In an article about the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s German death camp liberation, The Mirror used the false and manipulating phrase “Polish concentration camp” to describe Auschwitz. We encourage our readers to oppose the use of such misleading and painful phrases in defence of the historical truth.
In an article by Lucy Thornton, The Mirror related the speeches and atmosphere during the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi German Auschwitz death camp liberation with the participation of Polish President Andrzej Duda and King Charles III.
Unfortunately, the author used the phrase “Polish concentration camp” to describe Auschwitz.
It is important to remember that the phrase „Polish death camps” misrepresents historical facts by falsely attributing Nazi crimes to Poland.
The Polish nation suffered profoundly under German occupation during World War II.
This term has prompted decades of diplomatic and educational efforts to correct the damaging misconception.
We encourage our readers to express disagreement with such misleading language being used by the media. Therefore we think it is important to reach out to The Mirror and present the news company with our opinion.
Our proposition for protest message:
PROTEST AGAINST THE USE OF THE MISLEADING PHRASE “POLISH CONCENTRATION CAMP” IN YOUR ARTICLE
We believe that the idea expressed by the words “Never Again” regarding the tragic time of the Holocaust shall be persisted for the future generations of humanity.
Therefore we strongly oppose the use of the misleading term “Polish concentration camp” in your article Emotional scenes as Holocaust survivors visit 'Death Wall’ in Auschwitz to light candles of remembrance by Lucy Thornton.
That phrase misrepresents historical facts by falsely attributing Nazi German crimes to Poland which was under a genocidal occupation of Germany at the time of World War 2 and the Holocaust.
Polish citizens including Jews and members of other ethnic groups were murdered in German Nazi death camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, Treblinka, and Sobibór.
Poles were murdered for assisting Jews, who were brutally persecuted by the German authorities. Despite this, countless Poles risked their lives to save Jews through underground organisations or personal heroic decisions.
We urge that media organisations pay more effort to find proper wording for their descriptions of the Nazi German crimes against humanity, that will truly distinguish between the victim and perpetrator.
The Mirror email address: yourvoice@mirror.co.uk
Source: mirror.co.uk, Polskie Radio
Photo: @AuschwitzMuseum
Tomasz Modrzejewski
