Call to create Poland’s Righteous Among The Nations Day
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
03.02.2012 11:31
Jewish and historical groups in Poland have called for a special day be put in the Polish calendar to remember the thousands of Poles who aided Jews during WW II.
Bild: Peter Gentle
Polish section of Wall of Memory, Yad Vashem Institute: photo - Peter Gentle
The Association of the Children of the Holocaust, the Jan Karski Association and the Museum of the History of Polish Jews have addressed an appeal to President Bronisław Komorowski to initiate a Day in tribute to Poles-holders of the Righteous among the Nations medals.
Those who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust deserve a special place in the nation’s memory and historical debate, the appeal says.
It adds that September 27 would be a fitting day for such an annual commemoration as it was on that day in 1942 that the Provisional Committee of Aid to Jews was established at the initiative of the Polish underground state.
After two weeks, the Committee was transformed into the Zegota Council of Aid to Jews, an organization which brought together people of various world outlooks and political views.
The signatories of the appeal have asked the President to put forward a parliamentary initiative on declaring September 27 the Day of Poland’s Righteous among the Nations.
Over 6,350 Poles have received the Righteous among the Nations medals. They constitute the largest national group honoured in this way by the Yad Vashem Institute in Jerusalem. (mk/pg)