No. 11 Jan Karski

Courage and Hope in Times of Despair

The speech of the University Stony Brook Freshman, Jakub Juszczyk. 

Delivered during Karski’s Awards Night at the Polish Consulate in Manhattan May 9, 2016.

The event was co-organized by Polish-Jewish Dialog Committee 

and Polish American Congress, Long Island Division

(originally, it was an essay prepared for the scholarship competition 

of “Polonia of Long Island”)

During times of crisis, when situation becomes increasingly drastic and tyranny turns to victory, heroes who rise against the epidemic of death and oppression can make a difference.

In 1939, as Adolf Hitler began to conquer Europe and the war was raging, his troops commenced
the process of annihilation of those whom he considered “inferior” - the Jews, the Slavs,

 the Gypsies. The number of Jewish individuals living in Poland before the war was the largest of all European countries (10 % of the overall population or 3.5 million). 

Notable is the fact that the Jewish community enjoyed sanctuaries and acceptance that it could not find elsewhere in the world.

Poland, when compared to other countries under the occupation, had the strongest resistance movement. It was the only country under the occupation, in which anyone found associating with Jews or helping them in any way was executed by the Germans, along with his or her entire family on the spot. Despite the threat of an eminent death, the Poles are credited with the greatest number of “Righteous Among the Nations”. Thousands of Polish people assisted the Jews, often at the expense of their own lives. 

Colonel Tadeusz Bednarczyk, the Polish underground’s intelligence officer who worked undercover as a taxman in the Warsaw Ghetto and had a very good orientation in Jewish affairs, stated that about 100,000 Poles were directly engaged in helping the Jews and about a million did so indirectly. Some of the most notable included Jan Karski and Irena Sendler, both of whom were given recognition beyond the borders of their homeland.

Jan Kozielewski, (who later took the name Karski), was born in 1914 in Łódz, Poland. He completed demography studies at Lwów University and embarked on a career as a civil servant at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When Poland was occupied by Germany, Kozielewski joined the Polish Underground. His photographic memory made him ideal for the job of courier between the underground in Poland and the Polish government-in-exile that was first in France and after the fall of France, moved to London. 

During one of his trips, Jan Karski was captured by Germans and severely tortured. He was later smuggled out of the hospital and after a short rehabilitation returned to work in the underground. In 1942, when Hitler’s “final solution” began, Karski was given the mission, then as a member of the Home Army (Armia Krajowa), to inform the Polish government in-exile in London about the carnage that the German troops were performing on Polish soil. He reported on the brutalities of the Third Reich, including the extermination of the Jewry. Passing as an Estonian guard, he personally visited the transit point to the Bełżec death camp. As the first-hand witness of the atrocities of the Germans, he provided detailed descriptions of the horror of the Holocaust. Following his report to the Polish Foreign Minister,  Count Edward Raczyński, Karski was able to inform the Allied forces about the German crimes done on the territory of occupied Poland. 

In 1943, Karski arrived in the United States and met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt to share the obtained information about the horrors taking place in Europe under Hitler's occupation. The President was far from interested and insisted on ignoring the subject. During their meeting, Roosevelt asked about the condition of horses in Poland. He did not ask one question about the Jews. When Karski asked if there was any message he should deliver upon his return, the President’s only answer was: "Tell them we shall win this war!" The Chief Executive of the United States was greatly disinclined to listen to the account Karski was providing, and ignorantly dismissed the man who was one of the most accurate describers of the Jewish situation in German-occupied Poland. 

Karski went on to meet with many other government and civic leaders in the United States, including Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter, Cordell Hull and Rabbi Stephen Wise. Frankfurter, skeptical of Karski's report, said later "I did not say that he was lying, I said that I could not believe him.” Karski presented his report to media, members of the Hollywood film industry and artists. However, they refused to acknowledge his testimony to be true and did nothing to help the European Jewry. Karski to the last days of his life, could not understand why his message and proposals were ignored. 

In October of 2012, 12 years after his death, Jan Karski received, posthumously, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honor that the US can award to civilians) for his efforts to spread the information that he firsthand obtained - risking his and the lives of others - to the Allies in an effort to prevent the genocide. He will always be remembered as a man who tried to stop the Holocaust. 

During the very speech meant to honor Karski's deeds, President Obama used the phrase "Polish concentration camps," which echo loudly in Poland as this slogan is often used by individuals who are indolent or ignorant, or simply lack the proper education and understanding of European history, or are... full of ill will. 

Sadly, today, there are often instances in which such heroes are omitted and Poland is often referred to as a country that assisted the Germans in carrying out its extermination, rather than one that attempted to prevent it. This could be a result of ignorance or act of provocation. 

Besides Jan Karski and Irena Sendler (who helped to save 2500 Jewish children) or Henryk Sławik, a Polish diplomat who was providing the Jews with false diplomatic identities in German-occupied Hungary and the Ulma family, who were executed for hiding two Jewish families in their house, there were myriads of others who assisted the persecuted community anonymously, and history will never know the names of most of them. 

Possibly, when people will learn of the scope of what the courageous men and women did during the German occupation and how difficult it was to stand against Germans’ demands, they will understand the importance of the Poles who voluntarily helped their fellow men survive. 

