Poland's far-right leaders seek to criminalize World War II restitution

[TomSea]

Poland's far-right leaders seek to criminalize World War II restitution
By Marta Kasztelan and Denise Hruby

Bright, red flares illuminated Andrzej Majczak’s face as a Roman Catholic choir sang in the background and protesters chanted “Blood, honor, motherland!”

Majczak, a 40-year-old sailor from the Polish city of Gdansk, and his family had traveled more than 200 miles to the country’s capital, Warsaw, in November to participate in the annual Independence Day march, which he said was a way of “manifesting our Polishness.”

Analysts monitoring extremist groups have called the event one of Europe’s biggest gatherings of ultra-fascists, extreme right-wingers and nationalists. Participants throw firecrackers, pose with flares and don jackets and sweaters reading, “Death to the enemies of the fatherland.” Many of them say the greatest threat to Poland is Jewish property restitution claims.

Read more at: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-12-02/polands-far-right-leaders-seek-to-criminalize-world-war-ii-restitution

[kidd]

“Death to the enemies of the fatherland.” Many of them say the greatest threat to Poland is Jewish property restitution claims.

Yikes.

Just finished reading "The Volunteer" a non-fiction book by Jack Fairweather. It's the account of Witold Pilecki, a Polish resistance fighter who voluntarily allowed himself to be captured and sent to Auschwitz to learn what was going on there.

There was heavy anti-Semitism in Poland before Germany invaded Poland. But much of that changed after the Poles witnessed the brutal treatment of the Jews by the Germans. There is deep resentment of both the Germans and the Russians in Poland. I'm very surprised that anything smacking of Nazism is tolerated or legal in Poland.

[sneakypete]

Yikes.

Just finished reading "The Volunteer" a non-fiction book by Jack Fairweather. It's the account of Witold Pilecki, a Polish resistance fighter who voluntarily allowed himself to be captured and sent to Auschwitz to learn what was going on there.

There was heavy anti-Semitism in Poland before Germany invaded Poland. But much of that changed after the Poles witnessed the brutal treatment of the Jews by the Germans. There is deep resentment of both the Germans and the Russians in Poland. I'm very surprised that anything smacking of Nazism is tolerated or legal in Poland.

@kidd

One thing I am NOT surprised by is the grandchildren of the Poles living during WW-2 are getting tired of paying penance money to the grandchildren of the Jews that were murdered there during WW-2. ESPECIALLY when you consider they basically have a new government and are trying to rebuild their country after decades of suffering under a communist dictatorship.

There HAS to come a time when "enough" really IS "enough".

[Fishrrman]

Pete wrote:
"There HAS to come a time when "enough" really IS "enough""

Agreed.
Let Poland be Poland.

I do not fear the European "far right".
Quite the contrary, I welcome them and hope their influence grows.

They are THE ONLY force and political faction that has any hope of saving Europe from the ongoing muslim invasion.

None of the other political parties will do much of anything to stop it.
NONE of them.

[truth_seeker]

I'm very surprised that anything smacking of Nazism is tolerated or legal in Poland.

Perhaps the numbers involved are very  small, but enough for a basis for a news article, agenda and all.

[sneakypete]

Perhaps the numbers involved are very  small, but enough for a basis for a news article, agenda and all.

@truth_seeker

Well,thanks (?) to WW-2,there probably ain't that many Jews left in Poland for them to hate on.

I suspect their anger and hatred is almost entirely directed at the left who where their slavemasters for several decades. Good luck telling Poles that Communism is the answer to their problems.

[PeteS in CA]

If I understood the article, the "restitution" process to which some Poles object involves lands and other property stolen from Jews in WW2 and persons claiming to be the heirs to the property. While land can't be concealed, valuables like art or artifacts can be and have been. Why should it be criminal for an heir to try to reclaim property stolen from their Grandparents or GGPs?

[sneakypete]

While land can't be concealed, valuables like art or artifacts can be and have been. Why should it be criminal for an heir to try to reclaim property stolen from their Grandparents or GGPs?

@PeteS in CA

A LOT of people in Europe during WW-2 sold off paintings,jewelry,land,and everything else they had to get out of the war zones. This includes both Jews AND Gentiles.

The problem arises when it comes to proving something was stolen instead of bought. Just because some grandchild that wasn't even born during WW-2 claims something was stolen from their grandparents doesn't mean it's true,so taking it away from the current owners is stealing from THEM. Same theft,different government.

Or is it ok for Jews to steal because so many of their ancestors  were murdered by the Nazi's during WW-2?

[skeeter]

Perhaps the numbers involved are very  small, but enough for a basis for a news article, agenda and all.

As with reparations debate here in the US, there has to be a statute of limitations on this stuff. Should probably extend only as far as the wronged person is alive.

Otherwise the opportunities for abuse are unlimited - the claimant has the automatic moral high ground regardless of the circumstances.

[jafo2010]

WWII was horrendous on the lives of 100s of millions.  Why should anyone suffer with reparations in Poland?  Those seeking reparations should be suing the German government for monies for their loss.  Europe wants to set things straight should make the stinking Germans pay.

The German and Japanese have gotten away with more than murder, rape, and pillage.  They should pay until all harmed are satisfied.  I believe Merkel has done more harm to the German people and the whole of Europe with the endless flood of mussies.

Poland as a percent of population suffered more than any other nation during WWII.  1 in 6 Poles were killed during WWII.
 The Germans should pay. 

The Germans, perhaps the richest nation in Europe has gotten away for a long time with many things, beginning with not funding their share of NATO.