A Reporter’s Notebook an Unforgettable Gathering

A major event in the week-long observance of the 40th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the official meeting in this city’s magnificent Opera House. More than 2,000 participants filled this marble and crystal-chandeliered showplace to hear addresses by W. Sokorski of the Union of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy, Kalman Sultanik of the World Jewish Congress, and Stefan Grayek of the World Federation of Jewish War Veterans, and others.

But the true highlight of the evening was the performance by the Warsaw Philharmonic and a large chorus and several soloists of two superb and appropriate works: “A Survivor of Warsaw,” by Arnold Schoenberg, and the “Dies Irae” (composed in memory of those slain in Auschwitz) by K. Penderecki, Poland’s outstanding modern composer.

A great deal was made about the laying of a wreath at the Warsaw Ghetto monument by a PLO representative. Some papers, both the general and Jewish press, especially in the United States and in Israel, subordinated the historic gathering of several hundred Jews from all parts of the world to this non-event.

What was generally overlooked in the overblown and exaggerated reporting was that this wreath laying occurred some hours after the conclusion of the official ceremony. Polish officials pointed out that it would have been difficult to prevent anyone from laying a wreath in this open square and that the action, while regrettable, was not of earthshaking importance.

Nevertheless, a dozen or so members of the official Israeli delegation departed and left behind more than 300 members of the Israeli contingent. The fact of the matter, however, was that those who left had been scheduled, in any event, to return to Israel before the conclusion of the ceremonies.

An aspect of the official program at the outpouring of 22,000 Poles, the vast majority non-Jews, in Auschwitz-Birkenau on Thursday, April 21, was the reading of an “Auschwitz Peace Appeal to the Nations of the World.” The appeal, delivered by K. Smolen, the secretary of the International Auschwitz Committee, stated, in part:

“Our voice, our consistent effort will be a support for all peaceful forces opposing the arms race and the deployment in Europe of new American lethal intermediate range missiles … We appeal for sensible talks in Geneva and Vienna which would lead to an agreement. It is with high indignation that we condemn the fascist and neo-Nazism being reborn in the Federal Republic of Germany and in America …

“We cannot stay silent and be passive in face of the arms race imposed on the world by the U.S. Administration … We appeal to all people of good will to oppose the arms race and the threat of war … Let our voices from here — the biggest cemetery of the world, from Auschwitz-Birkenau, shake the conscience of the world.”

One entire day during the observance was devoted to a visit to the death camp of Treblinka where Jews, and only Jews, were exterminated. An impressive ceremonial of the laying of wreaths was followed by a massive demonstration by 10,000 children who had assembled from all parts of Poland, and who exchanged vows of brotherhood with the delegation of children from Israel. Emotion ran high as the children pledged eternal peace kinship.

The Polish news media gave extensive coverage to the week-long observance of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The press lauded the role and contributions of the Jewish community and some of the papers issued special supplements dealing with the event.

A touching finale to the anniversary activities was the presentation, on Friday, April 22, at Warsaw’s Town Hall of medallions presented by the Institute of Yad Vashem to scores of Poles who, at the peril of their lives, had saved Jews during World War II. The accompanying citation indicated that a tree would be planted for each of the recipients.

Typical of the Poles who were honored were Jan and Elizabeth Koziel, who told this reporter that they had discovered a 20-year-old Jewish woman just escaped from Auschwitz in January, 1945, and they concealed her in their house for some months until the war was over. They explained that the young woman, Regina Richter, now lives in a kibbutz in Israel. The Koziels proudly displayed a medallion which states: “He who saves a life saves the entire world.”

The hundreds of security officers stationed in hotels and at the various sites of the ceremonies throughout the week had been an effective deterrent in preventing any terrorist attacks that might have been planned by PLO adherents.

The various ceremonies had been organized brilliantly and were arranged by the various government departments with dignity and decorum. The Jewish visitors were treated with great care and efficiency by the ORBIS (Official Polish Travel Office) representatives and guides under the expert direction of the head of its commemoration bureau, Zbniew Unger.