Polish bishop reportedly calls Holocaust a ‘Jewish invention’
January 26, 2010
A retired Polish auxiliary bishop has created an international controversy after he reportedly called the Holocaust a “Jewish invention.” Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Sosnowiec in 1992, Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek resigned in 1998 at the age of 63.
On the eve of a visit to Poland by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bishop Pieronek, according to an Italian journalist’s report, said that “the Holocaust, as such, is a Jewish invention … Undoubtedly, the majority of those who died in the concentration camps were Jews, but also on the list were Poles, Gypsies, Italians and Catholics. So do not steal this tragedy in the name of propaganda.”
“But they, the Jews, have a good press, because the powerful have the financial resources-- extremely powerful with the unconditional support of the United States,” he reportedly continued. “And this promotes a kind of arrogance, which I consider to be unbearable.”
Bishop Pieronek later denied using the phrase “Jewish invention” and said, “I have not seen the printed text of the interview, which I have given but have not authorized. But if I were to believe in what I hear from the media then it looks as though the final form of the interview was the idea of the journalist that I had spoken to, as the text is full of vague statements.”
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Further information:
- Pacifici racconta barzellette: la Polonia non é antisemita (Pontifex.roma.it)
- Holocaust was a Jewish invention, says top Polish bishop (Polskie Radio)
- Polish bishop accuses Jews of using Holocaust as propaganda (Reuters)
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Posted by: -
Jan. 26, 2010 11:29 AM ET USA
With episcopal retirement should come an episcopal silence! ! ! With retirement the call to episcopal status is inactivated because he no longer is being called to serve the Faith Community. In addition, "silence is golden".
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Posted by: samuel.doucette1787 -
Jan. 26, 2010 10:41 AM ET USA
Funny how this controversy comes out right on the eve of the visit from Netanyahu to Catholic Poland. The leak was timed exquisitely to damage the standing of the Catholic Church. The Bishop was correct to point out that millions of non-Jews died in the Holocaust. Jews do not have a monopoly on suffering during WWII.