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to remind you about courage of our Polish countrymen in times when so many forget or disturb historical facts. 

added by zk:

On the Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom Hashoah, Thursday, May 5, 2016 (4 days before the Karski’s event), Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman and his students from Random Mesivta ,a private High School on Long Island were protesting in front of the Polish Consulate in New York: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vteeXsAqvYU

No. 10 - Pensions: taxes, reductions, benefits

Taxes of pensions (points A and B)

US - Social Security and Polish - ZUS or KRUS

( prepared by: Elizabeth Baumgartner, Zbyszek Koralewski and Teodor Lachowski;

translated by Zbyszek Koralewski; edited by Richard Brzozowski )

Useful Information based on the provisions which existed at the middle of the year 2016.

The rules will change after the ratification of the Polish-American tax agreement, signed on 

February 13, 2013 and approved by the Polish parliament on June 21, 2013.

Note: recipients of Social Security residing in Poland may resign from purchasing 

Medicare insurance.

Reductions in pensions  (point C)

 persons who have reached the full American retirement age can work without a reduction in benefits of Soc. Sec. and also ZUS is not reduced for people who have reached the full Polish retirement age. However, 0 % ; 50 % ; or 85 % of your benefits may be taxable – p. A. 1.

If you are below the full retirement age and work, your Soc. Sec. and ZUS may be reduced. 

How to receive spousal benefits free (point D)

Take advantage of the option called "Spousal benefits".

Requirements: your spouse started to draw Soc. Sec. pension and you are at least 62 years old.

You can choose to receive a pension; the amount will depend on your age and the amount of your spouse's retirement - how much you are entitled, check here: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/quickcalc/spouse.html

About the Polish American pension matters you can read in: www.poradnikSukces.com

A.  People who live in US and have:

1. Only US retirement / pension - pay: American income tax on income from around the 

     world depending on the amount and type of their income, and other factors (0 to 36.9%).

     This is explained in the publication 915: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf 

     Your Social Security will not be taxed if the sum of 1/2 of Soc. Sec benefits plus all the other
     income is lower than $25 000 for individuals and $32 000 for married couples . Above

     these limits 50% of your benefits will be taxed. Above the sum of $34 000 for singles and 

     over $44 000 for married filing together, 85% of Social Security benefits is taxable. Married

     couples living together and filing separately pay tax on 85% of the pension regardless of the

     sum of ½ Soc. Sec. benefits + other income. 

2. American and Polish retirement / pension - pay:

     a. US income tax on income from around the world (Including Polish retirement)

          see above  p. A 1 

     b. Income tax in Poland from Polish retirement. Polish payer -ZUS, KRUS- deducts tax of 

           18% (information below in p. B. 5. a.)

     c. A part of the American retirement of Soc. Sec., which is reduced under of the provisions 

         of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) because of receiving a Polish retirement 

         pension.  The size of reduction (up to 50% of the Polish pension) depends on the number 

         of years in the Social Security system. It does not apply when: 

           • pensions calculated on the basis of American and Polish retirement periods based on
              the Polish-American pension agreement of 2008 (the so-called. combined pension),
           • pensions from private sources,
           • survivors//family benefits.

3. Only Polish retirement / pension - pay:

     a. income tax in Poland for Polish pensions - ( p. B. 5. a. )

     b. income tax in the US --- ( see above p A. 1 ) .

Note: Double taxation of pensions in Poland and in the United States is partially reduced
            through the use of the Foreign Tax Credit (IRS Form 1116 ).

B.  Persons who have returned to Poland and have:

1. Only American retirement / pension and US citizenship - pay :

    a. US income tax to the IRS on income from around the world - see p. A. 1.

    b. Polish income tax on American pension and income from around the world - see p. B. 5. a.

    c. Contribution to the National Health Fund (health insurance ) withheld by the bank in Poland 

        - see p. B. 5. b.

2. Only US retirement / pension and do not have US citizenship - pay:

    a. American non-resident tax withheld by the US payers: 30% of the pension from the private

        sector, 25.5% of their Soc. Sec. and 30% on the withdrawals from private retirement 

        accounts (eg. IRA, 401 (k))

    b. Polish tax on revenues from all over the world - see p. B. 5. a.

    c. health insurance contribution which is deducted from Soc. Sec. - see p. B. 5. b.

3. Polish and American retirement / pension and US citizenship - pay:

    a. US income tax on income from around the world - see p. A. 1.

    b. Polish income tax on income from around the world (including pensions Polish and 

         American) – p. B. 5. a.
        Please note that the double taxation can be avoided by reporting to Polish Tax Institutions,
                                proof of tax payment in the US.

    c. the contribution to the National Health Fund (health insurance) - p. B. 5. b.

    d. the part of the Soc. Sec pension, which is reduced on basis of WEP - p. A. 2. c.

4. Polish and American income and do not have US citizenship - pay:

     a. American non-resident tax - see p. B. 2. a.

     b. Polish income tax on income from all around the world (including pensions) 

           - see p. B. 5. a. 

              Please note that the double taxation of American retirement can be avoided in Poland

              on the basis of a confirmation from the American Consulate of paying US taxes for 

              non-residents.

     c. the contribution to the National Health Fund - see p. B. 5. b.

     d. part of the pension from Soc. Sec., which is reduced based on WEP - p. A. 2. c.

