25.06.04 GAZETA WYBORCZA
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Dr. Efraim Zuroff
(English version)


 
 

Judging from the impassioned negative responses by prominent Polish public figures to the launching this week of the "Operation:Last Chance"(O:LC) infoline in Warsaw, one can only wonder why the efforts to bring local Nazi war criminals to justice in Poland have aroused such antagonism among the very people whom one would have expected to be their most ardent supporters. If former Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek, whose father was murdered in Auschwitz, reacts with "disgust and anxiety," and former dissident and Gazeta Wyborcza editor Adam Michnik describes the project as dangerous and former Foreign Minister and Righteous Among the Nations Wladyslaw Bartoszewski says that such an operation is worthless, my conclusion is that either the Polish public is suffering from a severe case of misinformation regarding O:LC's goals and methods, or there is something much deeper behind this opposition.

Let me begin therefore with the essential facts. I believe that the basic motivation for the project should be entirely obvious. The time left during which Nazi war criminals can be brought to justice is rapidly running out. At most, we have only a few years in which such trials can be held. In that context, it is important to remember that although many Holocaust perpetrators have been convicted, many thousands remain unprosecuted for their crimes, especially in Germany and Austria, but also in Eastern Europe, where numerous local collaborators actively participated in the implementation of the Final Solution, at times exhibiting zealous initiative even without the encouragement or assistance of the Nazis. This was especially true in the Baltics, but also in the Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, and Belarus, where the Nazis allowed local collaborators to play an important role in the apparatus of mass murder and in the actual killings, but it is also true to some extent in Poland as clearly shown in the case of Jedwabne, which was not the only place in Poland where Poles committed crimes against Jews.

If we take into account that well over one million of the Jews murdered in Eastern Europe were killed individually by shooting and that it takes tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of men to organize and carry out an operation of this sort over such a wide geographic area, it becomes obvious that the number of those involved was enormous and that many of these criminals have never been held accountable for their crimes. This situation is clearly reflected, for example, in the fact that during the past year at least 335 new investigations of Nazi war criminals were initiated in nine countries(quite a few as a result of O:LC) and as of March 31,2004, the cases of 940 Holocaust perpetrators were being investigated all over the world.

I cannot imagine, however, that any of this is the cause for the harsh criticism in Poland of O:LC, so let us turn to its practical aspects. Adam Michnik is quoted as saying that "a denunciation for money...opens the doors of hell to the squaring of accounts[and] of false charges," but frankly, it is very difficult to take his argument seriously. Does anyone think that each piece of information will not be carefully examined to verify its authenticity? Can anyone imagine that we would publicize the names of people suspected of murder without a comprehensive investigation? In that respect, I can assure Mr. Michnik that we have no intention of allowing ourselves to be exploited for any foul purposes.

That brings me to the issue of the financial rewards being offered for information, a situation which I admit is not ideal. Indeed, in a perfect world, there would be no need for such deals and gimmicks, but our reality is far from ideal and the offer of rewards for information leading to the capture and/or prosecution of criminals is accepted practice throughout the civilized world. Thus the notion of paying some unsavory character to help convict a Nazi war criminal makes my stomach turn, but I realize that under the current circumstances that might be necessary to achieve the desired result.

At the same time, it should be clear, that if not for the rewards, this project and the cause that it seeks to advance, would not receive any public or media attention whatsoever. The fact that a relatively-modest sum of money is being offered has brought the subject of bringing Nazis to justice to its proper place-television screens, radio broadcasts and the front pages of important newspapers.

Thus it appears that the reasons for the vociferous opposition in Poland to O:LC are much deeper and stem from certain Polish sensitivities regarding the history of World War II and how Poland currently deals with such issues. To begin with, the argument was made by Prof. Witold Kulesza, among others, that the project implies criticism of Poland's efforts to prosecute Nazi war criminals, despite the fact that Poland has been among the few countries which have consistently made a serious effort to bring such criminals to justice. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The Wiesenthal Center has been in close contact with the Institute of National Memory since its establishment and appreciates its important achievements which we have publicly praised. If anything, our confidence in the IPN has motivated us to launch O:LC in Poland, where thanks to the IPN, justice can be achieved in Nazi war crimes cases. At the same time, we are aware, that the IPN, by law, cannot launch certain uniquely innovative initiatives such as O:LC and therefore we are willing to do so to be of assistance.

A second argument, presented by Adam Michnik, asks why Holocaust perpetrators should be prosecuted exclusively as opposed to other genocidists. In this regard, I totally agree with Michnik and have often publicly expressed my fullest support for the prosecution of Communist criminals and Rwandan Hutu genocidists among others. Having said that, two things should be obvious, that Holocaust criminals deserve priority because of the shortage of time left to prosecute them and that the Simon Wiesenthal Center's expertise and mission relate to them rather than to the others. I personally would very much welcome the establishment of an institute like our own dedicated to bringing the "other" mass murderers to justice.

Finally, we are left with the issue of Poland's image, as presented by Bronislaw Geremek who indicated that he preferred that "the whole world knew how much good Poles did for other Poles by saving Jews.” That is indeed a very noble enterprise, but one which tells only part of the story of the Holocaust in Poland. Thus while Poles can be extremely proud of the activities of Zegota, a Polish organization especially founded to rescue Jews, and of the heroism of the other Polish Righteous Among the Nations, the sad truth is that many Poles participated in the murder of their Jewish neighbors and others assisted the Nazis in doing so, and that truth must be confronted honestly. Of course Polish leaders would prefer that their country be regarded exclusively as a victim of the Nazis, but that is not the entire truth and it is extremely important that the whole historical picture emerge clearly and be visible to all.

I sincerely believe that one of the ways to help do so, is to bring the guilty to justice in Poland, and in that regard we hope that O:LC will not only succeed, but that even its current detractors will ultimately recognize its importance and value for their country.