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rv - per Internet brigades, Russian newspapers are not reliable when describing Polish-Russian relations, this is unnecessary detail
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In 2006 and 2007 the use of IPN by the [[Polish government]] - primarily the ruling [[Prawo i Sprawiedliwość]] party - came under criticism by some journalists and politicians. One of the major policy changes of the PiS party was to raise the issue of unresolved crimes from the times of communist [[People's Republic of Poland]]. The critics of the government noted the abandonment of the ''[[thick line]]'' policy, which is forcing of all politicians, civil servants and others in positions of public trust to undergo a background check by the IPN.<ref name="ChicTrib">Tom Hundley, [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/news/article/8307/poland-looks-back-in-anger/ Poland looks back in anger], 1 December 2006, [[Chicago Tribune]]</ref> Since the results of those background checks are public, it is alledged that the motive of the PiS government is not justice but a smear campaign on their opposition. Further, IPN itself has been criticized for reliance on possibly falsified documents of Polish communist secret police ([[Służba Bezpieczeństwa]]).<ref name="newsday"/> In addition to pro-opposition media in Poland, that issue has also been picked by some media outlets outside Poland, such as [[The Guardian]], [[Chicago Tribune]] or [[Newsday]]. The Guardian drew a parallel to [[McCarthyism]] in [[United States]]<ref name="Guard">Daniel McLaughlin, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,,1830224,00.html Fear of McCarthy-style purge as Poles face sack for secret police links], Wednesday July 26, 2006, [[The Guardian]]</ref> and journalist [[Matthew McAllester]] of [[Newsday]] described the events as a political [[witch hunt]].<ref name="newsday">Matthew McAllester, [http://www.bhhrg.org/mediaDetails.asp?ArticleID=1578 Poland's dirty laundry], 12 February 2007, [[Newsday]]</ref>
In 2006 and 2007 the use of IPN by the [[Polish government]] - primarily the ruling [[Prawo i Sprawiedliwość]] party - came under criticism by some journalists and politicians. One of the major policy changes of the PiS party was to raise the issue of unresolved crimes from the times of communist [[People's Republic of Poland]]. The critics of the government noted the abandonment of the ''[[thick line]]'' policy, which is forcing of all politicians, civil servants and others in positions of public trust to undergo a background check by the IPN.<ref name="ChicTrib">Tom Hundley, [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/news/article/8307/poland-looks-back-in-anger/ Poland looks back in anger], 1 December 2006, [[Chicago Tribune]]</ref> Since the results of those background checks are public, it is alledged that the motive of the PiS government is not justice but a smear campaign on their opposition. Further, IPN itself has been criticized for reliance on possibly falsified documents of Polish communist secret police ([[Służba Bezpieczeństwa]]).<ref name="newsday"/> In addition to pro-opposition media in Poland, that issue has also been picked by some media outlets outside Poland, such as [[The Guardian]], [[Chicago Tribune]] or [[Newsday]]. The Guardian drew a parallel to [[McCarthyism]] in [[United States]]<ref name="Guard">Daniel McLaughlin, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,,1830224,00.html Fear of McCarthy-style purge as Poles face sack for secret police links], Wednesday July 26, 2006, [[The Guardian]]</ref> and journalist [[Matthew McAllester]] of [[Newsday]] described the events as a political [[witch hunt]].<ref name="newsday">Matthew McAllester, [http://www.bhhrg.org/mediaDetails.asp?ArticleID=1578 Poland's dirty laundry], 12 February 2007, [[Newsday]]</ref>

===Criticism of IPN by Russian sources===

Journalist Albert Akopyan of analytical journal "GlobalRus" points that "''lawyers of IPN''" and not researchers or academics, "prepare the documents for charging the Russia of invasion on September 17th 1939". IPN, according to Akopyan, also censured popular in Poland movie "''Four tankmen and a dog''", was searching for Soviet agents, "turning itself into something like [[McCarthyism|McCarthy]] commission on investigation of antiamerican activities".<ref name="akopyan"> Albert Akopyan [http://www.globalrus.ru/print_this/783687/ "Selective national memory"], 16 March 2007, GlobalRus analytical journal</ref>