5. Only Polish income - pay:

    a. Polish income tax. ZUS deducts 18% to the payment of pensions as so called tax down 

        payment.
        Since 2009 the amount of 3,089 zł is tax-free. Tax rate is 18% of income up to 85.528 zł
        and 32% on income over 85.528 zł.

     b. contribution to the National Health Fund collected by ZUS in the value of 9%
          of which 7.75% of the premium reduces the tax levied on withdrawals.

C.  Reduction of Social Security benefits and ZUS because of employment

1. Recipients of retirements of the Social Security below the full retirement age will be 

    deducted  $ 1 of a pension for every $ 2 earned in the US over the limit of $ 15.720 ( year 

    2016 ) . In the year of completion of full retirement age they will be deducted $ 1 for every $ 3 

    of earnings over $ 41.880.
    Warning: if you have worked 45 hours or more in a month outside the US your Soc . Sec. 

                      will be suspended.

2. Recipients of the ZUS pension below the full retirement age have benefits reduced if their

    earnings exceed 70 % of the average monthly salary in Poland and suspended if they earn 

     more than 130 % of the average wage. 

D.  How to receive spousal benefits free

Call your local Soc. Sec. office and arrange a meeting on the "spousal benefits" (bring: passports or permanent resident cards and marriage certificate). Should the clerk not be familiar with these benefits, ask for a manager. You state that you choose to limit yourself temporarily to the amount which is equal to a part of your spouse’s benefits (and depends on your age) until such time as you decide to switch to your Soc. Sec. For a spouse who has reached full retirement age (min. 66) request a "Restricted spousal application". In the interim, the applying spouse pension will grow 8% per year (even if not working). At age 70, the applying spouse must take their own Soc. Sec. benefits.

Note: The budget law of 2015 eliminates the “restricted spousal application” for people born after January 1954 year. Also the option of "file and suspend" will end April 29, 2016 r. Read about it in: http://www.clarkhoward.com/new-laws-that-will-affect-social-security

Note: spousal pension is available for wives and husbands, even if he/she lives in Poland and never visited the US , but the spouse worked in the US and receives Social Security benefits.

No. 9 - KOD what it is, who is financing...

(prepared and translated by Zbigniew Koralewski, edited by Richard Brzozowski)

What is the Committee for the Defense of Democracy - CDD ( Komitet Obrony Demokracji - KOD).

This political opposition movement arose suddenly, one day after the Sejm (Polish Parliament) elections, and before the parliament began its work. It means that the CDD began organizing earlier, after the surprising defeat of Bronislaw Komorowski in the spring of 2015. The unidentified CDD Board members publicly stated that democracy in Poland is threatened by PIS (party of Law and Order). Well educated persons, most of them prominent, associated with the former ruling coalition of the PO (Citizen’s Platform) and PSL (Polish Peasant Party), organize demonstrations on the streets of Polish towns. 

The CDD and their supporters are less concerned with what is good for Poland and more concerned with the loss of their privileges. Their skillful propaganda and appealing slogans on Facebook was viewed by more than 25 thousand people in just three days, and quickly gained attention. They recruited to their cause many opportunists and people who do not really know what is actually going on. CDD activists convinced many demonstrators that Poland does not need reforms, that everything is ok, that nothing needs to be changed and that the newly elected authorities want to establish a dictatorship. They introduced more than 70 abusive epithets to chant during demonstrations. For example, "Down with the Duck!" (referring to the leader of PIS), and the more sophisticated "We will not remain silent when our freedom is trampled" and other rhyming and catching statements which excite crowds but do not relate to current events and issues. The activists’ intentions are to provoke riots, to make it difficult to govern and to ultimately overthrow the new government. CDD did not hesitate to ask support from the European Union, American senators and the world media which are unfriendly to Poland. Such shameful lobbying is no different than the “Targowica” betrayal, when a faction of Poles appealed Poland's enemies not to accept the reforms of the Constitution of May 3. The "Targowica" action contributed to 

the partition of Poland 200 years ago. The link to the letter of 3 senators:

http://www.cardin.senate.gov/download/2-10-16-blc-mccain-durbin-letter-to-polish-pm-on-freedom-of-press

and the PAC President's response: http://www.pac1944.org/presoffice/2016/SpulaLet2USSens.pdf

The opposition in democratic system is always there and can take two forms: 

The first is constructive opposition – it controls the government and protests against wrong decisions, while concurrently supporting initiatives that are useful.
The second form is obstructive opposition – it leads to total war with the government

and weakens its operations, even if government’s actions are beneficial to its citizens.

CDD is an energetic, vociferous and obstructive opposition. It threatens a second Majdan 

(such as in the Ukraine). Its dangerous activities serve Poland's enemies.

A couple of quoted comments:

~ Mieczyslaw: "As a worker and as a citizen of the Republic of Poland, I've had enough, and I cannot take more of these nasty fellows of CDD. Can you leave in peace this Government, chosen by me and by the majority of the nation? What are you all afraid of? After all, you are honest, hardworking, and blameless citizens with no wrong doing. You do not cheat; you are not caught up in scandals and corruption. You are righteous citizens. So what are you afraid of? You use PIS to scare others. What's wrong with you? Write boldly, maybe you have something on your conscience. Oh, that means order must be restored, while there is time."

