Poles executed by Jews during WW2

The hangings took place on the last day of August 1941, on the town square of Wierzbnik, in what had once been central Poland. Two years had passed since the joint German-Soviet invasion that had destroyed the Polish state; ten weeks before, the Germans had betrayed their ally and invaded the Soviet Union. Wierzbnik, home to Poles and Jews, lay within the General Government, a colony that the Germans had made from parts of their Polish conquests. As Poles left church that Sunday morning, they saw before them a gallows. The German police had selected sixteen or seventeen Poles—men, women, and at least one child. Then they ordered a Jewish execution crew, brought from the ghetto that morning, to carry out the hangings. The Poles were forced to stand on stools; then the Jews placed nooses around their necks and kicked the stools away. The bodies were left to dangle.

As Poles left church that Sunday morning, they saw before them a gallows. The German police had selected sixteen or seventeen Poles—men, women, and at least one child. Then they ordered a Jewish execution crew, brought from the ghetto that morning, to carry out the hangings. The Poles were forced to stand on stools; then the Jews placed nooses around their necks and kicked the stools away. The bodies were left to dangle.1

“I knew I hanged the right people,” one of the Jewish hangmen in Wierzbnik recalled more than fifty years later. He thought that those who were executed belonged to the Polish Home Army, and as such were guilty of murdering Jews.

If the AK succeeded in removing more than 200 Germans it would be surprising. Some say they killed more Jews than they saved; they were certainly hunted down during the war, and after. Through the whole conduct of hostilities on Polish soil and their relationship with the Jewish agencies, the AK was a reluctant band, who utterly failed the Jews in their greatest hour of need.

When I got to this part...

Addressing the evidence of the Jewish hangman, Browning characterizes the Home Army as a “conservative nationalist underground movement” that did indeed kill Jews, but perhaps not at early as 1941. This description may reflect a consensus among surviving Wierzbnik Jews; it does not fit the historical Home Army.

Although the Home Army’s enemy was Nazi Germany, anti-Semitism was indeed a problem in its ranks. On Rosh Hashanah, three weeks after the hangings in Wierzbnik, Polish Prime Minister Władysław Sikorski sent his good wishes from London to the Jewish citizens of Poland via the BBC. Stefan Rowecki, the commander of the Home Army in Warsaw, was irritated; such gestures, he thought, made “the worst possible impression” among Poles.

Many Poles had been inclined to support anti-Semitic parties in the 1930s,

the Jews who did this were forced by the occupier to do so

were excecuted by the Nazis.

And enjoyed doing so

No they were not, as you can read there's post war testimonies which means those Jewish murderers did survive the war to boast about it.

Its interesting to see you justifiy murder of children as long as its done by the Jews and how you ignore the statements of the Jews that they enjoyed it, was the child they hanged anti-semitic?

There are certain Jews who would like to foment hatred between Poles and Jews. M-G is one of them here on PF.

If he can show that AK had a policy to kill Jews for the sake that they were Jews and not traitors and thus deserving to be killed he might have a point, but he can't since he has no knowlegde of our forces and is generally a Polonophobe

I, personaly, find it disgusting that this forum is a venue for shitting on anything Polish. Under the false name Polish Forums, the administrator of this site hides behind the 'freedom of speech' to ignore obvious, grossly offensive acusations like the idiot M-G makes. I don't even want to mention that there are no Polish mods on this site, but the Admin is supposely Polish. Tell me Admin, why are you completely absent from modding these obvious Poland haters. You have heard of AK, haven't you? Speak up, son.

Polish-Jewish relations - people are NEVER critical of testimonies.

Of course you bypass the fact that there were anti semites in the AK as it doesn't fit in your picture of the AK, doesn't it?

There were antisemites in the Home Army, simply because there were antisemites in the Polish society

I makes sense as the AK was a reflection of Polish society at the time, with the exception of the Communists and extreme Right-wing, so it is for certain that the anti semitic element that was for sure present in Polish society before the war was also present in the AK.