According to [[NTV Russia|NTV]] TV channel, IPN is more often called "''unofficial political police''".<ref name="NTV"> NTV TV channel news report [http://news.ntv.ru/107871/ "Ideologists of lustration suggest full clean-up of Poland"] April 21, 2007</ref>

Journalist Victor Polyakov of APN (''Agency of Political news''), described IPN as "''unique scientific institution (as it could learned from its name), having in its staff special prosecution office which investigates crimes against Poles''". <ref name="Polyakov">Victor Polyakov [http://www.apn.ru/publications/article1341.htm "Farewell to Poland?"], April 24th, 2007, Agency of Political news </ref>

Russian magazine [[Ogonyok]] reported that IPN is a governmental, and not academic, organization which "performs criminal prosecution functions" and "rewrites history". [[Ogonyok]] described IPN as "Ministry of Truth" referring to George Orwell "1984" novel, "factory of vengeance". According to [[Ogonyok]] there is no public access to the archives of IPN. This access is restricted only to individuals "authorized by the authorities". Some of the documents in the archive may conatin forgeries made up by secret services in order to coerce people into cooperation. Current lustration by IPN is obligatory for all teachers, journalists, diplomats, ministers, members of parliament, public notaries, local government officials and judges. Each year IPN issues 40 000 certificates for individuals confirming their status as individuals "which never cooperated with secret services". In January, 2005, the rightist journalist Bronislav Vildstein copied from IPN computer the list of 240 000 individuals and published it on the internet.

Elections of new IPN president in December 2005 alse were accompanied with discolsure scandal. Janosz Kurtyk, current IPN president, was rivaled by Andrzej Przewoznik, also historian from Krakow Jaggielonian University. But Przewoznik was discredited by suddenly appeared documents which were confirming his connections with secret services. The scandal was aggravated by the fact, that these documents were coming from Krakow IPN unit, which was headed by Przewoznik himself.

A number of distinguished Solidarnosc movement memebers, like Jaceck Kuron, were convicted by IPN, including most recently archbiscup Stanislav Velgus nominated for Warsaw Mithropolit.

According to [[Ogonyok]], IPN was named by Italian newspaper "La Stampa", "a factory of national vengeance".

Some of Polish journalists, [[Ogonyok]] reported, are even more radical in their evaluation of IPN. Helena Luczivo of Gazeta Wyborcza maintains that "The use of state security dossiers to discredit and defame political opponents is not a new method. The same weapon was used by communists Gomulka and Gerek and during martial law period in Poland".<ref name="ogoniek">Magazine[[Ogonyok]] editorial [http://www.ogoniok.com/4983/24/ "With scribe and sword"] №7, 12-18 February, 2007</ref>.


==Response to criticism==
==Response to criticism==

Revision as of 16:49, 24 April 2007

File:IPN logo.jpg
IPN Logo

Institute of National Remembrance — Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation (Polish: Instytut Pamięci Narodowej — Komisja Ścigania Zbrodni przeciwko Narodowi Polskiemu; IPN) is a Polish government-affiliated research institute specializing in recent history of Poland and legal science.[1]

Its main purpose is investigating Nazi and Communist crimes committed in Poland, documenting them, providing this documentation to the public, prosecuting those who committed such crimes, and educating the public in this respect.[1]

Purpose

IPN goals[1] and mission statement[2] include:

IPN collects, archives and organizes documents of Polish communist security apparatus (22 July 1944 to 31 December 1989).

Organization

IPN was created by a speciall bill on 18 December 1998.[2]

IPN is governed by the Chairman. Chairman is chosen by supermajority (60%) of the Polish parliament (Sejm) with the approval of Senate of Poland on a request by a Collegium of IPN. Chairman has a 5-year term of office.

The first chairman of the IPN was Leon Kieres, elected by the Sejm for five years in 8 June 2000 (term 30 June 2000–29 December 2005).

The current chairman is Janusz Kurtyka, elected on 9 December 2005 (term started 29 December 2005).