~ Julita: "Who takes part in these marches? Maybe there is a bit of ordinary people, but mostly politicians, actors, bankers, journalists, officials of non-governmental organizations, or people very well lined up, who are worried that their grants and funds accounts will decrease. Some people (those who organize marches) are counting on political careers, and others are worried about their positions, many of them in support of the PO and PSL lived well at the expense of the nation, 

and now it may be that they are not useful, and even damaging to us. Hence is the lament.”

Who is funding this spontaneous, grass-roots movement (as CDD likes to advertise itself)?
CDD is supported by foreign institutions and individuals that want Poland to be a colony. The leftist paper “Gazeta Wyborcza” and TV station “TVN” were grateful for example to George Soros, who through the Batory Foundation, donated 150 million zlotych to the fight for " democracy in Poland".

Activists of CDD. 

The political voice of a majority of Polish citizens was ignored during the Tusk, Komorowski and Kopacz administration. The CDD was not organized then to defend Poland's natural resources, namely foreign acquisition of forests and mines, nor falsification of Polish history and demands of Jewish organizations for $ 65 billion in compensation for property lost during World War II. According to the media, CDD is directed by Matthew Kijowski, born 1968 in Warsaw. He is a journalist, has a blog and is active in his parish. He claims that he is motivated by genes inherited from his parents. It is sad that those same genes did not motivate him to defend democracy and bring out thousands of people onto the streets during the administration of government ran by PO and PSL. Among the activists who spoke and/or marched in the front ranks of recent demonstrations is a prominent judge, Jerzy Stepien, former Solidarity activist and former president of the Constitutional Court, participant in the Solidarity Round Table talks and recipient of numerous awards. And there are others: Agnieszka Holland - theater and film director is quoted as saying that the objective of the demonstrations "is to keep things the way they were"; Ryszard Petru - CEO of Modern Party; Marcin Święcicki - "prominent democrat" and former member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party; Andrzej Mischka – Polish catholic deacon, entrepreneur, blogger and former opposition activist during PRL; Karol Modzelewski - former opposition activist; Wanda Nowicka - member of leftist Palikot's Movement; Aleksander Smolar - currently CEO of Stefan Batory Foundation funded by George Soros ; Szymon Gutkowski - board member of Stefan Batory Foundation. Other prominent activists are :Tomasz Cimoszewicz - the son of former prime minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz; Radomir Szumełda - PO politician, one of the founders of the CDD; Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz - Polish lawyer and spokesperson for the Modern party; Paul Rabiej - co-founder of the Modern party. Acting under the euphanism "threats to freedom" are equally prominent individuals supporting the previous government; journalists like Jacek Zakowski; Stefan Bratkowski - founder of Gazeta Wyborcza and Agora; his daughter Catherine Bratkowska - promoter of gender movement; Peter Rachtan - former member of the PO; Tomasz Lis, Ewa Wanat, Renata Kim, Slawomir Sierakowski, Jaroslaw Kurski, Seweryn Blumsztajn. And, politicians like Slawomir Neumann, Wladyslaw Kosiniak- Kamysz, Barbara Nowacka. The activists listed above, under the guise of "citizens' initiative”, through the CDD, seek to catch “the second political breath”. The CDD‘s main ideologue, Piotr Pacewicz, “Gazeta Wyborcza” journalist, a specialist in revolutions, supports, among other, the slogan, " Down with Communism". It is humorous that next to him marched Marek Baranski supporting the PRL authorities during marshal law and criticizing the opposition. Lech Walesa, through his speeches also supports the CDD, as well as infamous Prof. Jan Tomasz Gross who during a recent visit to Germany, quoted from his published research paper, "that Poles were proud of their resistance to Nazi occupiers, but actually during the war they killed more Jews than Germans. "

Recruitment methods (interesting and educational)
It is easy to research and obtain information via internet search engines on 

 " How to join the CDD ":
“If you agree with our manifesto and do not want to be passive but want to join us, you can do it in a following way : contact one of our coordinators from the region in which you live and learn how to proceed.” You will be referred to a impressive list of coordinators in Poland and in the world: http://komitetobronydemokracji.pl/koordynatorzy-regionalni-komitetu-obrony-demokracji/  

WE CAUTION AND ADVISE YOU TO THINK AND EVALUATE THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN POLAND BEFORE YOU SUPPORT ANTI GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATIONS AND ACTIVITIES AS ADVOCATED BY THE CDD. 

Addition - the recent mechanical failure of the presidential car should have raised justified concern. However, for CDD’s sympathizers, the accident has become an opportunity for ridicule and malicious comments on their Facebook page. Some of the comments:

Zenon Kaczorowski : Oh , what a pity . Cezary Bak : I wish him death in agony . 

Ted Roznicki : I thought that we would do collection for flowers. It is sad it did not happen 

Helena Jałosinska : I was ready to spend my entire retirement check on flowers, and let it be 

Ryszard Koczyrkiewicz : I wish there was a birch tree. Krystyna Wardziak : the incident was 

a warning , the second will not be.  Art Dru : Unfortunately, nothing happened to him. Bartosz Czerniec : We are waiting for the replay - this time effective. Krzysztof Tomasz Ratajczak : pity, lightning should have struck him, so I was hoping. Wojtek Woś: Too bad shit, and it would be cool. 

There are hundreds of such entries. In the vast majority with the names and photographs. Without embarrassment, with complete openness. After all, people of the Committee for the Defense of Democracy are blatantly outspoken. 

