Several Polish diplomatic missions not following orders

WARSAW, Poland (JTA) – Several Polish diplomatic missions have yet to fulfill a request by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote a book on their websites about Poles and their relationships with Jews during the Holocaust.

The ministry in July asked the missions to put a link to “Inferno of Choices: Poles and the Holocaust” (Rytm) on their websites, but several of the missions have not complied, the Rzeczpospolita newspaper reported Tuesday. Some Polish historians have criticized the book, accusing the authors of drawing false conclusions.

The book includes historical documents, letters and testimony that show real living conditions in Nazi-occupied Poland. The book explores Polish anti-Semitism and Poles who stole Jewish property during and after World War II.

“There are articles by outstanding Polish historians, as well as records and documents of the Polish Underground State showing historical context of extermination of Jews in Polish areas occupied by Germany,” said Marcin Bosacki, a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

The ministry says the book has a positive opinion of Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial museum, which has awarded the Righteous Gentile designation to more Poles than any other foreign nationals.

The book, in English, is edited by Sebastian Rejak and Elzbieta Frister.