The IPN is divided into:[2]

  • Main Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation (Główna Komisja Ścigania Zbrodni Przeciwko Narodowi Polskiemu)
  • Bureau of Provision and Archivization of Documents (Biuro Udostępniania i Archiwizacji Dokumentów)
  • Bureau of Public Education (Biuro Edukacji Publicznej)
  • Local chapters

Activities

The research conducted by IPN from December 2000 fall into four main topical areas:[2]

  • Security Apparatus and Civil Resistance (with separate sub-projects devoted to Political Processes and Prisoners 1944-1956, Soviet Repressions and Crimes committed against Polish Citizens and Martial Law: a Glance after Twenty Years);
  • War, Occupation and the Polish Underground;
  • Poles and Other Nations in the Years 1939-1989 (with a part on Poles and Ukrainians);
  • Peasants vis-a-vis People's Authority 1944-1989 (on the situation of peasants and the rural policy in the years 1944-1989).

Among the most widely reported case investigated by the IPN thus far is the Jedwabne Pogrom. Other cases include:

IPN is involved in dissemination of its research results in the form of publications (particulary the "IPN Bulletin"), exhibitions, seminars and in other way.[2] Since December 2000 IPN has organized over 30 academic conferences.[2]

Criticism

Wildstein list

Wildstein list refers to the partial list of names of people persecuted by communist government and its agents which was illegaly carried out from IPN archives in 2004 by journalist Bronisław Wildsein and published in the Internet in 2005. The list gained much attention in Polish media and politics, and during that time IPN security procedures and handling of the matter were criticized.[3]

Use of IPN by the government

One of the most controversial aspects of IPN is a byproduct of their organizing of previously secret archives of Polish security apparatus: revealing secret agents and collaborators (a process called lustration)[4]

In 2006 and 2007 the use of IPN by the Polish government - primarily the ruling Prawo i Sprawiedliwość party - came under criticism by some journalists and politicians. One of the major policy changes of the PiS party was to raise the issue of unresolved crimes from the times of communist People's Republic of Poland. The critics of the government noted the abandonment of the thick line policy, which is forcing of all politicians, civil servants and others in positions of public trust to undergo a background check by the IPN.[4] Since the results of those background checks are public, it is alledged that the motive of the PiS government is not justice but a smear campaign on their opposition. Further, IPN itself has been criticized for reliance on possibly falsified documents of Polish communist secret police (Służba Bezpieczeństwa).[5] In addition to pro-opposition media in Poland, that issue has also been picked by some media outlets outside Poland, such as The Guardian, Chicago Tribune or Newsday. The Guardian drew a parallel to McCarthyism in United States[6] and journalist Matthew McAllester of Newsday described the events as a political witch hunt.[5]

Response to criticism

IPN actions have also attracted support as well. In 2006 an open letter was published, declaring that[7] :

"History of Solidarity and anti-communist resistance in Poland cannot be damaged by scientific studies and resulting increase in our knowledge of the past. History of opposition to totalitarism belongs to millions of Poles and not one social or politicial group which usurps the right to decide which parts of national history should be discussed and which forgotten."

This letter was signed by former Prime Minister of Poland, Jan Olszewski, mayor of Zakopane, Piotr Bąk, Polish-American professor and member of United States Holocaust Memorial Council Marek Jan Chodakiewicz, professors Tomasz Gąsowski, Tomasz Gąsowski, Piotr Franaszek and Maria Dzielska of Jagiellonian University, professor Marek Czachor of Gdańsk University of Technology, journalists and writers Marcin Wolski and Ryszard Kapuściński, Solidarity cofunder Anna Walentynowicz, and dozens of others.[8][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c Nauka polska: Instytucje naukowe - identyfikator rekordu: i6575
  2. ^ a b c d e f About the Institute From IPN English website. Last accessed on 20 April 2007
  3. ^ Wojciech Czuchnowski, Bronisław Wildstein: człowiek z listą, Gazeta Wyborcza, last accessed on 12 May 2006
  4. ^ a b Tom Hundley, Poland looks back in anger, 1 December 2006, Chicago Tribune
  5. ^ a b Matthew McAllester, Poland's dirty laundry, 12 February 2007, Newsday
  6. ^ Daniel McLaughlin, Fear of McCarthy-style purge as Poles face sack for secret police links, Wednesday July 26, 2006, The Guardian
  7. ^ a b List w "obronie historyków z IPN", Polish Press Agency article reprinted on Wirtualna Polska. Last accessed on 20 April 2007.
  8. ^ Copy of a letter, Tezusz, Last accessed on 20 April 2007
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