Historical story

Did Piłsudski love Jews?

What was Piłsudski's attitude towards Jews? The answer to this question comes from a sensational interview with the Polish leader conducted by Israel Cohen in 1918.

Article in the Chicago magazine "Sentinel", No. 173 of June 6, 1935, p. 8; hedgehog. English.

The death of the Polish Dictator Piłsudski was mourned by Jews all over the world, although he headed a government that pursued a policy of economic discrimination against its Jewish citizens. Did Piłsudski love Jews? The answer to this question comes from a sensational interview conducted by a well-known English-Jewish journalist Israel Cohen with the Polish Dictator 17 years ago. We are the first to publish it.

Pogroms of Jews in Poland

(...) Marshal Piłsudski entered slowly, coughing. He was wearing a military outfit - black pants, a gray jacket with a high collar and white cuffs. When he asked me to sit down, I noticed his firm, stealthy gaze, a drooping mustache and short-cut hair, commonly known from postcards with his image, which are ubiquitous in the country. He had obviously had a cold, and there were a few handkerchiefs sticking out of his pocket, except the one he was using to wipe his nose.

The text is an excerpt from Jolanta Żyndul's book “Żydzi i Piłsudski. Selection of sources for the history of Polish-Jewish relations in the interwar period ", which has just been published by the ŻIH Publishing House.

I started by asking which language we could speak - in English, French or German. "In German," he replied. I explained that I had come from England to examine the situation of Jews in Poland due to the unfavorable impression caused by the pogroms.

PIŁSUDSKI: Pogroms broke out due to the sudden collapse of Austrian rule, due to lack of power and hatred of Jewish traders - the only group to benefit from the war. It is true that merchants in all parts of the world have benefited from it. But since so many Jews in Galicia were traders, the hatred easily came against them.

I.C .:Didn't Polish landowners and peasants also benefit from the war?

PIŁSUDSKI:If so, it was because they traded with Jews. The anger was focused on the Jews because they were smugglers and worked as Kettenhändler (brokers) by pushing up prices.

"The present violence cannot continue"

I.C .:Does the government intend to condemn the pogroms?

PIŁSUDSKI:Why do you expect the government to declare that it condemns the pogroms? This would suggest that he is made up of pogroms supporters. It is obvious that the government does not approve of pogroms or any kind of violence against anyone.

According to Piłsudski, the pogroms resulted from the fact that the Jews were the only ones to earn money from the war, which aroused hatred among Poles.

I.C .:Then what about the shooting in the Jewish part of the city, in Nalewki Street, when seven Jews were wounded last Sunday?

PIŁSUDSKI:I don't think it was a serious incident, and I haven't received a full report about it yet. I need to get to know the details. For now, considering the whole situation, I must say that Poles are not philosemites. It has to be admitted. There are many Jews in Poland and they constitute a foreign group that many would like to get rid of. First of all, however, it must be said that Poles are by nature not a wild people, and the violence that is present today cannot continue. Second, as soon as the decision was made to declare Poland's independence, Jews were granted equal rights, as in Western democracies. There were no special laws pertaining to Jews.

Source:

The text is an excerpt from Jolanta Żyndul's book “Żydzi i Piłsudski. Selection of sources for the history of Polish-Jewish relations in the interwar period ", which has just been published by the ŻIH Publishing House.