The Polish Ministry of Justice has threatened journalists and anyone who does not publicly specify that concentration camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau or Treblinka in occupied Poland were built by the German Nazis during World War II, but instead use the geographical designation "Polish camps" with prison sentences of up to five years. .
According to the proposed changes to the law presented by the ministry today, up to five years in prison would threaten anyone who, despite the facts, publicly attributes responsibility or participation in the crimes of Hitler's Germany to Poland or the Poles.
If it turns out that, for example, the phrase "Polish death camps" was used in haste, unintentionally as a simplification, the criminal offense would be punishable by a fine or a shorter prison term.
"Enough is enough of making Poland guilty of the Holocaust. It is the state's duty to take care of Poland's reputation abroad," Deputy Minister of Justice Patrik Jaki said at a press conference in Warsaw.
The ruling Polish conservatives from the Pravo i Pravda party of former Prime Minister Jaroslav Kaczynski also want to change the Constitution to include the wording that Poland's reputation is protected by Polish laws.
"The changes will allow us to demand high monetary damages for such phrases abroad," said Jaki.
Poland reacts very sensitively every time, usually in foreign media, the term "Polish concentration camps" appears, usually in a rush of journalists, and for years, whoever is in power in Poland, the Polish embassies in those countries react and demand an apology from the editors. and a correction to "German Nazi camps in occupied Poland".
A few years ago, the Polish daily Žečpospolita launched a massive and successful campaign among Poles that whenever they hear the term "Polish camps" in foreign media, they bombard the editorial office with emails demanding an apology.
After the protest, the editorial offices of some leading Western media included in their internal journalistic plans a warning that Auschwitz and other German camps should never be called Polish.
Paradoxically, on one occasion, American President Barak Obama used this very expression, which if the parliament adopts amendments to the law, he will face five years in prison, in a speech.
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