NIGDY WIECEJ - NEVER AGAIN, issue 21, spring/summer 2014
SUMMARY
Front cover
Protect your hands, an anti-fascist graphic design by Wilhelm Sasnal
Editorial by Marcin Kornak.
Obituary of Marcin Kornak, a founding member and president of the Never Again Association and the editor-in-chief of the Never Again magazine.
Letters to editors, pp. 3–4
Section includes letters from the UEFA’s Patrick Gasser, directors of the National Center of Culture and German-Polish Youth Cooperation, Polish senate member Jan Rulewski and a historian Tomasz Kenar.
Man without barriers (Człowiek bez barier) by Kajetan Prochyra and Tomasz Przybyszewski, pp. 5–6
The article portraying Marcin Kornak of the Never Again magazine, who was awarded the “Man without Barriers” prize in 2012.
On anti-Semitism. Globally (O antysemityzmie globalnie) by editors, pp. 6–7
Report on the conference “Probing the Limits of Tolerance” organized by the Polish Academy of Science and Tel Aviv University in October 2012.
The Brown Book in Sejm (“Brunatna Księga” w Sejmie) by editors, p. 7
Report on a meeting of the Polish parliament’s Committee on National and Ethnic Minorities in March 2013, where Never Again Association’s activists presented a new edition of The Brown Book – a register containing information on racist and xenophobic incidents.
Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) by Michał Sydorko, pp. 8–10
Brief account of Nelson Mandela’s political biography.
Brown shadow of Maidan (Brunatny cień Majdanu) by Przemysław Prekiel, pp. 11–12
Analysis of far right organizations’ activity during recent anti-government protests in Ukraine.
NOP activists for children (Nopowcy dzieciom) by Leszek Ścioch, p. 12
Critical account of social activities organized by far right National Rebirth of Poland (NOP) party oriented at aiding children.
Slovak ally (Słowacki sojusznik) by Jakub Woroncow, pp. 13–14
Analysis of links between the Polish far right organization the National Movement (RN) and extreme nationalists from Slovakia (Slovenska Pospolitost’ party).
How they used Szeremietiew (Jak użyto Szeremietiewa), p. 14
A quoted rectification by a former right-wing politician distancing himself from the National Movement (RN) in the light of the organization’s leaders’ claims that he was involved in RN.
Let cars burn! (Niech zapłoną samochody!) by Jacek Purski, pp. 15–16
Article on criminal activity of Jacek T., a Warsaw activist of the far right groups associated with football hooligans.
On standards of (non-)scholarly debate (O standardach debaty (nie)naukowej) by editors, pp. 16–17
Report on controversial approach of the organizers of the conference on nationalism at the Warsaw University in December 2013. Due to the organizers’ emphasis on “neutrality” on the subject of nationalism, a representative of the Never Again Association cancelled her participation in the event, where she wanted to present a paper on monitoring of racism and xenophobia.
Nationalists about nationalists (Narodowcy o narodowcach), p. 17
Collection of quotes from right-wing press displaying internal criticism of extreme nationalists.
Thugs and democracy (Bandyterka i demokracja) by Adam Szostkiewicz, pp. 18–19
A well-known publicist’s reflections on the growth of far right in Poland and its manipulations focused on “anti-leftism.”
They said, they wrote… (Powiedzieli, napisali…), p. 19
A quote from an interview with a popular Polish actor, Piotr Fronczewski, criticizing intolerance.
Who needs Zygmunt Bauman as an enemy of the Polish nation? (Komu potrzebny jest Zygmunt Bauman jako wróg narodu polskiego?) by Stanisław Obirek, pp. 20–21
and
Thieves of spectacle (Złodzieje spektaklu) by Adam Chmielewski, pp. 22–24
Two articles analyzing and reflecting on incidents from June 2013, when nationalists of the far right National Rebirth of Poland (NOP) interrupted Zygmunt Bauman’s lecture at the Wroclaw University. The authors – S. Obirek, professor of theology, and A. Chmielewski, professor of philosophy – analyze broader context of right-wing extremism’s intrusion into public sphere, including academia, in Poland. Professor Chmielewski of the Wroclaw University was among organizers of Zygmunt Bauman’s lecture in Wroclaw.
The problem with judiciary (Problem wymiaru sprawiedliwości) by Ewa Łętowska, pp. 25–27
Brief analysis of Polish courts’ and law enforcement institutions’ practices vis-a-vis legal measures concerning hate crime. E. Łętowska was the first Polish ombudsman (1987–1992) as well a judge of the Constitutional Tribunal and the Supreme Administrative Court of Poland.
Faith and war: variations on a theme of religion that counters hatred (Wiara i wojna. Wariacje na temat religii przeciwnej nienawiści) by Jan Turnau, pp. 28–30
Reflections by a well-known publicist on the idea of ecumenism.
Ban on ritual slaughter? Not with this constitution (Zakaz uboju? Nie z tą konstytucją) by Dawid Warszawski, pp. 31–35
A popular political commentator’s account of the debate on ritual slaughter, which involved parliament and public opinion in Poland in 2013.
