable, Charles Gelman, Alexander Wat, Henryk Reiss, Mark Verstandig, Yitzhak Arad, Pawel Szapiro, and Henryk Erlich. Smolar was especially candid about the murders of Poles by Jews (p. 48).
Recently (2006), Jan Thomas Gross (J. T. Gross) has written FEAR, in which he obsesses about Polish acquisitions of post-Jewish properties. But long before Poles did this, Jews were already expropriating Polish properties under Soviet rule (pp. 132-135). In fact, Jews sometimes knew which Poles were about to be deported to Siberia, and cajoled these Poles into selling them their properties for almost nothing.
Many rationalizations have been offered for the widespread Jewish-Communist collaboration (the Zydokomuna). Nowak examines these and finds them all wanting. (In a sense, it doesn't matter. Regardless of exact motives, whenever Jews choose to become Poland's enemies, they also make a deliberate choice to receive Polish enmity in return, and thereby forfeit the right to complain about such things as Polish anti-Semitism).
The most common rationalization is the one about Jews clinging to Soviets out of fear of extermination by the Nazis. In actuality, Hitler's diatribes were not taken seriously by most Polish Jews in 1939 (p. 210), who saw the Germans as a cultured people (p. 212), and for whom Nazi anti-Semitism was either unimportant (p. 211) or transient. It is a little-known fact that Polish Jews sometimes welcomed the invading Nazis (p. 213-on), and even attempted to cross from the Soviet-occupied zone of Poland to the German-occupied one (p. 210, 212). Finally, the mass shootings and mass gassings of Jews by Germans were not to begin for nearly two more years!
The Jewish collaborators were not, as sometimes claimed, just radicalized youth and the very poor (p. 223). Furthermore, they also included many big-name Jews (p. 166-on).
Nowak also rebuts Krystyna Kersten (pp. 206-208), who would have us believe that Jews showed proportionate anti-Soviet as well as pro-Soviet behavior. In fact, records show that few Jews were arrested for anti-Soviet actions (pp. 224-225) and relatively few Jews were deported to Siberia (and then primarily for trying to cross into the German-occupied zone)(p. 225-226). (In any case, it makes no difference. Jews had turned against other Jews in various other contexts).
Against the view that Jews were merely retaliating against Poles for past anti-Semitism, Nowak points out that Jewish-Soviet collaboration against Poles also took place in several towns where, according to local Jewish opinion, prewar Jewish-Polish relations had been good (pp. 218-219). (One may also ask when the Jews ever retaliated against Russian anti-Semitism, which historically had been much more severe than its Polish counterpart. And, of course, the victims of Jewish-Communist collaboration included Polish children and other Poles who could not possibly have ever wronged any Jews. Those who complain about the collective scope of the Polish reprisal against the Jews of Jedwabne must remember the earlier collective anti-Polish scope of the Jewish-Soviet collaboration).
Nowak believes that Jewish-Soviet collaboration against Poles had been driven by the fact that many eastern Polish Jews were recent descendants of Russian Jews (the Litvaks) who felt no loyalty to Poland (pp. 230-231). Against the view that the Litvaks were never made to feel welcome, Nowak provides contrary examples, including Pilsudski's favorable treatment of them. (In any case, in a non-pluralistic society such as Poland, one expects the minority to conform to the majority, not the other way around. When in Rome, do as the Romans do).
Alex Lech Bajan
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