Statement from the Kosciuszko Foundation Regarding the Use of the Term “Polish Camps”
Following the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Kosciuszko Foundation expresses deep concern over The New York Post’s recent use of the term “Polish camps” to describe Nazi German concentration camps located in occupied Poland during World War II. This terminology is historically inaccurate and perpetuates a harmful narrative that unjustly implicates that the Holocaust was executed by Poland, rather than Nazi Germany.
The Kosciuszko Foundation has been steadfast in addressing this issue. In 2010, under the leadership of then-President Alex Storozynski, we launched a petition urging news organizations to stop using this misleading phrase. The campaign garnered over 300,000 signatures, including Poland’s then-
It is disheartening that despite these efforts, The New York Post has now resumed using this term. Notably, in 2012, when President Barack Obama mistakenly used the phrase “Polish death camps,” The New York Post sought Alex Storozynski’s perspective and published his opinion piece correcting the record. Sadly, the same publication has now violated the standard it once upheld.
The memory of those who suffered in Nazi German concentration camps must be honored with accuracy and respect. Misrepresenting these events undermines historical truth and disrespects the victims and survivors.
We urge The New York Post to issue a correction and call on all media outlets to prioritize historical integrity, ensuring their language does not mislead the public or distort the reality of these horrific events.
Signed,
Marek Skulimowski, President and Executive Director
The Kosciuszko Foundation