Youth’s attitudes towards Jews and the Holocaust (Młodzież wobec Żydów i Holokaustu) by Jolanta Ambrosewicz-Jacobs, and Comments to Jolanta Ambrosewicz-Jacobs’s study (Komentarz do badań Jolanty Ambrosewicz-Jacobs) by Joanna Tokarska-Bakir, pp. 36–41
Reflections on recent research including comments by scholars known for studies on antisemitism: sociologist Antoni Sułek, social psychologist Michał Bilewicz and cultural anthropologist Joanna Tokarska-Bakir.
On hatred (O nienawiści) by Zdzisław Najder, pp. 42–43
Personal reflections on antisemitism in Poland in 1930s and 1940s by former director of the Radio Free Europe’s Polish section.
ONR’s racism on banners (ONR-u rasizm na sztandarach) by Przemysław Prekiel, pp. 43–47
Article about pre-WWII antisemitic activity of the National-Radical Camp (ONR) and its continuity nowadays.
How hatred was growing… (Jak narastała wrogość…) by Michał Czajkowski, pp. 47–48
Father Czajkowski’s account of anti-Jewish motives in Christianity and reconciliation teachings of John Paul II.
A lot depends on empathy (Dużo zależy od empatii), Natalia Sineaeva-Pankowska’s interview with a filmmaker Agnieszka Holland about the Museum of Polish Jews’ History, intolerance and multicultural identity, pp. 50–54
Chosen nation – Cravovia rules (Naród Wybrany – Cracovia Pany) by Maciej Kozłowski, pp. 56–63
Article about history of Polish-Jewish relations in the context of football. Cracovia is a football club from Cracow, which admitted Jewish players.
“Never Again” against racism in Russia (“Nigdy Więcej” przeciwko rasizmowi w Rosji) by editors, p. 64
Report on the Never Again Association’s cooperation with anti-racist organizations in Russia.
Football against racism (Futbol przeciwko rasizmowi) by editors, p. 65
Report on the Action Week – Football Against Racism in October 2013.
“Przystanek Woodstock” against racism! (“Przystanek Woodstock” przeciwko rasizmowi!) by editors, p. 66
Report on anti-racist activities during the largest rock festival in Poland in 2013.
Reminiscences of a festival (Festiwalowe reminiscencje), p. 67
Report on the Never Again Association’s activities at two rock festivals in Poland: “Nationalism? No, thank you” in Bielsko-Biała and “Cieszanów Rock Festival.”
Nazi muzyka PL. Export-Import by Wiktor Marszałek, pp. 68–75
Analysis of international links between Polish Nazi rock bands and music scene in other countries in Europe.
RSA, or… we prefer bikes to tanks! (RSA, czyli… wolimy rowery niż T-34!) by Krzysztof Skiba, pp. 76–77
Popular rock musician’s memoir about the Movement for Alternative Society (RSA) on the 30th anniversary of its founding. The RSA was a radical initiative aimed at countering the state-socialist system, opposing military draft and neo-fascism and protesting against construction of nuclear power station in late 1980s.
Klezmer and Jamaican swinging (Klezmerka i jamajskie bujanie) by Arkadiusz Zacheja, pp. 78–80
Review essay presenting recent album releases on Polish music scene.
We are a model for Greeks and Germans (Jesteśmy wzorem dla Greków i Niemców), p. 81
Report on the Never Again Association’s anti-racist activities in Greece and Germany.
Poland and Ukraine in the process of reconciliation (Polska i Ukraina w procesie pojednania) by Rafał Maszkowski, pp. 82–84
Reflections on Polish-Ukrainian relations.
European Union versus Orban: To chase a rabbit (Unia Europejska kontra Orban: Chodzi o to, aby gonić królika) by Klaus Bachmann and Adam Bodnar, pp. 86–89
Analysis of populist politics of Orban’s government in Hungary. K. Bachmann is a social scientist and a popular political commentator; A. Bodnar is a lawyer and human rights activist.
Attitudes towards the Holocaust in Lithuania and Latvia (Stosunek do Holokaustu na Litwie i Łotwie) by Irena Cantorovich, pp. 90–94
Article on politics of memory in two Baltic states, where pro-Nazi sentiments are shared by significant proportions of public opinion.
Homomonuments (Homomonumenty) by Halina Taborska and Marian Turski, pp. 96–101
Article on politics of memory in Germany concerning homosexual victims of Nazism.
Anti-fascist’s library (Biblioteka antyfaszysty), pp. 102–113
The section contains reviews of books and films related to issues of racism, colonialism, the Holocaust, Polish-Jewish relations, tolerance and multiculturalism
The Brown Book (Katalog wypadków – Brunatna Księga), pp. 116–132
Register of hate-related incidents (racist, xenophobic, neo-fascist etc.) between January 2013 and February 2014. Edited by Marcin Kornak in collaboration with Anna Tatar.
Back cover
A call for supporting a petition to ratify the convention and protocol on countering racism in cyberspace.