Jan Grabowski
Jan Grabowski | |
---|---|
Born | June 24, 1962 (61 years old) Warsaw, Poland |
Nationality | Polish-Canadian |
Occupation | Historian |
Awards | Yad Vashem International Book Prize for Holocaust Research |
Academic background | |
Education | Université de Montréal (PhD, 1994)[1] |
Thesis | 'The Common Ground. Settled Natives and French in Montréal 1667–1760' (1993) |
Academic work | |
Era |
|
Institutions | University of Ottawa |
Notable works | Hunt for the Jews: Betrayal and Murder in German-Occupied Poland (2013) |
Website | Homepage, University of Ottawa |
Jan Zbigniew Grabowski (born June 24, 1962) is a Polish-Canadian professor of history at the
Co-founder in 2003 of the
Early life and education
Grabowski was born in Warsaw to a Roman Catholic mother and Jewish father.[3] His father, Zbigniew Ryszard Grabowski né Abrahamer , a Holocaust survivor and chemistry professor[4] from Kraków, fought in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising.[5]
While at the
Academic appointments
Grabowski became a faculty member at the University of Ottawa in 1993.[5] In 2016–17 he was an Ina Levine Invitational Scholar at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, where he conducted research into the Polish Blue Police for a project entitled "Polish 'Blue' Police, Bystanders, and the Holocaust in Occupied Poland, 1939–1945".[8][9] He received a grant for the project (2016–2020) from the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.[10]
Research
Hunt for the Jews
Grabowski is best known for his book Hunt for the Jews, first published in Poland in 2011 as Judenjagd: Polowanie na Żydów 1942–1945.
Awarded the Yad Vashem International Book Prize in 2014,
The German policy was based on terror. Poles faced the death penalty for any help they gave to Jews. Also, the Germans created a so-called "hostage" system among the Poles. In every community they designated people who would be rotated every couple of weeks. They were responsible for informing the Polish police, or the Germans, about Jews hiding in their towns. If a Jew was discovered that had not been reported, the so-called hostages would be harshly punished. So everyone was highly motivated to get rid of the Jews.[3]
According to Grabowski, most Jews in hiding were given up by local people to the Polish Blue Police or directly to the Germans. He said that Poles were "directly or indirectly" responsible for most of the deaths of over 200,000 Jews, not counting victims of the police; he explained that by "most", it could be 60 percent or as high as 90 percent.[5][a]
The book sparked a heated public debate in Poland.[17]
The Polish Police
Grabowski's book The Polish Police: Collaboration in the Holocaust (2017), published by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, is based on his 2016 Ina Levine Annual Lecture on the Blue Police.[9]
Dalej jest noc
In 2018, Grabowski and
Mark Weitzman, director of government affairs for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, said it was "meticulously researched and sourced".[20] Polish historian Jacek Chrobaczyński commended its authors for deconstructing political myths that persist in Polish history, journalism, church, and politics.[21] However, scholars associated with Poland's Institute of National Remembrance alleged that the study used unreliable sources, selectively treated witness statements, presented rumor as fact, and underestimated the draconian nature of the German occupation.[22][23][24]
Litigation
The Polish League Against Defamation, a group whose stated aim is to protect "Poland's good name", funded a civil case against Grabowski and Engelking in Poland, brought by the 81-year-old niece of a Polish villager who was accused in the book by witness testimony of having betrayed Jews to the Germans. In February 2021, a Warsaw court ruled that Grabowski and Engelking must apologize for their claims about the villager, but it did not order them to pay compensation.[25][26]
In response to the court ruling, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Yad Vashem, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center released statements expressing their concerns about the ruling's effects on academic freedom and freedom of speech.[27][28] The POLIN Museum stated that the suit had been "an attempt to frighten scholars away from publishing the results of their research out of fear of a lawsuit and the ensuing costly litigation."[29][30]
In August 2021, an appeals court overturned the ruling against Grabowski and Engelking, arguing in favour of academic freedom.[31]
Research regarding Wikipedia
In 2023, Grabowski, along with historian Shira Klein, published an article in the
Views
Summary
In 2016, Grabowski published a paper criticizing what he called "the history policy of the Polish state", and arguing that "the state-sponsored version of history seeks to undo the findings of the last few decades and to forcibly introduce a sanitized, feel-good narrative".
