I want Poland to report me too, sue me, accuse me, and crucify me
because I publicly state that:
the Polish did not give my brother back
the Polish confiscated the houses and all their contents once the Jews were deported
the Polish would not let my mother walk on the sidewalk and would kick her onto the street “where animals belong”
the Polish, after seeing that my parents had survived, said with disdain “eh? You survived?”
the Polish asked for bribes when they discovered a Jew
the Polish would report them even after they had been bribed
I want Poland to report me,
sue me, accuse me, and crucify me because
the Polish incinerated their neighbors in Jedwabne
the Polish killed those returning to Kielce
the Polish would not let Jews join their resistance
the Polish would stalk the streets, hoping to catch a Jew for the reward
the Polish hid Jews for money and, when the money ran out, would end up reporting them
the Polish would sell water at exorbitant prices when trains stopped on their way to Treblinka and Auschwitz
I want Poland to report me, sue me, accuse me, and crucify me because
the Polish mocked Jewish students at school
the Polish priests preached hate century after century based on the believe that the Jews killed Christ
the Polish applauded the Nazi hordes who ripped Jews from their homes
the Poles who were hired to help Jews cross rivers and borders were the same ones who would abandon them in unknown places
the Polish were the ones who, after abandoning them, would report them
I want Poland to report me, sue me, accuse me, and crucify me because
Even though I also say that
the Polish government abroad was not a Nazi accomplice, and that
there were also some Poles who did not submit and did help the Jews
some Poles did hide them, feed them, and take care of them while risking their lives
some Poles did provide them with false documents
some Poles were also part of Zegota’s salvation network
without these Poles almost no Jews would have survived
these thousands of Poles stood in harsh contrast to the millions of complicit Poles who were guilty of actions of omission and commision
Because of all this
I want Poland to report me too, sue me, accuse me, and crucify me
Diana Wang. President of Generaciones de la Shoá en Argentina.
Translation by Judith Tiferes and David LaVergne