“Words matter” – Polish Embassy launches campaign against “Polish camps” [video]

The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington DC has launched a campaign against using the term “Polish concentratiion camps”. As part of the campaign a new video has been released, which presents the historical facts and emphasizes the use of the appropriate words while talking about World War II. 

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Apart from the video, Polish Embassy in Washington DC has also released a statement explaining the purpose of the whole action:

Since 2004 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all Polish diplomatic missions around the world have taken an active role in this campaign, reacting to instances of historical inaccuracies and false public statements which appear in the international media.  Among the most harmful phrases are “Polish Concentration Camps / Polish Death Camps.” Each year our Embassy undertakes several dozen interventions requesting that inaccurate phrases be replaced with the appropriate words:

“German Nazi concentration/extermination camp in occupied Poland”

or

“Nazi concentration camp/extermination camp in the territory of German-occupied Poland”.

All those interested in this topic should visit the website www.truthaboutcamps.eu where you can find additional information. This website was created through the joint efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Institute of National Remembrance.

We also recommend that everyone, but especially journalists, visit the website https://correctmistakes.auschwitz.org/ where one can access an application created by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Former German Nazi Camp State Museum, that prevents the use of the wording ‘Polish concentration camps’. We encourage editorial teams to use this application in order to avoid mistakes.

We thank all institutions and individuals who continue to aid our diplomatic mission in this crucial campaign.

Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, DC