The Jan Karski US Centennial Campaign wishes to commend President Obama for awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the late Jan Karski, who was the first to warn Western Allies of the Holocaust in occupied Poland, it is unfortunate that the term "Polish death camp" was used by the president in presenting America's highest civilian honor. There were no "Polish death camps" in Nazi German-occupied Poland. The death camps in which millions of Poland’s citizens were liquidated were Nazi-conceived, Nazi-built and Nazi-operated. More than six million Poles died in WWII, half Jewish and half Christian. Nearly all died as a result of the brutal Nazi occupation from 1939 to 1945.
No term more than "Polish death camps" mischaracterizes the role of Poles in World War II. The Polish Underground formed Zegota in 1942 to save Jews and many were saved. There are more than 6,000 Polish Righteous Among the Nations, recognized by Yad Vashem in honor of risking their lives and the lives of their families for saving Jews. Poland was the only country in occupied Europe where death sentences were handed down to anyone helping Jews, as well as their entire family.
The Jan Karski US Centennial Campaign call on President Obama now to transform this unfortunate lapse into a teaching moment that can help all Americans better understand Polish history – especially the fact that Poles were the victims, not the instigators, of death camps.
Wanda Urbanska was able to thank President Obama personally for the award Tuesday at the medal ceremony at the White House, and is convinced that he is as upset by this mistake as are members of the campaign’s coalition of American Christian and Jews leaders. President Obama can help set the historical record straight by putting to rest this unfortunate stereotype that has long plagued Polish people and their heroic history.
