Trump’s adviser about Poles saving Jews.
“Whoever hears the story of the Righteous [Among the Nations – editor’s note], will never again dare to speak about ‘Polish death camps’ again” – says Johnny Daniels, recognized as one of the 100 most influential Jews in the world. He stressed that they were ready-to-use screenplays. “They sound like James Bond stories” – he said in an interview with the weekly “Do Rzeczy”. Sadly, 72 years after the Holocaust, most of their stories have not even been recorded.
Johnny Daniels is the president of the From The Depths foundation. He was born in the UK. At age 18 he moved to Israel. He is currently an adviser to Donald Trump, as well as many British and American politicians. He also works with the Polish government. In 2015, the influential Jewish magazine “The Algemeiner” named him one of the 100 most influential Jews in the world.
“These are ready-made scenarios for a film”
Johnny Daniels emphasized that he is working with HBO on making a series on their testimonies. These are film scenarios that no one wanted to hear out” – he said. “Take the Warsaw Zoo and the Żabiński family who saved 300 people. Hollywood is making a film about this. Why isn’t Poland?” – he argued. Trump’s advisor emphasized that the Educational Center of the Polish Righteous, which he founded, will try to make up this gap.
Daniels also drew attention to the difficult life situation of the approximately 250 Righteous who still live in Poland. “Why can’t some of them even afford medicine? After all, they should be indulged by the state. All governments so far have forgotten about them. It often so happens that people call me to ask if I can give a speech at a member or the deceased Righteous’ funeral. But who am I to do so?” – he said.
“We cannot escape the stigma of Holocaust”
The subject of discussion was also about the fight against the so-called “Polish death camps”. “If you can penalize Holocaust denial, why not do the same with the ‘camp lie’? Unfortunately, the American and Israeli diasporas think that Poles want to wash their hands of the wrongdoings inflicted upon Jews, deprive ‘the truthful’ Gross of his the right to speak the truth, and clean up their own past. On the other hand the Poles do not understand how they can be accused of anything while forgetting about the real architects of genocide” – he argued.
According to Daniels, it is a breakdown of communication. “Instead of demonstrating logic deficiencies, as is the case of the idiotic assertion by Gross in which Poles killed more Jews than Germans, the response was emotional” – he stressed. In his opinion, a similar restraint should be exemplified by the Jews who have also had many embarrassing episodes in recent history.
“We cannot escape the stigma of Holocaust, however, both countries must, at the same time, tell this part of their history that sheds light on the true Polish heroes who risked their lives to save Jews. My countrymen usually come back from Poland with their heads hanging low. Meanwhile, when I tell them about the Righteous, and show the places where they were sheltering their brethren, something within them changes. They are finding, in the Holocaust, a place for heroism and hope” – he stressed.
“He who saves a single life, saves the entire world”
The title of “Righteous Among the Nations” is awarded by the Jerusalem Yad Vashem Institute to people who risked their own lives and the lives of their loved ones to rescue Jews from the Holocaust during World War II. Apart from being awarded the title, a person is immortalized with their name inscribed on the Wall of Honor in the Yad Vashem Garden of the Righteous, and granted honorary Israeli citizenship. The medal bears a sentence: “He who saves a single life, saves the entire world.” In As of January 26th, 2016, 26,120 people were awarded worldwide. Poles are the largest group – there are 6,620 of them.
Do Rzeczy, tvp.info, PAP, IAR