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Monday, January 24, 2011
Because I write about Polish-Jewish relations
and the brute Polak stereotype, I'm often asked about Jan Tomasz Gross. I
respond to those question here.
My Amazon review of "Fear" is here.
Long story short: I defend Jan Tomasz Gross.
I've recently received a series of provocative e-mails from a poster I
know only as Malgorzata. An excerpt from Malgorzata's most recent e-mail is
below. The gracious reader will realize that English is not Malgorzata's first
language, and will be tolerant of any minor errors this multilingual poster
makes as she expresses herself, quite powerfully.
"It
is one thing to make us, Poles, review our knowledge about history, but it's
another thing to blame all Poles in front of the world, to others that do not know
much about our history. His [Gross'] books give the strong impression that
Poland generally supported Holocaust, Poles are Anti-Semites and you cannot
expect anything good from Poles.
I do not say we should
keep truth hidden in Poland, but let’s think who reads his books in America and
Poland. I would estimate that max 10 % of readers are historians, and other
highly educated people interested in the topic. These people will resist the
hatred towards Polish as their overall knowledge about Polish history is good
enough.
Another part of readers will be those that
already have a negative opinion about Poles, so they will read the books to
support their view. They will follow the overall impressions created in the
books; they will never read any articles that disclose some discrepancies or
clarify the possible reasons of these acts (but not justify). There are plenty of
tensions between Jews and Poles. We have to work it through, not bring new ones.
In my opinion his
books enhance the stereotype of Pole as Anti-Semites. When I read or hear
statements that Poles have to finally confront their deep Anti-Semitism, I know
the author of this comment has never been to Poland and probably does not even
know any Poles. I have no idea where they currently see Anti-Semitism in
Poland. But I can assume they drew the conclusions from Mr. Gross’s books. This
is why I think they bring more harm than good. Especially, when we are trying
to work out our relations with the world again."
I think
Malgorzata has a valid point. This young lady has inspired me to send the e-mail,
below:
jtgross@princeton.edu
Dear
Prof. Gross,
Hello, I write about stereotypes of Poles
and have a blog devoted to the topic. I receive many e-mails about you. I have
responded to these e-mails via a blog post about you, linked below.
In short, I defend you.
Recently,
though, I received a series of thoughtful e-mails from a poster known to me
only as Malgorzata. As you can see from comments on the blog post, linked
below, Malgorzata makes the case that your work, regardless of your intention,
is used to slander Poland and exacerbate tensions between Poles and Jews and between
Poles and the rest of the world.
Again, I have always
defended you. I believe in truth and scholarship.
But
there is merit in what Malgorzata writes.
Because of the
merit of Malgorzata's posts, I would like to invite you to do something
concrete to rectify the damage – no doubt unintentional – that reception of your
work has done. Please know that I say that "reception of your work"
has done damage. I think you are a responsible scholar and a patriotic
Pole-by-birth (though you are American now.) I am confident that you mean well.
You can't deny, on the other hand, that your work has been exploited for
negative ends.
I want to invite you to read the one book
that addresses negative stereotypes of Poles and how those stereotypes are used
to distort history, and to do what you can to raise the profile of that book.
You are a scholar of world import. "Bieganski: The Brute Polak
Stereotype" will never receive much attention; it addresses the concerns
of a marginalized group.
You have manifested your courage,
your dedication to truth, and your commitment to Poland. I hope that all these
will convince you to consider my offer, and to "step up to the
plate," to use an American metaphor, and do the right thing. Buy
"Bieganski." Read it. Recommend it. Acknowledge that while atrocities
committed by Poles are very real and must be confronted, there is another
reality at work, stereotyping and distortion. These must also be called out, confronted
and defeated.
Respectfully.
Original blog post that prompted this idea here.
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