Poland Calls on European Commission to Correct Holocaust Social Media Post
Poland has requested the European Commission to rectify a social media post related to the Holocaust, asserting that it incorrectly associated the Auschwitz death camp with Poland rather than Nazi Germany. The post, shared on the X platform by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, featured a video where she and other commissioners read out the names of Holocaust victims, accompanied by captions indicating their places of birth and death.
However, a number of victims were listed as 'Murdered in Auschwitz, Poland,' without acknowledging that the infamous extermination camp was constructed and operated by Nazi Germany during World War II. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski took to Twitter to address the issue, stating, 'When referring to the Nazi extermination camp in Auschwitz, it should be noted that it was established under German occupation.' He also expressed the need for clarification regarding the information presented on the European Commission's social media platform.
Following Poland's request, the captions in the video were altered to read 'Auschwitz, German Nazi extermination camp.' However, the European Commission has yet to provide an official comment on the matter.
The amendment was welcomed by Szymon Holownia, the speaker of the Polish parliament, who highlighted that Auschwitz was indeed a German Nazi concentration camp established in the areas occupied by Germany in 1939. Holownia emphasized that this truth should be reaffirmed to prevent any misrepresentation.
For Poles, the proper description of Auschwitz is of great importance, as it is crucial to acknowledge that the camp was built and operated by Nazi Germany after its invasion of Poland. Any reference that fails to mention this fact is considered sensitive and can be met with criticism.
On Saturday, in a modest ceremony attended by Holocaust survivors and state officials, Poland commemorated the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial and museum site by Soviet troops on January 17, 1945. The day has since been dedicated to Holocaust remembrance.
Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, marked the beginning of World War II. From 1940 onward, the Nazis utilized the former Austrian military barracks in Oswiecim, a southern town that they renamed Auschwitz, as a concentration and death camp primarily for Polish resistance members. In 1942, they expanded the complex to include the nearby Birkenau section, which featured gas chambers and crematoria for mass extermination, predominantly targeting Jews.
Approximately 1.1 million individuals, mostly Jews, lost their lives in Auschwitz-Birkenau before its liberation, occurring while Poland was under the distressing rule of German occupation. Overall, Poland suffered immense losses during that time, with an estimated 6 million of its citizens, half of whom were Jews, perishing due to the brutalities of Nazi Germany.
It is worth noting that Polish law penalizes individuals who incorrectly attribute Nazi Germany's crimes on Polish soil to the Polish population. This legal action aims to safeguard the historical truth and prevent undue blame being placed on Poland for the actions of the occupying forces.
