The Dignity Association, which has longstanding collaboration with the Museum of the Second World War, warned that a lack of response to the unfolding controversy could lead to a boycott of all events organized by the current authorities.
Association members strongly oppose the museum’s decision to remove Polish national figures from its permanent exhibit. They are calling attention to the removal of Captain Witold Pilecki, the Ulma family, and Saint Maximilian Kolbe — prominent individuals who, during World War II, sacrificed their lives for their homeland and for their fellow countrymen. Such removals are interpreted as a betrayal of national memory and moral courage by the association’s leadership. [Citation: wPolityce]
The letter’s authors describe the decision as a troubling departure from shared memory and patriotic sentiment, suggesting that it reflects not only a dispute over private copyright in a public exhibition but also political motives that align with a broader, unsettling shift within state institutions. They argue that changes to the museum’s layout amount to a coup-like move carried out by today’s ruling coalition, and they condemn the use of a pedagogy of shame that, in their view, aims to diminish Polish identity. [Citation: wPolityce]
The association emphasizes that such actions have historical echoes from the era of the Polish People’s Republic, stating that two groups dominated the construction of the new system: those who fix power and those who shape history. In light of the museum’s management decisions, the authors contend that the so-called correctors have reappeared, with some managers reportedly linked to the Catholic University of Lublin, and they call for the immediate dismissal of current museum leadership and a restoration of the former exhibit. They also urge spiritual authorities to engage, given that the memory of significant church figures is perceived to be under assault. [Citation: wPolityce]
– note from the association.
Call to boycott
The Dignity Association announces a boycott of state ceremonies as part of its response to the controversy.
Should there be no response to the scandal, the association, which has partnered with the Museum of the Second World War for many years, states that it will refrain from participating in public celebrations organized by the current authorities. The group also encourages residents of Gdańsk to actively defend the truth within this key cultural institution. [Citation: wPolityce]
The letter is signed by President Czesław Nowak, Vice-President Andrzej Osipów, and Secretary Stanisław Fudakowski. [Citation: wPolityce]
Source: wPolityce