Renaming Auschwitz Birkenau As Nazi German
On Friday we posted in this News Service information posted on the web by the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, that discussed Poland's desire to rename the twin death camps so that they specifically referenced that they were German Nazi camps.
In response to even that posting or to that same post which we distributed on our free e-mail service, get information about the free e-mail service at , we received this comment from a reader.
Article entitled: Poland seeks Auschwitz renaming
Dear Sirs,
The information given in the above mentioned article is incorrect where you
have stated that "The twin camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau, built in
occupied Poland near the town of Oswiecim, were designed, built and operated
by Nazi Germany."
Whilst it is true to say this of Birkenau - which was designed, built and
operated by the Nazis - it is not true with regard to Auschwitz (Oswiecim).
Before the Second World War the camp in Oswiecim was a Polish military
barracks which had been constructed in the 19th century when the town lay in
the Austrian occupied area of Poland during the period of the partitions.
The Nazis simply occupied the existing barracks and adopted them to serve
mainly as a concentration camp. In contrast Birkenau was specifically
designed, built and operated by the Germans to function as a mass
extermination camp.
Personally speaking I see no point in changing the official name of the camp
as anybody who is even vaguely interested in history will be already
perfectly aware that it was the Germans who were responsible for running
these camps and not the Poles. Nobody sane would dispute this. By attempting
to emphasise that the camps were German will only encourage hatred against
the current generation of Germans who cannot be held responsible for their
fathers and grandfathers actions. Furthermore, the Editor and owners of Der
Spiegel (who should know better) should apologise unconditionally to the
Poles for their error and publish a correction to make good.
Yours faithfully,
Adam Kaznowski
The writer obviously states his opinions with a sense of deep conviction. Unfortunately the writer states what the writer wishes to be true rather than what is true.
Throughout the world these twin camps are all too often referred to as Polish. Though the camps had to do with the war initiated by Nazi Germany, many people around the world think that these were Polish death camps run by Polish people.
To assume that the world ' s population is vaguely interested in the history of these two camps borders on self hallucination. There have been repeated instances in the Western press of these camps being referred to as Polish camps.
Der Spigel and many other newspapers have called the death camps Polish. If journalists, who should be within vaguely interested in history of something about which they are writing, do not know in the camps were not Polish, one cannot expect the general population to be any better educated.
The Polish government's position on this is that the younger generation does in fact not know the history. And in order to prevent any misconceptions it is simply asking to rename the camps so at the Polish people are not hung for a crime that they did not commit.
This is the government’s position”
"In the years after the war, the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp was definitively associated with the criminal activities of the national socialist Nazi regime in Germany," Polish government spokesman Jan Kasprzyk told a Polish news agency.
"However, for the contemporary, younger generations, especially abroad, that association is not universal."
Retraction of the Der Spiegel reference to the camp as Polish does not undo the damage done by the initial publication.
Polish people are generally un aware of how they are viewed by the outside world. The world is not kind to Polish people and one cannot expect the world to be kind to the Polish people when it comes to the twin death camps.
One might say that Poland is subject to guilt by association, or rather guilt by location, and unless Poland makes an active effort to show his innocence, it will forever remain guilty.
And as for splitting click hairs on "adopting" versus designing, please...
Auschwitz was more than just a concentration camp. Jewish people were sent to the Auschwitz camp to be used and killed.
"The proposed change in the name leaves no doubt as to what the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp was." Polish government spokesman Jan Kasprzyk
One can neither choose his parents no be held morally wrong for what they did. But they can face the truth and reject or accept what they did. If the German people have the problem with acknowledging the horrors that were inflicted by their ancestors on the people of Europe, that is their problem. Maybe they ought to face the truth. And maybe renaming the camp will help them do that.
You may review the complete BBC article by going to this link.Poland seeks Auschwitz renaming We at this news service applaud the BBC for publicizing this information.
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