Wiesenthal Center Harshly Condemn Attack Yesterday by Radical Right Wing Polish MP on Prof. Jan Grabowski to Prevent His Lecture at the German Historical Institute in Warsaw

May 31, 2023

JERUSALEM – The Simon Wiesenthal Center today issued a harsh condemnation of  the attack yesterday by a member of parliament, Grzegorz Braun, from the radical right Polish Kinfediracja party, against University of Ottawa professor Jan Grabowski, which prevented him from delivering a lecture at the German Historical Institute in Warsaw on the subject of "The (growing) Polish problem with the History of the Holocaust.

Braun grabbed the microphone being used for the lecture, knocked over loudspeakers, and after occupying the rostrum, announced "the lecture is over".

Before the lecture, it had been criticized by media outlets under the influence of the ruling "Law and Justice" political party and by state institutions associated with them.

According to the Wiesenthal Center Director of Eastern European Affairs, Holocaust historian Dr. Efraim Zuroff, "This incident is an outrageous attack not only on freedom of speech, but also on the accuracy of the narrative of the Shoah in Poland. Ever since the Law and Justice party have come to power, they have promoted a narrative which whitewashes any mention of Polish complicity in Holocaust crimes."

"Professor Jan Grabowski is one of the most important historians who has assumed responsibility to combat the false narrative promoted by the current Polish government. His historical research has played a vital role in combatting the rampant Holocaust distortion promoted by the Polish government and ultra-right wing organizations."

For additional information please contact the Israel Office of the Wiesenthal Center: Tel: 972-50-721-4156, follow the Center on Facebook, or @simonwiesenthal and @EZuroff for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.