Statement concerning the antisemitic behavior of MP Grzegorz Braun

On December 12, 2023, MP Grzegorz Braun of the Konfederacja party attacked the Hannukah menorah, symbol of the joyful Jewish holiday, during a debate on the establishment of a new Polish government. This shameful attack is not the first incident involving this politician, who does not hide his antisemitic views. However, they did not prevent him from obtaining a mandate in free and democratic elections.

We, representatives of organizations and institutions working to protect their heritage, and people involved in Polish-Jewish dialogue, strongly condemn the behavior of MP Grzegorz Braun and anyone who will try to make political capital from this heinous act. We do not agree to tolerate antisemitic attitudes and statements in public spaces, and especially in the parliament of a country whose three million Jewish citizens were murdered during the Holocaust for racist and antisemitic reasons.

Hanukkah is a joyful holiday that illuminates the darkness and gives hope. Yesterday, when we saw the ceremony in the Polish Parliament being disrupted, we felt alone and rejected again for a moment. But only for a moment. Immediately after this event, we noticed that in all the confusion there were people who stood up for light and righteousness. In particular, we express our gratitude to Mrs. Magdalena Gudzińska-Adamczyk, who was the first to oppose Grzegorz Braun's attack, as well as to Marshal Szymon Hołownia and the Presidium of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland for a quick and unambiguous reaction, and to all political forces that condemned this act. At the same time, due to the wave of antisemitism growing in the world today, we appeal to the entire political class, from the right to the left, to respond decisively to all its manifestations in public life.

Piotr Wiślicki, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Zygmunt Stępiński, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Michael Schudrich, Chief Rabbi of Poland

Marian Turski, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland / POLIN Museum Council

Nili Amit, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews 

Małgorzata Andrychowicz

Urszula Antosz-Rekucka, Sztetl Mszana Dolna Foundation

Samantha Rolat Asulin, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Robert Augustyniak, Grodzisk Mazowiecki 

Anna Bakuła-Wasilewska, Warsaw Jewish Community

Artur Bara, The Bilgoraj Cultural Association of Issak Bashevis Singer

Paweł Bajerlein

Anna Bando, the Polish Association of the Righteous Among the Nations

Natalia Bartczak

Ireneusz Bednorz, Forum for Dialogue

Dorota Bida, Museum of the Chełm Land of W. Ambroziewicz in Chełm

Michał Bojanowski, "Chidusz" Magazine

Anna Brzyska, "Pamięć i dialog. Wspólna historia" Association 

Aleksandra Bura

Hilda Chazanovitz, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Marek Chmielewski, Sołectwo Orla

Piotr M. A. Cywiński, Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation

Monika Czub, Forum for Dialogue

Mariusz Czuj, on his own behalf

Kamila Dąbrowska, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland / HIAS Poland

Piotr Dąbrowski, Nobiscum Foundation

Jacek Dereżyński, Forum for Dialogue

Anna Dodziuk, Jewish Community of Warsaw

Patrycja Dołowy, JCC Warszawa

Magda Dorosz, Hillel Polska Foundation

Jolanta Drab

Agnieszka Dulęba-Wołodkiewicz, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland 

Bartosz Dymarek, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Agata Fijuth-Dudek, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University

Joanna Fikus, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Andrzej Folwarczny, Forum for Dialogue

Artur Franczak, Sądecki Sztetl Association

Irena French, Museum of Cieszyn Silesia

Andrzej Friedman, B'nai B'rit Poland

Anita Friedman, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Bartosz Gajdzik, Forum for Dialogue

Bożena Gajewska

Marcin Golebicki, EP Solutions

Izabela Grocholski, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Marcin Grynberg, Puszke Foundation

Andrzej Grzegorczyk

Marcin Halicki, Raczkowskie Archiwalia

Dariusz Horodecki, Orla Synagogue

Agnieszka Jabłońska, Urban Memory Foundation, Wrocław

Teresa Jabłońska, Forum for Dialogue

Przemek Jaczewski, Abraham Gamzu Association

Agnieszka Jaczyńska, ISLO in Zamość

Karolina Jakoweńko, Brama Cukermana Foundation

Helena Jakubowicz, Jewish Religious Community of Kraków

Marcin Jasik

Tomek Jędrczak, Życie Żydowskie Foundation

Marian Kalwary, Association of Jewish Combatants and Victims of World War II

Danuta Karczewska

Sylwia Kędzierska-Jasik, Jewish Community of Warsaw

Kamil Kijek, Department of Jewish Studies, Wrocław University

Andrzej Kirmiel, Museum of the Międzyrzecz Land

Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Teresa Klimowicz, Studnia Pamięci Association

Kamil Kmak, Saga Grybów Association

Robert Kobylarczyk, Primary School Nr 1 of Wł. Jagiełło in Tuszyn

Tomasz Kocur, AntySchematy 2 Foundation

Sergiusz Kowalski, B'nai B'rit Poland

Maciej Kozłowski, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Agnieszka Kraińska, Forum for Dialogue

Maciej Krajewski, Łazęga Poznańska Association

Tomasz Krakowski, Koszer Polska Foundation

Monika Krawczyk, Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute

Jolanta Krawczykiewicz, Słupsk Cultural Center

Damian Kruczkowski, Municipal Public Library of Zofia Urbanowska in Konin

Ewa Krychniak, " 4 kultury Sokółki" Association

Dariusz Kubalski, Staszów Cultural Society 

Jan Kutnik, "Studnia Pamięci" Association

Bernard Kwapinski, White Stone Development

Piotr Kwapisiewicz, Czulent Jewish Association

Klaudia Kwiecińska, Donersztik in Jendrzew. An initiative to remembrance of the Jewish Jędrzejów