Poland's embassy in Ottawa criticized Grabowski in 2016 for "groundless opinions and accusations" after he wrote an article for Maclean's about Poland's controversial amendment to its Act on the Institute of National Remembrance.[37] The amendment would have penalized, with imprisonment for up to three years, anyone defaming Poland by accusing it of complicity in the Holocaust,[38] with exceptions for "freedom of research, discussion of history, and artistic activity".[39][40]
In July 2017, Grabowski criticized the Ulma-Family Museum of Poles Who Saved Jews in World War II, which opened in Markowa in 2016. The garden will have plaques identifying the 1,500 towns in which the nearly 6,700 Poles lived who helped Jews and were recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations.[41] In Grabowski's view, the museum should provide more information about the Polish neighbours of the Ulma family and others who aided Jews.[42]
Grabowski co-wrote a Haaretz opinion piece in December 2018 criticizing Israeli historian Daniel Blatman, professor of modern Jewish history and Holocaust studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, for accepting the post of chief historian at the newly formed Warsaw Ghetto Museum in Warsaw, Poland, and thus agreeing to be "the poster boy of [Polish] state authorities bent on turning back the clock and distorting the history of the Holocaust".[43] In January 2019 Blatman responded in Haaretz that, while scholars at the Center for Holocaust Research had provided valuable insights into involvement in the Holocaust by parts of the Polish population, they did not give due weight to the terror and violence perpetrated by the Germans against Poles under German occupation.[44]
Responses
Since publication of
On 7 June 2017, the
On 30 May 2023, a lecture by Grabowski at the German Historical Institute in Warsaw was abandoned after far-right politician Grzegorz Braun attacked the stage and smashed the microphone and speakers.[51][52]
Selected works
- (2001). Historia Kanady. Warsaw: Prószyński i S-ka. OCLC 169635941
- (2004). "Ja tego Żyda znam!": Szantażowanie Żydów w Warszawie 1939–1943. Warsaw: Wydaw. OCLC 937072035
- (2008). Rescue for Money: Paid Helpers in Poland, 1939-1945. Jerusalem: OCLC 974380257
- (2010, with OCLC 750651880
- (2011, with Barbara Engelking). Zarys krajobrazu: wieś polska wobec zagłady Żydów 1942–1945. Warsaw: Stowarzyszenie Centrum Badań nad Zagładą Żydów. OCLC 761074409
- (2011). Judenjagd: Polowanie na Zydow 1942–1945. Warsaw: Stowarzyszenie Centrum Badań nad Zagładą Żydów. OCLC 715338569
- (2014, with OCLC 892600909
- (2017). "The Polish police: Collaboration in the Holocaust". Washington, DC: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (Ina Levine annual lecture, 17 November 2016).
- (2018, co-edited with OCLC 1041616741
- (2020). Na posterunku. Udział polskiej policji granatowej i kryminalnej w zagładzie Żydów (On Duty: Participation of Blue and Criminal Police in the Destruction of the Jews). Wydawnictwo Czarne, Wołowiec. ISBN 978-8380499867
- (2021). Polacy, nic się nie stało! Polemiki z Zagładą w tle (Poles, Nothing Happened! Polemics with the Holocaust in the Background), Wydawnictwa Austeria.
See also
- Anti-Jewish violence in Poland, 1944–1946
- Collaboration in German-occupied Poland
- Fear: Anti-Semitism in Poland after Auschwitz (2006)
- History of the Jews in Poland
- Polish Righteous among the Nations
- Rescue of Jews by Poles during the Holocaust
- Szczuczyn pogrom (June 1941)
- Kielce pogrom (4 July 1946)
- Wąsosz pogrom (5 July 1941)
- Jedwabne pogrom (10 July 1941)
- Żegota
Notes
- ^ "From among the approximately 250,000 Polish Jews who had escaped liquidations of the ghettos and who had fled, about 40,000 survived. We have thus more than 200,000 Jews who fled the liquidations and who did not survive until liberation. My findings show that in the overwhelming majority of cases, their Polish co-citizens were – directly through murder, or indirectly by denunciation – at the root of their deaths."[18]
"So –... 200,000 Jews were murdered while hiding on the Aryan side?" – "Yes, and based on detailed analysis of the circumstances in which they perished, I formulated a research hypothesis that the majority – though at this stage of research I am not able to say whether it was 60 or 90 percent – lost their lives at the hands of Poles or with their complicity." (Original: "A więc –... ok. 200 tys. Żydów zostało zamordowanych, gdy się ukrywali po aryjskiej stronie?" – "Tak, i na podstawie szczegółowej analizy tego, w jakich okolicznościach ginęli, sformułowałem hipotezę badawczą, że większość – choć nie jestem na tym etapie badań w stanie powiedzieć, czy było to 60, czy 90 proc. – straciła życie z rąk Polaków albo przy ich współudziale.")[19]
References
- ^ a b "Jan Grabowski" Archived 1 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine, University of Ottawa.
