20 June 2024
Yad Vashem Publications has released the seminal new book by acclaimed Holocaust historian Prof. Jan Grabowski titled, "On Duty: The Polish Blue & Criminal Police in the Holocaust", which meticulously documents the complicity of Polish institutions under German occupation during the Holocaust. This groundbreaking book is the result of extensive archival research and offers an unprecedented examination of the roles played by the Polish Blue Police, the Criminal Police, and other seemingly innocuous organizations such as the construction service, firefighters, and village night guards' in the Nazi extermination campaign.
Shortly after the German occupation of Poland in 1939, the Blue Police, officially known as the Polish Police of the Generalgouvernement, was established and consisted mainly of pre-war Polish police officers. Within a few months, this police force became responsible for enforcing many of the anti-Jewish regulations issued by the Nazis. Prof. Grabowski’s research reveals the transformation of these policemen from ordinary officers to active participants in the extermination of Polish Jews, detailing their involvement in ghetto liquidations, the hunt for hidden Jews, and their collaboration with German authorities.
Prof. Grabowski, an outspoken voice in the turbulent recounting of history regarding the role of Poles during the Holocaust, presents compelling evidence that these groups were not merely passive bystanders. As the war progressed and the German defeat became imminent, many of these policemen sought to secure their future by establishing ties with the Polish underground, while still aiding in the Nazi efforts to annihilate the remaining Polish Jewish population.
It is Yad Vashem's mission to be at the leader of Holocaust research both in Israel and around the world. This work adds an important element to Holocaust historiography befitting this grand vision.
In recognition of this important work Prof. Havi Dreifuss is the Head of the Center for Research on the Holocaust in Poland, the Yad Vashem International Institute of Holocaust Research stated:
"The English publication of "On Duty: The Role of the Polish Blue and Criminal Police in the Holocaust" stands as a significant and singular contribution to Holocaust scholarship. Drawing from a rich array of sources, including diaries of Poles and of Polish Jews, German documents, and records from the Polish police, Grabowski unveils the extensive involvement of the Polish police (the so-called Blue Police) in the tragedy that befell Polish Jews. This comprehensive, meticulous, and innovative study gains further relevance in the face of contemporary efforts to misrepresent Polish-Jewish relations during the Holocaust. It is essential reading for anyone invested in modern Jewish or Polish history, particularly those focused on the Holocaust and its extreme historical contexts."
About Prof. Jan Grabowski:
Prof. Jan Grabowski is a renowned historian and professor at the University of Ottawa. His research focuses on the Holocaust in Poland and the interactions between Poles and Jews during World War II. Prof. Grabowski has authored several influential books and numerous articles on these topics.
"On Duty" is available now at major bookstores and on Yad Vashem website.
