Holocaust History
Repeated use by The Times and other media of “Polish death camp” and similar terms for Nazi camps in German-occupied Poland has borne its first public fruit: Joan Siegel’s absurd belief that the Poles were co-perpetrators of the Holocaust (Letters, Dec. 26).
She should know that the Germans killed 3 million Polish Christians, many in concentration camps, including more than 3,000 Catholic priests. She should also know that Poland was the only country in which the Nazis made aiding a Jew a capital offense. Often the helping Pole’s entire family or village was executed as well.
The tendency to mix acts of genocide (systematic government-sponsored destruction of a people) with sporadic acts of murder (political, religious, racial, etc.) is inexcusable and it exposes the nature of the accusers and the depth of their hate.
Whether Siegel wrote out of ignorance or hatred, The Times abandoned all editorial responsibility by printing something so blatantly false and illogical.
TEODOR POLAK
Los Angeles
Polak is chair, Polish American Congress, Anti-Defamation Committee of California Inc.
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