No. 8 - Opinion of the German MEP

synopsis and translation Zbyszek Koralewsk , editing Prof. Anthony J. Bajdek 

link to the original article:

http://wiadomosci.wp.pl/kat,1329,title,Hans-Olaf-Henkel-dla-Do-Rzeczy-sankcje-dla-Polski-to-bylby-koniec-UE,wid,18125498,wiadomosc.html?ticaid=1165ff

There are two reasons for attacks on the new government in Poland: the Polish opposition did not come to terms with its defeat in the elections, and the other due to 

the fact that the countries of Central and Eastern Europe: Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia, are not enthusiastic about EU centralism, and they do not want to have a second Moscow in the form of Brussels, which will tell them what to do -- says Hans-Olaf Henkel, the German MEP (Member of European Parliament) from the EK fraction, in an interview with the weekly "Into the stuff ".

Hans-Olaf Henkel PAP/EPA / DPA

Dominika Ćosić: Did the Prime Minister Beata Szydło succeed during the debate

in the European Parliament (EP) to convince the skeptics ?
Hans-Olaf Henkel: With skeptics she did not. In the EP there are people who just do not want to be convinced. You can show them the facts, clearly and lucidly, and they still will not admit them (i.e., the facts) to their consciousness and will continue to stick to their ideology. 

This presentation, however, had an impact on people who have open minds.

And there are those?

-I think so. But certainly the farther to the left and the farther to the right [one may be], it is harder to meet these types of people. It is clear that the Polish opposition can not accept that they lost the election. This is a Polish problem. I can only appeal to the current Polish opposition [to] the Polish problem not to make [it a] European [problem]. Growing tensions hurt Poland and Europe. The second axis of the division concerned ideology because there are [those] in the EP parties wanting greater centralization of the Union -- federalism -- and those for whom such a vision is not acceptable. The new Polish government, like me, belongs to the latter group. And it was [thus] 

the second division of supporters of and opponents to European centralism.

What according to you is the main reason for the attacks on the new Polish government?

-There are two reasons about the first I have already stated: the Polish opposition does not come to terms with its defeat in the election, which was visible even in the discussion. The second reason stems from the fact that the countries of Central and Eastern Europe: Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia are not enthusiastic about EP centralism and do not want to have a second Moscow in the form of Brussels, which tells them what to do.
And in all of this there is an additional German element which makes the whole situation even more dramatic and difficult. As a German, who is reading [and] watching international media, I notice clearly that the German media and German politicians are leading the criticism of the Polish government. Something like that I can hardly see in the French press, a relatively small extent in the UK, [and] in Italy the theme is almost non-existent. A little bit is written about it in Austria and the Netherlands. This strong German instructive voice has a good cause – Germans have ambition to be a global moral superpower. They want to save the world's climate, marginalize nuclear energy, save the eurozone; [they] saved Greece three times, along with Ireland, Portugal, Spain, [and] now save refugees from different countries. Finally, they believe that they have to save Polish democracy. The reason for this moral arrogance of many German politicians -- and the best example is the chairman Schulz -- is that the generation of Germans born after the war feels obliged to show its high, overblown morality.
Mr Schulz attacks Poland, speaking [either] of a coup or of democracy in the style of Putin. It is not only the greatest wickedness, I've heard, while an MEP, but also a total lack of respect for 

the letter of the law. Everyone says that we should wait for the verdict of the Venice Commission, while this man does not wait, because he had already judged Poland. I asked him in a speech to apologize to the Polish people. He did not do it. Why?

A spokesman for the Chancellor distanced himself recently from the comments of some German politicians calling for the imposition of sanctions on Poland. 

 
-Ideas such as imposing sanctions on Poland are ridiculous, completely ridiculous.
Fortunately, they will not be realized, because it would be the end of the European Union.

How should the Polish government be in responding to the attacks by Mr. Schulz and 

the German government? Do not treat Mr. Shultz as a representative of the government

in Berlin and possibly answer only to him?

-My advice is that the Polish government should be confident in responding and show it. Do not attack the German Government for the words of Mr. Schulz. 

The German government, moreover, has serious problems now, and they are on several fronts. About the effects of "policy of Willkommen" [i.e., "Welcome"] I have alredy stated, and it is also 

a question of giving up nuclear energy, which has caused a dramatic increase in energy prices. 

The price of electricity in Germany is the second highest in the world. For this reason, many foreign and German companies begin to retreat from Germany. The crisis in the eurozone has not been resolved; Greece does not carry out reforms. In short, Mrs. Merkel does not need to open another front, that being,

 the deterioration of relations with Poland. And there is also no reason to "teach" the Polish government. And the government in Warsaw should be aware of that.

No.7 - Today's Targowica

author: Prof. Vladimir J. Korab-Karpowicz

(translation Zbyszek Koralewski, editing Prof. Anthony J. Bajdek)

The original article was published January 3, 2016 by A303W POLSKA:

http://wolna-polska.pl/wiadomosci/dzisiejsza-targowica-prof-w-j-korab-karpowicz-2016-01

Today's Targowica uses the slogan "threatened democracy." Instead of appeals to Moscow, today's appeals are to Brussels. The motivations, however, are the same: the defense of their [i.e.,Nowoczesna, KOD and others] interests and lost privileges. Today there are not aristocratic privileges, but the party’s privileges.

