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

Between Falsehood And Truth, by Stefan Nowicki. 2003

Jedwabne a German, Not Polish, Crime. Anti-Polish Accusations Are Endlessly Repeated

If you are interested in an introduction to the truth about Polish-Jewish relations before and during WWII, this book is for you. Stefan Nowicki, who went through the war and observed firsthand what actually happened, addresses and refutes many anti-Polish accusations. Nowicki goes on record as repudiating both anti-Semitism and philo-Semitism (p. 12)

JEDWABNE A GERMAN DEED

He discusses the Jedwabne massacre. Father Edward Orlowski, a former Jedwabne priest, knew Father Joseph Kebinski, who had been in the parish during WWII. Kebinski, who spoke fluent German, was often used by the German occupants as a translator. Father Kebinski observed how the Germans, not the Poles, had murdered the Jews of Jedwabne (pp. 2-3).

PAYING “PROPERTY RESTITUTION” ONLY LEADS TO MORE ACCUSATIONS AND MORE DEMANDS

Nowicki contends that many Polonophobic accusations originate from the Holocaust Industry and its ongoing efforts to defame Poland in preparation for extorting money from her. He quotes Norman Finkelstein, who warned Poles that if they pay any money to the likes of the WJC (World Jewish Congress), the WJC will only, sooner or later, come back with further demands (p. 5)

JEWISH ECONOMIC DOMINANCE AND BOYCOTTS OF JEWS

We hear about the fact that prewar Poles sometimes advocated the patronizing of Polish shops at the expense of Jewish ones, and even picketed Jewish shops. But the shoe was also on the other foot. Nowicki himself observed in-your-face Jewish merchants accosting “rich” Poles in the marketplace, trying to sell them something supposedly unique, or at supposedly bargain prices (p. 41)

DIFFICULTY OF HIDING FUGITIVE JEWS

Nowicki addresses perennial complaints that “so few” Poles aided fugitive Jews during the German occupation. He describes his own experiences in hiding Jews, and the horror of a Gestapo search of his apartment–which meant certain death if the Jews were found (p. 84)