More than a year ago, on 27 May 2006, the Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich was attacked on one of the main streets of Warsaw. The attacker insulted him and sprayed gas on his face. The Chief Rabbi was fortunately not seriously injured, however the incident left a bad aftertaste in mouths of many Poles.
In the broad daylight around noon in the centre of Warsaw Rabbi Michael Schudrich was walking along the street with some of his friends. Only after they passed some young man, they could hear him shouting “Poland for Poles”. When Schudrich turned and asked him for reasons, he ran to him, punched him and sprayed gas. Then he ran away.
Many suspected an anti-Semitic provocation, particularly as it took place when the newly-chosen Pope, Benedict XVI was in Poland, in the eve of a visit to Auschwitz. The police immediately launched an inquiry into the attack and late June 2006, Karol G. related to some Nazi groups was arrested in Warsaw.
The initial lack of Polish government’s firm stance on the attack has even made it to “The New York Times” editorial, which the Chief Rabbi reacted to, describing the procedures and explaining behaviour of Polish officials in detail. Indisputably, in comparison to other similar anti-Semitic or racist incidents in Poland, this one, probably because of the media reaction to it, was investigated and lead to arrest.
Unfortunately, Poland remains a country of minor racist incidents not exposed in the media at all. As we can read in the “Brunatna księga” (“Brown Book”) compiled by Nigdy Więcej (Never Again) Association, every year there are at least hundred different racist, xenophobic or neo-fascist incidents (a dozen or so every month) in all parts of Poland.
Author: Hanna Siemaszko