  We all probably remember from school textbooks what Targowica had been, but it is worth recalling this story. When the party of reform led to the enactment in 1791 of the May 3rd Constitution, which cut the excessive privileges of the nobility and led to a positive reform of the state, a group of those dissatisfied appeared, who supposedly in the name of "endangered freedom", but actually defending their own interests, formed a confederation in Targowica. The aim of the Targowicans was to abolish the Constitution of May 3rd and restore the old privileges. To achieve their goal, they did not hesitate to ask Moscow for help.

Politics can be understood in two ways: as an art of governing, or as a struggle for power. If in coming to govern are people whose aim is to benefit the state [or simply stated, the public in general] politics acquires the characteristics of the art of governing, and therefore, control of the state in a way that serves the general good [of society] and reinforces its strength. Dr. Andrzej Duda’s winning the presidential election and the PiS in the parliamentary elections is an expression of the will of the majority of society. The majority concluded that the previous ruling party -- PO -- and associated with it ideologically President Bronislaw Komorowski didn't rule the state well. Society refused [to extend] further credit of its trust. That's what democracy is. In a country with a democratic system, power can be exchanged. Currently, it happened in Poland.

PO, Modern and other groups associated with the opposition, as once with the group of people opposing the Constitution of May 3rd, they [PO, Modern] can not come to terms with the loss. The political loss means curtailing the privileges associated with the exercise of power. They are supported by a considerable number of the media which proves that the media are not independent. Programs run by Lis, Kraska and many other well-known journalists are clearly biased. Also, they get support from politicians such Walesa and Cimoszewicz, whose political lives have already ended long ago. So clearly, they want to take on this opportunity, and even from the [political] grave, to remind about their existence.

The main argument of the opposition is that the PiS does not have an explicit program, and it wants to dominate the Polish political scene. Meanwhile, in January 2014 the congress of PiS was held, on which the program framework had been carefully delineated; and if it comes to the second plea, the winners always hold winning in their palm. It goes without saying that the center-right party, and this is Law and Justice, will move away from the solutions of the liberal-leftist PO, and put in place their own.

Modern democracy is based, on the one hand, on free, regular elections, and on the other, on ensuing basic civil liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion and assembly. Both due to the system of legislation and social practice, Poland is one of the most democratic countries in the world. For example, the way the media criticize the government now would be in many countries unthinkable. Poles have the freedom to manifest their views and association, and most importantly, have the opportunity to recall authority, in regular elections, which did not meet their expectations or abused their trust.

Freedom should be distinguished from anarchy. Anarchy is chaos, manipulation, confusing intent,
undermining of authority. The current actions of Modern, KOD and other groups directed against the democratically elected President of the Republic and the winning PiS party, are spreading anarchy in Poland and do not have much in common with democracy. Rather than being called "the Committee of Defense of Democracy", CoD should rather be called CoA (Committee of Anarchy). When, in turn, Walesa and others go so far as to defame the President of Poland and the Polish Government abroad, they reveal themselves as today's Targowica whose desire is not concerned about the common good, but its own [benefit], and in this quest do not hesitate to request assistance of foreign powers.

Poland has an old democratic tradition, dating back to the 1st Republic, but of democracy apparently, we still must learn together. It is essential to distinguish democracy from anarchy. The enormous value of democracy is the possibility of sharing power, but this exchange can not take place under the influence of pressure groups or organized by their protests, but through democratic elections. Victorious parties should be accorded the credit of trust and an appreciation of the fact that its choice expresses the will of the majority in society.

Vladimir J. Korab-Karpowicz

Vladimir Julian Korab-Karpowicz, philosopher and political thinker. He studied at the Gdansk University of Technology (electrical engineering) and Catholic University of Lublin (philosophy). He received his doctorate from Oxford University, and habilitation at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. In 1991-1992, he was vice-president of Gdańsk. He worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as First Secretary of the Polish Embassy in Oslo, and was an adviser to the European Commission. Professor/instructor of Lazarski University in Warsaw and Zayed University in Dubai. The author of the "Tractatus Politico-Philosophicus" and many other works in the field of political philosophy.

More about changes in Poland :
http://takimag.com/article/sour_grapes_over_poland_chodakiewicz_wellisz#.VqhcGThvJdE.email

No. 6 - Four Letters to European Parliament

Written by: 

Bishop of Włocławek,
PAC-Long Island,
PAC South & North California,
 PAC President

December 15, 2015
Dear Mr. Martin Schulz,  President of European Parliament  
Willy-Brandt-Ring 1    D-52477 Alsdorf
Deutschland – Niemcy

With great amazement and indignation I have read your opinion about the "coup" in Poland. I really know my country better than you. I have lived in my homeland for 70 years already. I assure you that the elections  for the President and the new government in Poland are not evidence of an absence of democracy.

The elections showed that most ordinary citizens of my country want change. The problem is that those, who hitherto had authority to govern, on this decision lost. Therefore, they do not want to surrender to the verdict of the election, and use for their interests the European Parliament. Under your leadership, Parliament is certainly busy with very important issues, including the length of a candle's flame and the amount of water in a toilet’s tank.