- ^ a b "Professor Jan Grabowski wins the 2014 Yad Vashem International Book Prize" Archived 20 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Yad Vashem, 4 December 2014.
- ^ a b Snyder, Donald (12 January 2015). "The Summer Polish Jews Were Hunted" Archived 22 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine (interview with Jan Grabowski). The Forward.
- ^ "Zbigniew Ryszard Grabowski" (in Polish). nekrologi.wyborcza.pl. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Aderet, Ofer (11 February 2017). "'Orgy of Murder': The Poles Who 'Hunted' Jews and Turned Them Over to the Nazis". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
- ^ a b Lough, Shannon (26 February 2014). "Twenty-five years since the fall of communism in Poland". davidmckie.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
- ^ "The Common Ground. Settled Natives and French in Montréal 1667-1760" Archived 22 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Université du Québec à Montréal.
- ^ "Fellow Dr. Jan Grabowski". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ a b Grabowski, Jan (April 2017). "The Polish Police Collaboration in the Holocaust" (PDF). United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 February 2018.
- ^ "Funded Research Projects" Archived 24 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa.
- OCLC 715338569.
- OCLC 868951735.
- OCLC 993142125
- ^ Grabowski 2013, p. 3.
- ^ Tzur, Nissan (18 October 2013). "Holocaust writer Grabowski faces Polish fury" Archived 30 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Jewish Chronicle.
- ^ Grabowski 2013, p. 1.
- ^ S2CID 147420141.
- ^ a b Lungen, Paul (22 November 2018). "University of Ottawa holocaust historian sues Polish group for libel" Archived 6 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine, CJN
- ^ Maciorowski, Mirosław (17 March 2018). "Prof. Jan Grabowski: Pomagaliśmy Niemcom zabijać Żydów" Archived 12 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Gazeta Wyborcza.
- ^ a b "Fears rise that Polish libel trial could threaten future Holocaust research". The Guardian. 3 February 2021. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ Chrobaczyński, Jacek (2018). "Osaczeni, samotni, bezbronni ... Refleksje po lekturze książki Dalej jest noc. Losy Żydów w wybranych powiatach okupowanej Polski Archived 3 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine ("Cornered, alone, defenseless... reflections on reading the book Dalej jest noc. Losy Żydów w wybranych powiatach okupowanej Polski). Res Gestae. 6, pp. 266–301.]
- ^ Domański, Tomasz (2019). Korekta obrazu? Refleksje źródłoznawcze wokół książki "Dalej jest noc. Losy Żydów w wybranych powiatach okupowanej Polski" Archived 29 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine ("A Corrected Picture? Reflections on Use of Sources in the Book Night without End: The Fates of Jews in Selected Counties of Occupied Poland"). Institute of National Remembrance. Polish-Jewish Studies.
- ^ Golik, Dawid (2018). "Nowatorska noc. Kilka uwag na marginesie artykułu Karoliny Panz" ("Innovative Night: A Few Remarks Relating to Karolina Panz's Article"). Zeszyty Historyczne WiN-u, 47, pp. 109–134.
- ^ Borkowicz, Jacek (10 February 2019). "Wraca spór o udział w zagładzie" Archived 6 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine ("Dispute over Participation in the Holocaust Returns"). Rzeczpospolita.
- ^ "Polish court tells two Holocaust historians to apologise". BBC News. 9 February 2021. Archived from the original on 21 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ Charlish, Alan; Wlodarczak-Semczuk, Anna (9 February 2021). "Polish court orders historians to apologise over Holocaust book". Reuters. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "Fears rise that Polish libel trial could threaten future Holocaust research". Guardian. 3 February 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "U of O Holocaust scholar ordered to apologize in Polish libel case". CBC. 9 February 2021. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ Gera, Vanessa (4 February 2021). "Future of Holocaust research in Poland hinges on libel case" Archived 11 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine. The Associated Press.