Stating today that the AK was antisemitic is quite an insult

Mocking people who react emotionally to this accusation

Also I refer to a famous Home Army report to Londonw which simply stated that Polish society was (still is ?) antisemitic to its very core.

sobieski:
Also I refer to a famous Home Army report to Londonw which simply stated that Polish society was (still is ?) antisemitic to its very core.

Do you perhaps refer to the report by Jan Karski?

Might have confused this and that

Point is, you are biased. Strange but true. Like in 'we remember, have learnt from it, and got over with it'. But Poles are 'still whining about being murdered by millions 70 YEARS AGO'. Not quite so, as discussing Holocaust is still illegal, reparation demands loud and clear, but any attempt of 'antisemitic' Poles in this field, without even mentioning money, is just 'stirring sh1t and causing unnecessary tensions between East and West.' Or whatever.

I am not easily impressed by statements.

I was thinking that this Forum is rather an excuse to vent extreme anti-Jewish sentiments...

This incident goes to show that the Jews who did this were forced by the occupier to do so. At also, let's not forget that these Poles, although Jews were the forced enforcers, were excecuted by the Nazis.

nott: Might have confused this and that

Well it's hard to confuse the only thing I said about the topic as such. And I gave you the quote, so it's not that much work after all. It was exactly the same what you said about it.
Quite remarkable for somebody who is just happily jumping into stuff, eh?

nott: Point is, you are biased. Strange but true. Like in 'we remember, have learnt from it, and got over with it'. But Poles are 'still whining about being murdered by millions 70 YEARS AGO'. Not quite so, as discussing Holocaust is still illegal, reparation demands loud and clear, but any attempt of 'antisemitic' Poles in this field, without even mentioning money, is just 'stirring sh1t and causing unnecessary tensions between East and West.' Or whatever.

So it's biased to not live in the past, but think about the future instead of the wrongdoings that have happened in the past? What would you gain from it? Nobody denies that the Poles have suffered and in many places throughout Western Europe the brave Poles are honoured for their heroism.

I only jump in when it yet again takes an anti-Jewish turn

because I believe that we've been there, seen it and that it's time to move on. And mind you, that is the general opinion in the West. And I'm just another Westerner in that respect. It's the covert racism that attracts my attention the most; those who want to rationalize it and find somehow "proof" for the justness of their claims.

But then again, what can be just about disregarding an entire group of ppl based on the behaviour of some individuals?

And there is a difference between me and them: when some Jews do sth wrong (and I know very well there are bad Jews) it's immediately "the Jews" while I preferrably talke about "some <name nationality>". It's a subtle difference, well, perhaps not so subtle, but it proves too subtle for some.

nott: I am not easily impressed by statements.

"nuff said" is only a replacement for my usual "tiens" as some titties were superstitious concerning the results of the upcoming World Cup. So I replaced it for them while the Championship lasts. After half July it will turn into tiens again.

It's easy for the West to bask in the sun of the well-off freedom and peace, and look down their noses at the nations that have just emerged from the sh1thole created by the war.

I've noticed that you know about the bad Jews, that's one of the good reasons that we are talking. I don't see the difference between 'you and them' as big as you do. Routinely adding 'some' doesn't really change that much.

please accept my sincerest apologies

no offence taken

I was thinking that this Forum is rather an excuse to vent extreme anti-Jewish sentiments...
Anybody heard of the Swietokrzyskie Brigade. A most fascist offspring of the Polish resistance.
Hardened antisemites, betrayed and killed countless Jewish compatriots. And on the end of the war made a deal with the Nazis as to escape the Red Army.

Also I refer to a famous Home Army report to Londonw which simply stated that Polish society was (still is ?) antisemitic to its very core.

Poles are all horibble terrible anti-semites

I just think racism is wrong, very wrong. And it's those whom I go against. I have said it before and I will say it again

I just think racism is not of this age anymore as we only have one ball to live on and we all have to try to get along as we don't get any more than this Earth.

Why would you waste your time on hatred towards others,

I think they might get pissed then.