Tragedy Of Jedwabne Research Paper

The pogrom of Jedwabne was a tragedy that demonstrated the influence of Nazi Germany on Gentile Polish communities. Ordinary people without strong ties either for or against the Jewish community became a part of the German persecution. To understand how this disastrous event manifested, onemust first look at the social and political climate of Poland in the early years of World War II. On the doorstep of World War II, the Germans and Soviets signed a treaty in August 1939 called the “Ribentrop-Molotoc Pact.” Germany and the Soviet Union divided control of Poland as part of this pact, with the Soviet Union controlling the eastern region of Poland. The city of Jedwabne fell under jurisdiction of the Soviet Union. When Soviet authorities arrived in Jedwabne, local Jews “displayed zealous support for the Soviet regime” (Gross, loc 377). Throughout Eastern Poland Jews seemed to have a privileged relationship with the Soviets. The Jews welcomed the Soviets with open arms, as they were relieved …show more content…
Not only did the mayor organize the massacre, but he also participated in it along with the entire town council and other Poles. Karolak called upon Polish citizens to the town hall, telling them to round up the Jews to the square to work. After rounding up all of the Jews in town and humiliating them through ridiculing and manual labor, the citizens of Jedwabne massacred the roughly 300 Jewish men, women and children. Only the German army could have possibly stopped the town’s actions, but in the face of extreme persecution, the soldiers turned a blind eye. The only place in Jedwabne that was safe was the German headquarters, which is where the few survivors were at during this time. The German propaganda and harsh example of Jewish persecution was the main driving force of the Jedwabne pogrom, as Nazi influence caused the Jews to be seen as evil and communist in the eyes of the