“Policy of the Third Reich in Poland in Yad Vashem Studies, Volume IX

“Policy of the Third Reich in Conquered Poland”

Professor Czesław Madajczyk’s studies, the fruit of ten years of research, is the main provider of information regarding the history of Poland during World War II. It covers an extremely wide range of subjects from extensive source material. He exaggerates the role of the Polish underground, grossly downplays the sufferings and destruction of the Jews as compared to the Poles, and his writings demonstrate other anti-Jewish prejudices. Madajczyk details six forms of German “biological destruction of the Polish population.” He derides the Jews for their passivity, which permitted “dishonorable death.” He maintains that a large part of the Polish population showed sympathy to persecuted Jews, whereas the truth is the opposite — in many instances the locals participated willingly in the looting and murder of their Jewish neighbors. Madajczyk chooses to ignore such evidence, which makes his approach to his work one-sided.