Shlezak: Ulmów household case

Yesterday I was in Rzeszów at a session of the Sejm, where the main point was to present preparations for the beatification of the Ulmów family. Let me just remind you that this is simply a household from Markowa in the Łańcutki district, which the Germans murdered for hiding Jews.

I had to leave the session due to the fact that in Stalowa Wola I was to talk about different contexts of authoritative celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Ukrainian genocide in Poles in Volyn and another lands belonging to the II Republic. Both historical events combine for me not only in their tragic dimension, but besides through the modern political context.

I started my speech yesterday with a reflection on the political treatment of the victims of planet War II. This treatment boils down to how these victims are commemorated, what rank is appropriate for celebrating the anniversary of their deaths, what media coverage is to mention events related to these victims, and what political pronunciation these celebrations will have. It must be stressed that there is simply a clear hierarchy of importance among these victims. This hierarchy is mainly shaped by political criteria. And so judaic victims are at the highest price, with the rank of judaic victims murdered by Germans decreasing, and the function of judaic victims murdered by Poles is increasing. Jews murdered in Jedwabne are to be an example of the fact that Poles participated in the Holocaust, and for questioning this may not yet go to prison, but media anathema and almost civilian death are certain. At the very bottom of this hierarchy of victims are Poles murdered by Ukrainians. For them, cowardly and insolent governments in Poland could not get a decent burial and even fear to call their demolition genocide. In this text, however, I am more curious in the case of the Ulm family.

Among Jews, the view is that Poles saving their countrymen were exceptions, and it was average to study and execution Jews hiding. It follows a loud claim that Poles should have been much more active in saving Jews. And I ask myself, in this context, why should they become more involved? To begin with, the question of who is required to defend his wellness and property? It is known that for hiding Jews, Poles were threatened with death, and it was for all families. It is comparatively simple to consider the work of individual who takes specified a risk. It's my life, my decision, and I bear the consequences. I'm not putting anyone else at risk. It is different erstwhile it comes to family, or wife and children. In the case of the Ulms, this was a fewer minors. It is apparent that Joseph Ulma did not ask his children whether they agreed to hide Jews.

I don't really know if the children were aware that their parents had chosen specified a heroic and dangerous act. Doubtless, the Ulms deliberately risked their lives, not only their own lives, but besides their children, by choosing to hide the Jews. As parents, did they have a work to defend the lives of their children? I'm willing to agree with that. I can besides presume that it is the right of parents to decide the destiny of minors, but if today's views on the relation between parents and children were to be taken into account, then, no doubt, according to modern standards, it would be essential to deprive Ulmów of parental rights for putting children at hazard of losing their lives. However, we presume that the Ulm's act was highly heroic to the point that it deserves to be counted among the saints.

Taking into account the legal and moral norms regarding relations in families and those of the planet War II, as well as those of the modern world, it should be considered as a rule that parents have a work to defend first and foremost their own offspring and above all from losing their lives. Therefore, 1 cannot blame Polish families, that the fear of the Germans killing the full household prevailed and did not decide to hide Jews. However, this is an absolutely exceptional situation erstwhile parents, saving lives, endanger the lives of their children. I believe that there is an open moral question as to how much parents have the right to hazard their children's lives, especially in cases where they have no knowing of the consequences of their parents' decisions.

It is not my intent to question the legitimacy of Ulm's decision to endanger the lives of their children. I mean, above all, to realize that Polish parents had no work to endanger the lives of their children to save Jews. They may be considered entitled to specified attitudes as the Ulms, but no obligation. Of course, the hierarchy of life protection results from this, but no substance religion or ethical strategy in different civilizations, specified hierarchy exists. It was used, for example, on the sinking ‘Titanic’ and is inactive used. I've never heard her questioned in spite of the rampant feminism. So first you save children, women and old people. Why should Jews have peculiar rights here and Poles have peculiar responsibilities?

Finally, let us return to Ukrainian genocide in Poles. possibly even lower in the hierarchy of victims than Poles are Ukrainians who were murdered by their countrymen due to the fact that they saved Poles. In Ukraine they are considered traitors. In Poland, he barely mentions (I am the first to do so in public during the reconstruction in Radymno in 2013). Since the Catholic Church in Poland puts on the altars of Poles saving Jews, there may be a place on these altars for Ukrainians murdered for saving Poles. This should be done by the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, but there are images of Bandera and another creators of the ideology of Ukrainian Nazism on the altars. So far, the 2 Churches are organising further events in the "we forgive and ask for forgiveness" cycle, from which nothing results. Unfortunately, these facts are a disgrace to bishops and the full Catholic Church in Poland, due to the fact that they simply deny the essence of Christianity.

Andrzej Szlezak

Think Poland, No. 31-32 (30.07-6.08.2023)