Statement by the Directors of POLIN Museum Regarding the Antisemitic Incident in Wrocław on 18/11/2015

The Directors and staff of the POLIN Museum strongly condemn the incident which occurred in Wrocław and which was organised by the Nationalist-Radical Camp (Obóz Narodowo-Radykalny) and by All-Poland Youth (Młodzież Wszechpolska). It involved the burning of an effigy representing an Orthodox Jew.

This symbolic burning of a Jewish effigy is deserving of condemnation and opposition. It should be especially condemned in our country, where under Nazi occupation and as part of the "Final Solution to the Jewish Question", almost three million Polish Jews, and hundreds of thousands of Jews brought here from other countries, were murdered.

It deserves to be especially opposed in Wrocław where, seventy seven years ago, during Kristallnach on 9th November 1938, in what was then Breslau, Nazi storm-troopers burned the New Synagogue and destroyed almost all Jewish stores.

We expect law enforcement authorities to take immediate steps to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of this act which, we believe, openly incited ethnic and religious hatred. We also expect effective steps to be taken aimed at preventing such incidents into the future.

This shocking incident clearly shows the need for increased education, counteracting antisemitism and promoting respect for people of other faiths and ethnicities.