Written by Dr. Sunny Jeong
During our visit to Tykocin Great Synagogue and several memorials on June 23, I learned a great deal from our knowledgeable guide, Lukas Myszala. This experience helped me connect the dots with the lecture delivered by Maria Babińska on June 16 at the University of Warsaw. It became evident that Poland’s nationalistic ideology significantly influences the commemoration of the Holocaust and mass killings, often distancing these events from the local communities’ consciousness. The Polish government’s education policies, particularly under the Law and Justice party, emphasize commemorating crimes against Holocaust victims while downplaying the country’s own historical complicity. This is reinforced by the 2018 amendment to the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance, which criminalizes claims of Polish complicity in the Holocaust (Institute of National Remembrance, 2018).
Polish education largely focuses on World War II, neglecting the aftermath and the full extent of the atrocities committed against Jewish communities. The curriculum changes in the 1990s introduced new standards, but Polish students still lack comprehensive exposure to recent history (Stefaniak & Bilewicz, 2015). This limited perspective is further complicated by the downplaying of crimes against Jews during and after World War II by communist regimes (Bilewicz & Jaworska, 2013).
Historically, Jews in Poland faced significant social and economic challenges, from early settlements on difficult terrain under royal protection to growing anti-Semitism in the 1930s, driven by nationalist factions. These tensions culminated in violent attacks and economic boycotts, which were exacerbated during the Nazi occupation (Bilewicz & Jaworska, 2013).
In small towns, like those around the Tykocin Synagogue, Jews and Poles once coexisted, trading goods and sharing customs. However, economic crises and nationalist propaganda led to increased anti-Semitism, culminating in the mass execution of Jews during the German occupation. Local Poles sometimes collaborated with the Nazis, and post-war, Jewish properties were often repurposed as social housing, further erasing their presence from local memory (Stefaniak et al., 2021).
City of Tykocin: Facing the houses on the non-Jewish side (opposite the former Jewish Quarter). They lived on the same street as neighbors, with their children visiting each other, supporting one another, sharing customs, and trading goods.
City of Tykocin: Houses of the Former Jewish Quarter. In contrast to the non-Jewish area across the street, these houses are dilapidated and in need of renovation. Since the departure of the Jewish community, many have been repurposed as government-subsidized social housing. As a result, property values in this neighborhood have been significantly lower than non formal jewish area according to the Lukas
The Monument to the Memory of the Murder of Jews from Jedwabne and the Surrounding Area commemorates the tragic events of July 10, 1941, when Jewish residents of Jedwabne and neighboring areas were brutally murdered. This pogrom, carried out by their non-Jewish neighbors, involved herding the Jewish victims into a barn and setting it on fire, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of men, women, and children.
This monument plays a significant role in Poland's reckoning with its history, particularly in acknowledging the participation of local Poles in the violence against their Jewish neighbors. The site remains a point of contention and a subject of intense public and academic debate, reflecting broader issues of memory, responsibility, and historical narrative in Poland.
The Jedwabne memorial also highlights the complexities of commemorating events that involve local complicity in wartime atrocities. Despite efforts to honor the victims, the narrative around the Jedwabne pogrom remains highly sensitive, reflecting deep-seated tensions within Polish society regarding the acknowledgment of such dark chapters in its history
The Radziłów pogrom memorial commemorates a tragic event that occurred on July 7, 1941, in the small town of Radziłów in northeastern Poland. During the pogrom, local Polish residents, encouraged by the occupying Nazi forces, attacked their Jewish neighbors, resulting in the brutal massacre of a significant portion of the town's Jewish population.
Disturbing comments left on google maps promoting historical prejudice and misconceptions about Jewish communities.
Commemoration efforts for Jewish heritage in Poland are mixed. While there are efforts to preserve synagogues and cemeteries, many sites remain neglected. Notably, commemorations initially organized by Jewish survivors ceased as the Jewish population dwindled, especially after the 1968 forced emigration during the anti-Semitic policies in Poland (Imhoff, Bilewicz, & Erb, 2021).
