Komunikat prezesa KPK-Ottawa
p. Jerzego Czartoryskiego
4 marca 2009
W związku z wykładem dra Jana T. Grossa pt.: "Anti-Semitism after the Holocaust - the Unwelcoming of the Jewish Survivors after the War", na zebraniu Prezesów i Delegatów Kongresu Polonii Kanadyjskiej - Okręg Stołeczny w Ottawie, w dniu 12 lutego 2009 r., został przegłosowany jednogłośnie wniosek, który zobowiązał mnie do zareagowania według własnego uznania na tę wizytę.
W zwiazku z tym wysłałem poniżej załączony list do pani prof. dr Aviva Freedman, dyrektora Max and Tessie Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies, Carleton University, osoby odpowiedzialnej za organizacje spotkania z dr Grossem.
Na list ten do tej pory nie otrzymałem odpowiedzi.
Treść listu:
Jerzy Czartoryski,
Prezes, KPK-Ottawa
Dear Dr. Freedman,
Director,
Max and Tessie Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies,
Carleton University
We have received information about the lecture by Dr. Jan T. Gross on Anti-Semitism after the Holocaust - the Unwelcoming of the Jewish Survivors after the War, which is organized by your Centre at Carleton University on February 26, 2009 . The lecture is to be based on Dr. Gross's book entitled Fear: Anti-Semitism in Poland after Auschwitz (2006).
On behalf of the Canadian-Polish Congress - Ottawa Region, which represents fifteen Canadian-Polish organizations in the National Capital Region, we would like to express our deep concern about this planned lecture by Dr. Jan T. Gross. The Canadian-Polish community has serious reservations about the way his book treats the tragic and complex subject of the Fear in the Jewish-Polish relations in the years following the Second World War. While the book brings up a number of important facts and issues, their presentation is selective and one-sided. Its conclusions are often unwarranted, and the context of the events is skewed, inadequate and frequently false.
Should you wish to familiarize yourself with some of the criticisms of Dr.Gross's book, I would like to refer you to the following links:
- Gontarczyk, P. "Far From Truth" Rzeczpospolita, 2008
- Zychowicz, P. "Chodakiewicz: People's past has to be reviewed critically on individual basis" Rzeczpospolita, 2008
- Grabski, A. "Krew brata twego glosno wola ku mnie z ziemi!" Jewish History Quarterly (Kwartalnik Historii Zydow), issue: 03/ 2006, pages: 407-436
We are concerned that this lecture, instead of helping us all to better understand what happened and why it happened, will mostly serve to reinforce prejudices, stereotypes and falsehoods. We hope that we will be able to work together to avoid having this event in the proposed format.
I would like to meet with you at your convenience, preferably within the next few days, to discuss our concerns in greater detail.
Sincerely yours,
Jerzy Czartoryski
President, CPC Ottawa Branch