There are no politicians today in Brussels with class, or people looking for the common good of the societies making up the European Union. Political correctness coupled with pettiness is not conducive to wisdom.
It is a pity, as Mr. Chirac once said, that you also “lost the opportunity to keep quiet".

I know that you will not change your position and will not apologize to Poles. Greatness is required to recognize one’s own mistake. Therefore, at the "winter holidays" (as you call Christmas),
I wish you prudence, wisdom and imagination.  

+ Wiesław Mering,  Bishop of Włocławek

January 9, 2016

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Open Letter to Members of the European Parliament

Response to Attacks on Democratically Elected Polish President and Parliament

The Polish American Congress, Long Island Division is increasingly concerned with the false accusations directed at the recent, democratically elected, Polish government.

In the past foreign powers interfered in Poland’s internal affairs and its sovereignty which resulted
in Poland being partitioned by Austria, Prussia and Russia. Also, the alliance of Germany and Russia encouraged Hitler to attack Poland and begin WWII. More recently, the Yalta Agreement
between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin enslaved Central Europe, including East Germany.

The European Union did not react to the Russian-German Nord Stream II gas pipeline agreement
that violated European solidarity. Also ignored is the tragic migration crisis.
But, interference in Poland’s internal affairs is being considered.

Poland's internal reforms are OUTSIDE THE SCOPE of EU law, and fall under its observance of national interests and are within the existing constitutional framework. The internal reforms are necessitated by years of corrupt rule of the previous government and the post communist oligarchy.

Mass media allegations against Poland are orchestrated by those interested in manipulating
public opinion to sustain a neo-colonial status of Poland.  

We hope the January 13 and 19 European Commission and European Parliament meetings
openly debate “the political situation” in Poland and result in a cessation of attacks on
 the democratically elected Polish President and Parliament.

Sincerely,       
Grzegorz Worwa,  President, Polish American Congress, Long Island, New York Division

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Link to the letter written by PAC North & South California                        .January 9, 2016

http://nebula.wsimg.com/e78afe6d36a899b29973b041ce1c8fff?AccessKeyId=2A383047C534A4ABC133&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
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                                                          Saturday, January 16, 2016    00:52:27
                 
Dear President Juncker,
In recent weeks there has been much negative publicity and conflicting messages concerning Poland, its government and decision making practices. The recent actions by the European Commission (EC) regarding Poland contributed to the discussions and debate that take place both in Poland as well as outside her borders among the members of Polish communities worldwide, including the United States,
where the Polish American diaspora is approximately ten million.

The Polish American Congress, founded in 1944, is the largest Polish American organization.
 Many of our members closely follow the situation in Poland.

 Since the announcement of the discussion on Poland by the European Commission our organization has been inundated with messages expressing great distress among members of our organization and the Polish American community in general. It’s unfortunate that the debate on Poland and associated negative publicity has escalated to this magnitude on an international level causing harm to the good image of Poland.

We understand, the European Commission is concerned about Poland because of political and administrative actions undertaken by the newly-elected Polish President and Parliament. We also understand that Poland agreed to a possibility of such action while signing the documents of accession to the European Union; however, we question if such a strong approach was necessary.

Regrettably, the unprecedented steps by the Commission regarding Poland have provoked a great degree of anxiety and worry that Poland has been singled out for this type of measures. Furthermore, it provides additional arguments for Euro-skeptics. The internal political and social agitation that currently takes place in Poland around EC's decisions fuels the agendas of those who do not have Poland's best interest at heart, including one of Poland's neighbors - Russia.

Nonetheless, and in response to the great concern among the members of the Polish American community, we urge you, Mr. President, as well as other members of the Commission, to thoroughly and objectively review the facts of the situation in Poland and take under careful consideration all of its aspects including political, legislative and those of a historical, social, and cultural nature.

We are confident that Beata Szydlo, Poland's Prime Minister, and her staff will be able to resolve
matters in question in an amicable and equitable manner.

It is in the best interest of all concerned that Poland remains a politically and economically strong
member of the European Union.

I hope this matter gets resolved in the very near future for the benefit of all: Poland,
the European community, as well as Polish communities worldwide.

Sincerely yours,

Frank J. Spula,
PAC President

 CC: Mr. Donald Tusk, President of the European Council
A.

  

No. 5. The year 2016 – A hope for Poland

1. The year 2016 – A hope for Poland

(original title: Year 2016 is a hope for liberation from occupation of  “the round table”

- author unknown, shortcuts and translation by Zbyszek Koralewski)

In 1989, once again we managed to rescue a criminal system and the people who created it. This time under the guise of "democracy" and "capitalism" a compromised system was created in which communism took over the Capital and Democracy was partitioned between selected opposition and
the communist apparatus. (former communists were never brought to justice – zk)

Effect of the reforms by comrade Balcerowicz, who since 1969 belonged to the Communist Party, and in the years 1978-1980 worked on problems of the socialist market-oriented economy - it is unusual on
a European scale: impoverishment of the majority of society, while the beneficiaries of the system have become the creators of the Third Republic.

Poland for 25 years, so-called "Freedom" has divested as part of the privatization of their own industry, their own banks, retail chains and processing establishments creating an army of unemployed, with more than 3 million people leaving Poland in search of bread and better prospects for life.

After 25 years, the Poles - like under communism earned a pittance - for the most part, not only have not received anything from this "favorable" privatization - but have become slaves in western corporations, often working in addition on "junk" agreements and therefore not entitled to pensions, vacations, and sick days.