The Polish national narrative often manipulates historical policy to downplay or deny local complicity in Holocaust crimes. This denial is compounded by the reluctance of local communities to acknowledge these historical events. This is evident in the neglected state of memorial sites like the mass grave of the Tykocin Jews, where government actions, such as cutting down trees for lumber, seem to degrade the site’s significance.
Walking towards the Tykocin Pogrom Memorial, the sight of trees being cut down for lumber appears to diminish the site's historical significance.
The Tykocin Pogrom Memorial commemorates a tragic event in history that occurred during World War II. Tykocin, a town in Poland with a significant Jewish population, witnessed a violent pogrom in August 1941, orchestrated by Nazi German forces and aided by local collaborators. The pogrom resulted in the brutal murder of hundreds of Jewish residents, marking a devastating chapter in the Holocaust.
Lessons from Maria Babińska’s Lecture
Reflecting on Dr. Maria Babińska’s lecture given on June 16 at the University of Warsaw, I am reminded of the complex emotions and defensive representations of history, particularly in the context of Poland during the Holocaust.
Babińska spoke about the importance of focusing on victims rather than perpetrators and eliciting regret rather than guilt. This approach can help in acknowledging the facts and then dealing with the emotions constructively. (Imhoff et al., 2021). She also pointed out the importance of moral exemplars and education.
Studies have shown that introducing moral exemplars, such as rescuers during the Holocaust, can reduce prejudice and improve intergroup relations (Bilewicz & Jaworska, 2013; Cehajic-Clancy & Bilewicz, 2020). The School of Dialogue, an educational program in Polish schools, engages students in projects about local Jewish history, fostering a greater acknowledgment of history and inclusion of Jews into local identity (Stefaniak & Bilewicz, 2015).
In my field of social entrepreneurship, I often challenge students with the "so what" question—how do we move forward and address current social issues? Babińska offered several actionable recommendations for Polish society, and here are my additional reflections on the matter.
Educational Reform: Introduce comprehensive Holocaust education that includes the full scope of Polish involvement and complicity, alongside the broader historical context of World War II and its aftermath.
Public Awareness Campaigns: Launch initiatives to educate the public about the historical realities of the Holocaust, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and learning from past atrocities.
Preservation and Maintenance of Memorial Sites: Ensure that Holocaust memorial sites are preserved, maintained, and respected. This includes preventing actions that degrade these sites and promoting their historical significance.
Community Engagement: Encourage local communities to engage with their history through educational programs, memorial events, and dialogues that foster a deeper understanding and acknowledgment of past crimes.
Legislative Changes: Repeal laws that criminalize the acknowledgment of Polish complicity in the Holocaust to allow for a more honest and open discourse about the nation’s history.
By addressing these issues through education, preservation, and open dialogue, I hope Poland can more effectively commemorate the Holocaust and the mass killings, ensuring that these events are recognized and remembered within the local and national consciousness.
References (majority of references are provided by Babińska’s lecture)
Institute of National Remembrance. (2018). Amendment to the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance. Retrieved from Institute of National Remembrance
Bilewicz, M., & Jaworska, M. (2013). Moral Exemplars, Perpetrators, and Rescuers in the Context of Historical Narratives: Psychological Perspectives on Historical Education. Journal of Social Issues, 69(1), 32-50.
Cehajic-Clancy, S., & Bilewicz, M. (2020). Reducing Collective Guilt and Fostering Reconciliation: Lessons from Psychological Research. Political Psychology, 41(3), 447-462.
Imhoff, R., Bilewicz, M., & Erb, H. P. (2021). Regret rather than guilt: A constructive approach to Holocaust education. Journal of Historical and Cultural Psychology, 34(2), 145-160.
Stefaniak, A., & Bilewicz, M. (2015). The School of Dialogue: An educational program enhancing Jewish identity inclusion in Poland. Educational Review, 67(2), 191-206.
Stefaniak, A., Bilewicz, M., & Wohl, M. J. A. (2021). Engaging students in local Jewish history: Effects on Polish identity and historical understanding. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 42(3), 345-361.
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