The introduction to the section on Poland of the Annual Report on International Religious Freedom states:

Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion; however, sporadic incidents of harassment and violence against Jews, and occasional desecration of Jewish and Catholic cemeteries continued, mostly generated by skinheads and other marginal elements of society (Sept. 2000).

Please consult the Report for additional information on the situation of Jews in Poland, including societal attitudes towards Jews, manifestations of anti-Semitism and property restitution.

The Website of the Stephen Roth Institute at Tel Aviv University, which monitors anti-Semitism and racism, includes in its 1999/2000 report on anti-Semitism in Poland, information on Jewish religious, educational and cultural organizations, anti-Semitism within political parties and organizations, anti-Semitic propaganda, attitudes towards the Holocaust and the Nazi era, tensions between Jews and Poles over the establishment of crosses at Auschwitz, and property restoration. The report, which is attached to this Response, also lists the following anti-Semitic actions and the state response:

Although vandalism and desecration of Jewish sites does not seem to have increased in recent years, there were several incidents in 1999/2000. The Jewish cemetery in Krakow was vandalized three times in 1999 and in the 30 May attack, tombstones and the funeral chapel were damaged. Participants in the 2000 March of the Living photographed the slogan "Fucking Jewish dogs go to hell" painted on a wall surrounding an industrial enterprise on the road leading from Auschwitz 1 to Auschwitz II (Birkenau).

Lodz was the venue of a number of attacks, perhaps provoked by claims for the restoration of Jewish property, which one observer described as akin to a red flag being waved in the face of a bull. Among the buildings defaced was the home of the last surviving leader of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and former activist in the Solidarity Movement Marek Edelman. This vandalism was roundly condemned by the Polish mass media. In March/April 2000, hundreds of youth participated in a campaign to clean up the graffiti. The next day, however, anti-Semitic graffiti re-appeared throughout the city, including on the synagogue and on Edelman's home.

Jewish community officials also report occasional crank telephone calls and hate mail.

A 19 April 2000 PAP article states:

Anti-Semitic and anti-Romany graffiti appeared during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday [18 to 19 April] on the wall of the Jewish cemetery in Oswiecim....Unknown perpetrators used black spray paint to write, among other things: "Jews and Gypsies to the gas chamber" and "Poland for Poles." The Oswiecim police reported that no no one has been detained so far...Katarzyna Kwiecien, the spokeswoman of the Oswiecim town administration, has said that the slogans will be quickly removed and that the cost would be paid by the town.

A 5 May 2000 PAP article states:

The Jewish cemetery in Wadowice has been vandalized by unknown perpetrators. Thirty five ornamental headstones were knocked over and destroyed, Tadeusz Jakubowicz, head of the Jewish commune in Cracow, told PAP....Tadeusz Jakubowicz reported the damages to the police. Inspector Janusz Barcik from the Wadowice Police force said that preliminary proceedings had already been started.

A 19 November 2000 IPR Strategic Business Information article states:

Prosecutors in Katowice have launched an investigation into the 11 November demonstration by some 400 nationalists who chanted anti-Semitic slogans and burned the EU and Israeli flags (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 13 November 2000), PAP reported on 13 November. The investigation is to determine whether the rally violated laws banning the public propagation of fascism and hate-mongering.

No additional information on the treatment of Jews in Poland, nor on state protection available to them, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Annual Report on International Religious Freedom. September 2000. United States Department of State. Washington, D.C. http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/irf [Accessed 19 Jan. 2001]

IPR Strategic Business Information. 19 November 2000. "Polish Prosecutors Probe Anti-Semitic Rally." (NEXIS)

PAP (Warsaw, in Polish]. 19 April 2000. "Poland: Graffiti Attack on Jewish Cemetery Near Auschwitz Death Camp Site." (FBIS-EEU-2000-0419 19 Apr. 2000/WNC)

_____. 5 May 2000. "Jewish Cemetery Vandalized in Southern Poland." (FBIS-EEU-2000-0505 5 May 2000/WNC)

The Stephen Roth Institute (Tel Aviv). [n.d.]. "Anti-Semitism World Wide 1999/2000: Poland." http://www.tau.ac.il/Anti-Semitism/asw99-2000/poland.htm [Accessed 17 Jan. 2001]

Attachment

The Stephen Roth Institute (Tel Aviv). [n.d.]. "Anti-Semitism World Wide 1999/2000: Poland." http://www.tau.ac.il/Anti-Semitism/asw99-2000/poland.htm [Accessed 17 Jan. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

Correspondence sent to one oral source

IRB databases

NEXIS/LEXIS

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International

Anti-Defamation League

Crosspoint Anti-Racism

Hokaiddo University Slavic Research Centre

Hatewach

Jewishlink - Jews of Poland

Minorities at Risk Project

Minority Rights Group

World News Connection