The use of phrase “Polish concentration camps” has been condemned by the German Association of Historians.
The German Association of Historians, which gathers 2800 academics and researchers, stated that such terms as “Polish concentration camps” are unacceptable and suggest a completely false idea of who was responsible for the Nazi crimes. Professor Martin Schulze Wessel, Prestident of the Association, stated that „especially the phrase Polish concentration camps – in most cases resulting from thoughtlessness – should be considered unacceptable”.
German historians remain skeptical about the legal persecution of the use of such terms and claim that eradication of these phrases is a task for critical public opinion. According to the Association, such regulations can pose a threat to the freedom of speech and historical research.
The term “Polish concentraction camps” has been used several times in the recent years in media reports in different countries, also in worldwide media. It always evoked reactions of the Polish authorities aimed at promoting the historical truth that the camps were organized by the Nazi Germany on Polish territories.