Statement

2023

IHRA Secretary General condemns the silencing of researchers in Poland

Condemning attempts to silence Polish Holocaust researchers, Dr. Kathrin Meyer calls on the Polish government to protect freedom of research, remembrance, and education.

Following yesterday’s attack by a Member of the Polish Parliament against Holocaust historian Prof. Jan Grabowski, Dr. Kathrin Meyer, IHRA Secretary General, says:

 

“I strongly condemn the increasingly violent attempts in Poland to silence researchers like Jan Grabowski and Barbara Engelking, who, even in the face of threats and intimidation, have the courage to uncover the truth of the Holocaust, no matter how uncomfortable. IHRA Member Countries and our expert community share an understanding that research on the Holocaust must be built on facts, cooperation, and openness to the challenges of history.

Remembering the victims, countering Holocaust denial and distortion, and safeguarding the historical record is the responsibility of us all. I therefore call on the Polish government to protect freedom of research, and to actively promote education, remembrance, and research about the Holocaust in all its dimensions and to address their past by dealing openly and accurately with the historical facts.“