Polish-Jewish Relations: 1,300 Keyword-Phrase-Indexed Book Reviews (by Jan Peczkis)

The Civilian Population and the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, by Joanna K. M. Hanson. 2004

Poles (Including Children) Betrayed Fugitive Jews Out of the Demoralization Caused By German Brutality

During WWII, Poland suffered proportionately the greatest losses in life among all nations–at a rate of 220 per 1,000 inhabitants (p. 263). Yugoslavia was in second place (108/1,000). (If Europe’s Jews are counted separately, then their losses are 545/1000, and Polish-gentile deaths are at 110/1000, still ahead of Yugoslavia).

POLISH DENUNCIATIONS OF JEWS (INCLUDING BY CHILDREN) CONTEXTUALIZED

Hanson provides a solid discussion of German-occupied Poland before the Uprising. She details the murderous and exploitative German policies and comments: “An increasing nervousness accompanied the growth of German terror. A report written in March 1942 made the observation that as the occupation continued there was a greater breakdown in morals. This was at its worst among the youth. CHILDREN STOLE AND JEW-BAITED, and smuggling, which was practiced by people from all walks of life, only contributed to the demoralization.” (p. 45; Emphasis added). One wonders how many instances of Poles blackmailing or denouncing Jews, taken out of its wartime context and automatically blamed on (what else?) Polish anti-Semitism, was actually caused by this pervasive demoralization.

THE COURSE OF THE WARSAW UPRISING ON NON-COMBATANTS

Hanson elaborates on public morale during the course of the Uprising. As the German siege and onslaught continued, the population faced increasingly impossible difficulties with the provision of food and water, sanitation, medical care for the wounded, housing of the homeless, etc. She discusses Underground courts and their sentencing and execution of Volksdeutsche and Polish collaborators (pp. 238-240), including “…Polish [Blue] policemen during the occupation, ‘Granatowy’ [POLICJA GRANATOWA] who had gone beyond the demands of their service in the interest of the occupier…” (p. 238).

THE SOVIET BETRAYAL OF THE WARSAW UPRISING

Hanson mentions the attitude of Warsaw’s population in the face of what turned out to be Soviet perfidy: “The question was continually asked as to why the Allies did not force Russia to help Warsaw. Some blamed the Polish government. Suggestions were put forward for coercing the Allies into greater activity, e. g. Polish soldiers in England, France, and Italy should ignore all Allied orders, or wear black armbands in mourning.” (p. 138).

POLAND WILL NEVER FORGIVE OR FORGET

As for long-term effects of the black-hearted Soviet betrayal of the Warsaw Uprising, Hanson comments: “The bitterness felt by the Poles towards the Soviet Union as a result of the Uprising was very deep and it has left an indelible mark on the city and nation. This virulence was demonstrated publicly again in 1956 and 1968.” (p. 255).

Hanson’s work, published in 1982, couldn’t have foreseen the events leading up to and including 1989, nor the commemoration of the Soviet-betrayed Warsaw Uprising in the 21st Century.