Lucy Lisowska, Center for Civic Education Poland Israel

Narcyz Listkowski, The History of Rabka Team

Katarzyna Liszka, Wrocław University

Michał Lorenc

Katarzyna Łaziuk, Forum for Dialogue

Beata Łuczak

Elżbieta Magenheim, Życie Żydowskie Foundation

Janusz Makuch, Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków

Grażyna Majer, Jewish Community of Warsaw

Maria Dąbrowska-Majewska, Zmiana Foundation

Weronika Majewska, Zmiana Foundation

Michał Majewski, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Cantor Joseph Malovany, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Inga M. Marczyńska, Forum for Dialogue

Joanna Maria, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Warsaw

Agnieszka Markiewicz, American Jewish Committee Central Europe

Victor Markowicz, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Katarzyna Markusz, Jewish.pl

Wojtek Mazan

Agnieszka Michalak-Hille, Forum for Dialogue

Wojciech Michał

Marcin Mikołajczyk, III High School in Łomża

Anna Moniewska, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Pawel Moras, Warsaw Tourism Office

Kamil Mrozowicz, Memorial Site in Jedwabne

Urszula Mróz

Agnieszka Mysakowska, Szlakiem Wieluńskich Żydów

Marek Nowakowski, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Wojciech Olejniczak, TRES Foundation

Katarzyna Olfier-Halicka

Jan Ordyński, Journalism Society / Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Jonathan Ornstein, JCC Kraków

Eliza Panek, Jewish Community of Warsaw

Łukasz Parus, Lider of Forum for Dialogue

Barbara Pendzich, Taube Department of Jewish Studies, University of Wrocław

Shana Penn, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Jakub Petelewicz, Polish Center for Holocaust Research, the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Bartosz Piechowicz, HIAS Poland

Marcin Pisula, Puławy County Council / Forum for  Dialogue

Irene Kronhill Pletka, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Sławomir Poleszak, ISP PAN, "Brama Grodzka – Theater NN" Center in Lublin

Elżbieta Polończyk-Moskal, Memorial Committee "Mykwa" in Dobczyce

Marta Prochwicz, Swedish Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Krzysztof Przybyłowicz, Information Center about the Former Israelite Commune of Biecz, based in Libusza

Radosław Ptaszyński, Jewish Przysucha Association

Andrzej Puchalski, Orla Synagogue

Adam Puławski, "Brama Grodzka – Theater NN" Center in Lublin

Agata Radkowska-Parka, "Studnia Pamięci" Association

Aleksander Ratz, Swedish Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Damian Rączka, Synagogue in Fordon Foundation – Cultural Center

Mirosław Reczko, The Waga Brothers Łomża Scientific Society

Steven D. Reece, The Matzevah Foundation

Marek Rekucki, Sztetl Mszana Dolna Foundation

Krzysztof Renik, Orla Synagogue

Roman Rewald, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Milos Reznik, German Historical Institute Warsaw

Rafał Rogulski, European Network Remembrance and Solidarity

Andrzej Rojek, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Sigmund A. Rolat, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Lena Rubenfeld, FestivALT Association

Anita Rucioch-Gołek, coordinator of "Zbąszyński Balagan", principal of the Primary School of Arkady Fiedler in Zbąszyń

Michał Rucki, Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage

Urszula Rybicka, Żydoteka Foundation

Marta Saracyn, JCC Warsaw

Stuart Schear, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Rabbi Arthur Schneier, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Jacek Sech, Forum for Dialogue, Polish Historical Society

Izabela Sekulska, Mayn Shtetele Mielec

Magdalena Semczyszyn, ISP PAN

Mirosław Skrzypczyk

Ireneusz Socha, Dembitzer Music

Wojciech Soczewica, Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation

Mariusz Sokołowski, Otwarta Edukacja Foundation

Remigiusz Sosnowski, Jewish Community of Warsaw

Jolanta Sroczyńska-Pietz, Atut Foundation

Albert Stankowski, Warsaw Ghetto Museum

Jacek Stawiski, Galicia Jewish Museum

Jerzy Stelmach, Forum for Dialogue

Dawid Stępniewski, Pabianicki Sztetl

Dariusz Stola, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Katarzyna Sudaj, Atut Foundation

Katarzyna Suszkiewicz, Galicia Jewish Museum 

Michał Szaflarski, Jewish Czarny Dunajec

Elizabeth Szancer, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Anna Szcześniak, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Jagoda Szkarłat, Forum for Dialogue

Alina Świdowska, Association of „Children of the Holocaust” in Poland

Zbigniew Talaga, Association of Ireneusz Ślipek for Polish-Jewish dialogue in Warta

Ewa Teleżyńska-Sawicka, The Memory of Treblinka Foundation

Wojciech Tworek, Department of Jewish Studies, Wrocław University

Tomek Ulatowski, POLIN Museum Distinguished Benefactor

Jerzy B. Warman, American Friends of POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

Tomasz Wiśniewski, Association of the Białystok Jewish Museum

Anna Włodek, Gliwicka 66 Association

Marcin Wodzinski, Taube Department of Jewish Studies, University of Wrocław

Witold Wrzosiński, Jewish Community of Warsaw

Damian Wutke, Open Republic – Association against Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia

Mariusz Zajączkowski, Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Anna Ziarkowska, Ogród Sprawiedliwych Foundation

Anna Zielińska, Czulent Jewish Association

Kristof Zorde, Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland

Magdalena Zykiert