commandment about love helped Witold to survive and turn his weaknesses into a kind of inner strength that united all kinds of people.
In Pilecki's report, the community is very important, and it was important for Witold Pilecki not just in the camp. In his case, one can see that he looks at a particular individual, and not at what role he plays or what titles he or she holds. They' re not "compatriots" and "strangers".
K.K.: Precisely. I see him as a statesman. He was a Pole and was very proud of it, but it was not an exclusionary patriotism, which implied that being Polish, makes me superior to others. He was proud of his origin, but it was as inclusive as it is known today. He never judged others by their religion, ethnic origin or political convictions. Naturally, he had his personal views, which is valuable, because I have the impression that the contemporary media tend to produce people without personal views and are only able to quote what they read on the Internet. While it is important to have a personal outlook, it doesn't necessarily imply that I can't talk to someone with a different view. The anniversary of the first transport to Auschwitz is approaching and, on the one hand, I am glad that we recall how much Poles suffered in the camps. After all, Auschwitz was founded as a camp to destroy the Polish intelligentsia and clergy, and only afterwards did it transform into this widely-known death camp and extermination site for Jews. It's great that we remember that. We must also understand that for Israel and the Jews; it is also a very special place and we cannot, as I observed in the media a year ago, use this place for anti-Jewish campaigns.
This place should unite us with the Jews, and not be a bone of contention. It's not about who suffered more. Every suffering is important, and everyone deserves to be remembered. I find it very painful when people who may not remember those times are involved in such a tone of "demanding" and bidding who has suffered more. I would like us to understand each other better and stop generating unnecessary conflicts.
Auschwitz survivors at the commemoration event of the 79th anniversary of deportation of the first transport of Poles to Auschwitz. Photo: Marek Lach