Debates, wreath-laying ceremony, and a film screening were part of official commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Kielce Pogrom.
On 4 July 1946 the city of Kielce witnessed the worst outbreak of anti-Jewish violence in Poland after Second World War. 70 years after the tragic events a ceremony honoring the victims was led by the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda.
I am here today to pay tribute on behalf of the Republic of Poland, of our home country, to those murdered on July 4th, 1946, seventy 70 years ago. (…) They were citizens of Republic of Poland of Jewish descent, people who often almost by miracle survived the Gehenna of the Holocaust, many seeing with their own eyes the demise of their nearest – said President Duda. He went on to condemn anti-Semitism, saying there should be no room in Poland for any kind of prejudice, and pointing to long Polish-Jewish history of coexistence.
After the President’s speech representatives of Polish authorities, Jewish community, and various organizations, ENRS among them, laid down flowers at 7/9 Planty Street – in front of the building where most of the victims were killed.
The official wreath-laying ceremony was accompanied by two historical debates on Kielce Pogrom and its wider socio-political context.
First one, chaired by Prof. Jan Rydel, concerned anti-Semitism as a tool for communist regimes. Participants – Prof. Gennady Estraikh (New York University), Dr Hubertus Knabe (Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial), Prof. András Kovács (Central European University), Prof. Szewach Weiss (Yad Vashem Council) – compared post-war situation of Jewish communities in different Central and Eastern European countries. Prof. Estraikh warned against using the term ‘anti-Semitism’ in this context without further reflection, as it may hinder our understanding of communist policies towards Jews. Meanwhile, Prof. Weiss emphasized that “Anti-Semitism has many different colours. Sometimes it is red. But the main shade stays the same, as it remains Anti-Semitism”.
During the second discussion Prof. Grzegorz Berendt (Institute of National Remembrance, Detachment in Gdańsk), Dr Bożena Szaynok (University of Wrocław), Dr Ryszard Śmietanka-Kruszelnicki (Institute of National Remembrance, Detachment in Kielce) summarized the findings on the events of 4 July 1946 in Kielce. The debate was followed by a screening of the documentary Henio by Andrzej Miłosz and Piotr Weychert.
Organizers: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Institute of National Remembrance - Kielce Delegation, National Centre of Culture and European Network Remembrance and Solidarity
Honorary Patron: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Patrons: Voivode of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Mayor of Kielce, NSZZ Solidarność, Bishop of Kielce Jan Piotrowski
Media partners: Radio Kielce, TVP3 Kielce, Radio eM, wyborcza.pl Kielce, ITV Kielce, Echo Dnia, Niedziela Kielecka