The poster depicts a Polish soldier disposing with a powerful blowtorch of rats wearing (according to a description, though I must need Specsavers urgently for I fail to see them) yamulkes decorated with the Magen David. The captain, in translation, partly reads: : "Rozwój is fighting for the welfare of Poland, promoting national solidarity ... defending Poland against the Jewish influx..."
Unsurprisingly, given the furore unleashed by a page in a calendar promotiong Warsaw that shows Jews as vermin, and the knowledge of where such depictions led, the calendar has sold out.
A case can certainly be made for the inclusion of such an image, in a collection that purports to display the theme specified.
"The poster is antisemitic but the idea behind the project was to show the emotions of old Warsaw," said a municipal spokesman. "Let's not pretend we have nothing to be ashamed of - in those days, antisemitism was quite strong."
But an equal and perhaps far better case can be made for not including so terrible, and perhaps even inflammatory, an image on a commercial calendar. It could be interpreted as, however unwittingly, a recruiting sergeant for neo-Nazi thugs of extreme right. Better, it seems, to leave the image in the Museum that houses the original.
At first, the civic authorities reacted with phlegmatism, and even bravado, when challenged over their inclusion of the image, and vowed to go to a second print run.
But now they have reconsidered, and overturned their vow to print more. Theirs was arguably a lapse of good judgment, and it is probably right they have done so. Such an image is surely best omitted from material that purports to promote a city.
Read more here and here and here
Jewish anti-Christian sentiments are displayed in the streets of American and Israeli cities, in the press and TV programs every day. Culturally insensitive programs are shown as we speak in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the big deal. This poster shows just one aspect of Polish life in the II Republic.
Anti-semitism was widespread (nothing unusual at that time) everywhere, and it had its reasons. This is history. Do you ever apologize for your comments about Poland, Polish people or catholicism? Do you accept criticism about Israeli soldiers' actions in Gaza and West Bank>
I have never made disparaging comments about Polish people or Catholicism.
DeleteThere is one aspect of American movies/TV I deplore, and that's overuse of the J word in swearing - I appreciate that it is antagonistic to many people, and utterly offensive.
Anonymous smackdown!
ReplyDelete