- ^ Glanville, Jo (12 February 2021). "'A gift for Holocaust deniers': how Polish libel ruling will hit historians" Archived 13 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine. The Guardian.
- ^ "Polish appeals court dismisses claims against Holocaust book historians". Reuters. 16 August 2021. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ISSN 2578-5648.
- ^ "'Jews Helped the Germans Out of Revenge or Greed': New Research Documents How Wikipedia Distorts the Holocaust". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ^ Grabowski, Jan (6 January 2017). "The Holocaust and Poland's 'History Policy'" Archived 20 October 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs. 10(3), pp. 481–486.
- ^ Snyder, Don (17 April 2013). "Poland Plans Monument to Righteous Gentiles on Site of Warsaw Ghetto" Archived 23 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Forward.
- ^ Snyder, Donald (27 April 2014). "Poland's Dueling Holocaust Monuments to 'Righteous Gentiles' Spark Painful Debate" Archived 9 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Forward.
- ^ Grabowski, Jan (20 September 2016). "The danger in Poland's frontal attack on its Holocaust history" Archived 22 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Maclean's.
"The Polish Embassy in Ottawa responds to Jan Grabowski" Archived 22 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Macleans, 30 September 2016.
- ^ Zieve, Tamara (20 February 2018). "Polish historian: Penalties for new Polish law resemble pre-war punishment" Archived 20 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Jerusalem Post.
- ^ "Communique of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on amendment of the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Poland. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ Aderet, Ofer (19 February 2018). "Polish Historian: Entering Dialogue With Poland on Holocaust Bill Is 'The Last Thing' Israel Should Do". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
Stoffel, Derek (20 February 2018). "Canadian historian joins uproar in Israel over Polish Holocaust law" Archived 26 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine. CBC News.
- ^ Gieroń, Aneta (21 July 2017). "Przy Muzeum Ulmów w Markowej powstaje Sad Pamięci" Archived 19 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Biznesistyl.
- ^ Aderet, Ofer (22 March 2016). "Polish Museum Honoring Poles Who Saved Jews Arouses Controversy" Archived 22 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Haaretz.
- ^ Grabowski, Jan; Engelking, Barbara; Haska, Agnieszka; Leociak, Jacek (24 December 2018). "Why Is This Israeli Jewish Scholar a Willing Poster Boy for Poland's Brutal Distortion of the Holocaust?". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 16 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ Blatman, Daniel (4 January 2019). "Warsaw Ghetto Museum Historian: A Tale of History, Force and Narrow Horizons". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 16 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ Thorne, Stephen J. (14 February 2018). "The truth about Poland" Archived 23 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Legion Magazine.
- ^ "A Polish Historian's Accounting of the Holocaust Divides His Countrymen" Archived 22 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 25 June 2012
- ^ "Statement on Attacks against Professor Jan Grabowski". University of Ottawa. Archived from the original on 23 August 2018.
- ^ a b Gera, Vanessa (20 June 2017). "International historians defend Ottawa scholar who studies Poland and Holocaust" Archived 22 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine, The Associated Press. Perkel, Colin (20 June 2017). "University of Ottawa scholar says he's a target of Polish 'hate' campaign". The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.The letter can be read here Archived 23 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b Centrum Badań nad Zagładą Żydów (10 June 2017). "Bibliotekoznawcy i technologowie żywności zarzucają prof. Grabowskiemu "szkalowanie Narodu". Centrum Badań nad Zagładą Żydów odpowiada". Gazeta Wyborcza. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ Markusz, Katarzyna (18 November 2018). "Holocaust researcher sues Polish group that accused him of falsifying history" Archived 27 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
- ^ "Far-right MP forces abandonment of Holocaust scholar's lecture at German institute in Warsaw". Notes from Poland. Notes from Poland Foundation. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ Elia-Shalev, Asaf (1 June 2023). "Lecture on Holocaust in Poland canceled after far-right lawmaker storms podium". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
Further reading
- Homepage, University of Ottawa.
- Jan Grabowski, Polish Center for Holocaust Research.
- Grabowski, Jan (29 and 30 January 2018). Bogdanow Lectures in Holocaust Studies '18, University of Manchester.
- Grabowski, Jan (4 May 2018). "Poland must remember the truth of the Warsaw uprising". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 May 2020.