Former Polish President Kwaśniewski: I would apologize again for Jedwabne

Former Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski reaffirmed his stance on the 1941 Jedwabne massacre, stating he would apologize again for the event. He first issued an apology in 2001, expressing remorse on behalf of Poles who felt pain and shame for the participation of Polish residents in the murder of Jews.

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Yes, I would apologize again for Jedwabne. These words were needed.

Kwaśniewski acknowledged that his earlier apology was controversial, with some Poles distancing themselves from it. He explained that he apologized for those who felt both pain and shame, recognizing that historical events can be viewed differently. He noted that some people deny or suppress painful historical facts, while others confront actions that do not bring glory and serve as a warning.

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I apologize on behalf of those in whose hearts there is pain and shame for all that happened then.

He stressed that Jedwabne is a microcosm of broader European wartime tragedies, with similar situations occurring in Ukraine and the Balkans. Reflecting on his presidency, Kwaśniewski believes he acted appropriately at the time, and the ensuing debate served an educational purpose, prompting reflection that history is not purely heroic.

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One cannot speak of the state itself. But the murder took place, and it was a murder committed by neighbors, i.e., Polish citizens against Jews, Polish citizens. Poles. Poles drove them into the barn and murdered their Jewish neighbors.

Responding to current views, such as those from the Institute of National Remembrance suggesting the crime was not committed in the name of the Polish state and depended on German occupation, Kwaśniewski clarified that while the Polish state was occupied, the massacre was carried out by Polish citizens against their Jewish neighbors. He stated that war and occupation unleashed such behaviors but did not justify them, and that Polish antisemitism played a role, citing pre-war issues like "ghetto benches" and anti-Semitic publications.

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War and German occupation are elements that unleashed such behaviors, but they do not justify them.