"Handelsblatt", a leading German daily business paper does not make a secret that European expansion (mainly German) in Poland was made possible by the neo-liberal government which in fact realized building a neocolonial - theoretical state.

"The prime minister of the government, Donald Tusk, was "as if in gratitude for this" awarded the position of President of the European Council," - says the "Handelsblatt".

Merkel and German politicians will do anything not to lose Poland, as its sphere of influence, where it pulled a lot of profits. According to a recent report by Global Financial Integrity, it is estimated that in recent years companies of our western neighbor "sucked" out of our country $30 billion! It turns out that annually as much as 5 percent of Polish GDP goes abroad, i.e. approximately 90 billion zl. For comparison, an annual need, for the program 500 zł per child, is approximately 17 billion zl.
Shame that some important and well-known opposition individuals, about which – paradoxically – already warned Orwell in "Animal Farm" joined a group of Polish traitors, Gazeta Wyborcza,
agents SB, WSI, obliging journalists.

Most of the former dissidents who fought for a free Poland, however did not sell themselves –
they are people excommunicated, which had to be forgotten, as it was attempted to do with
Anna Walentynowicz. From others they attempted to make idiots and lunatics.

The year 2016 is the hope for (reforms and –zk) liberation from "progress" that is exported from
the European Union and neo-colonialism especially from Germany, in defense of the faith, heritage, tradition, culture, economy, history and truth, that was manipulated and sold.
Contratack of Beata Szydlo on Targowiczan in Polish Sejm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFPOLwyo6aQ

(Professor Radosław Zenderowski:  Elites of Central and Eastern countries so far largely have been oriented to the West and were not able to represent the national interest in a way in which do the Germans, the French or the British.)

2. Criticism of new government

 synopsis by Zbyszek Koralewski from “Polish Democracy is in Fine Health”.  By Matthew Tyrmand & the Editorial Staff of Gazeta Polska Codziennie

The mainstream western press apparatus, taking its cues from the Polish mainstream press (which is 80% owned by Germans –zk) and those connected to the government freshly ejected from office, continues to criticize the recently democratically elected new government (not in charge because of
the "fascist coup" as depicted by some western officials, like e.g.: Mr. Martin Schulz, President of European Parliament - zk).

Western press suggests that the democracy is being violated in Poland today and censorship abounds under the new regime. This is an outright lie as both pro- and anti-government protests have occurred unencumbered (since the last election –zk).  However, during the past eight years during the ruling years of the Civic Platform and the Polish People's Party (PO-PSL), democratic ideals were NOT upheld and that the right to protest, express oneself freely without fear of reprisal, and other civil liberties were frequently abrogated (surprisingly there was no criticism then - zk).  Examples:

• Independent journalists were repeatedly harassed by the security agencies. The staff of,                among others, Gazeta Polska Codziennie (GPC) had their homes searched. 

• In December 2014, two journalists (Tomasz Gzela of the Polish Press Agency and Jan Pawlicki of Telewizja Republika) were arrested. They were covering the protest held at the headquarters of the National Electoral Commission after the local elections.  PSL having received well more votes than expected (by a factor of 10) in a region (Gdynia) where they have had little historical support.  They managed to gain just enough votes to enable them to remain the junior governing partner of PO. The election results were most likely falsified and this was not investigated.

• Journalists were dismissed from their posts when they pushed for a transparent investigation into the Smolensk crash. Tomasz Sakiewicz and Anita Gargas, among others,  lost their jobs in the public media. Cezary Gmyz was dismissed from the editorial staff of Rzeczpospolita (a daily paper partially owned by the state) for publishing information  indicating that there were traces of TNT found on the wreck of the plane that crashed in  Smolensk in April 2010.
  

               This information was later confirmed by the experts.

In May 2015, after the Presidential election was lost by President Bronisław Komorowski, the PO-PSL coalition violated the constitution and appointed new members of the Constitutional Tribunal before the justices' terms expired. Today, after the reforms implemented by the democratically elected Law and Justice Party, the judges elected by the Civic Platform still constitute the majority. They occupy 9 of 15 seats in the Tribunal. It was no secret that the Tribunal in its current form was largely a rubber stamp on the previous government's lawlessness. (The Tribunal was formed in communist times in 1986). 

Breaking civil liberties went unreported by a pliant media that was directly and indirectly on the previous government's or foreigners’ payroll. These encompassed every sort of corrupt behavior from accepting bribes to patronage jobs and contracts going to friends and family members, to bogus un-bid non-competitive contract procurement, to self-dealing, the awarding of bonuses and pensions, to preferential tax treatment for allies and supporters (including foreign multi-national corporations). 

(Today, a very pro-American Polish Government is in power, and has started a purge of corrupt upper level civil servants.  Too many dark interest groups, including both German and Russian geopoliticians, both of whom are opposed to American strongholds in East Central Europe, are threatened by Poland's new government.  This explains why there is a huge uproar and a continuing stream of lies and false accusations appearing in the mainstream mass media which are orchestrated mainly by Germany and are designed to discredit and disqualify opinion Poland's truly democratic government. (J M Malek)

Interesting to listen to - zk: ( in Polish) Poland under attack in European Parliament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzT6ckfxYk8