Attention to attempts of the enemy!
Loudspeakers and “reptile newspapers”, intended to mislead the Polish public opinion rage by Goebbels’ order to divert our attention from German crimes and direct it solely on the So-viets. Along with this increased anti-Semitic propaganda was intended to hide German crimes and paralyze the moral indignation and contempt for criminals, which grew among the Poles. These were forced to watch crimes of mass murder unprecedented in the history of humanity, directed against Jews: daily hunts for hiding individuals, who were murdered regardless of their age and sex, whenever these unfortunates were found.
We have recently read in the official notices issued by them the following "Poles should not have any moral dilemmas related to persecution of the Jews." Oh, how would the German want the Poles to show German lack of moral dilemmas! How they wish we absolved them in the eyes of the world by participating in the anti-Jewish bestiality. How important it is for them is demonstrated best by incidents of gathering street scum and staging attacks on Jewish population. Recently in Warsaw a group of convicts was taken to Leszno, who were being transported to Treblinka or some other place of execution. They were told to put their luggage on the street. While the mob gathered a handful were invited to divide the property of the convicts. There was a car standing nearby, filming the whole scene. This will be used as a visual "argument" that it was not Germans who murdered and looted in Poland. But it will not work! Despite all the German effort and energy, the attitude of Polish society is clear: no collaboration with the Germans! Mass murder of Jews led to organized Polish help for Jews, help that is very difficult, provided under threat of death, but nevertheless given to those who managed to escape from the hell of the ghetto.
However, Germans keep trying. Recently, one can observe once more a growing number of agents milling about at various gatherings, giving anti-Jewish propaganda speeches and sell-ing anti-Semitic publications. Therefore, be reminded that it is a duty of all conscious working people to strongly oppose this action of poisoning the souls of Poles and compromising our reputation. We remind the words of the Prime Minister of the Polish Government, General Sikorski, addressed to the country's population on 5th May in relation to the fighting in the Warsaw ghetto. "This shall be the greatest crime in human history. We know that you help the tormented Jews, as you can. Thank you countrymen on behalf of the government and myself. I ask that you provide them with any assistance and fight against this terrible atrocity". It is a statement of the Government, applicable to every Pole. Whoever acts against this indication, collaborates with the invaders. He shall be punished, if not immediately, then inevitably in the near future. By regulation of the Government those guilty of such actions are listed and sent to Special Courts where harsh punishment awaits them.
Presentation
The quoted excerpt comes from "WRN" magazine (number 11 (117) of 4 July 1943) pub-lished in Warsaw in the years 1940 to 1944 by the Polish Socialist Party Freedom - Equality - Independence.
Loudspeakers – German invaders already in autumn of 1939 confiscated radios from Polish people. In early August 1940 in Warsaw, Germans put up street megaphones for propaganda purposes called in Polish szczekaczki, by which twice a day news service in Polish was broad-cast. In May and July 1943, underground organizations broadcast their own programmes by loudspeakers.
”Reptile newspapers” - the press called in Polish gadzinowa or gadzinówka (an abusive term) published since the beginning of the occupation by the Germans for the Polish population in the General Government (GG). It was a tool of the German authorities used to shape the atti-tudes of Poles in line with their expectations. The primary function of the press was: building and maintaining the occupational system, informing about the power of the Third Reich, depreciating Polish allies. During the war in GG occupational authorities published about 50 magazines.
General Wladyslaw Sikorski (1881 - 1943) - Polish military and political leader, Lieutenant General of the Polish Army, Chief of the Polish Armed Forces. On 30 September 1939, ap-pointed by President Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz Prime Minister of the Polish Government. He died on July 4, 1943 in a plane that crashed just after taking off from a Gibraltar airport.
The regulation referred to in the text is the announcement of Directorate of Civil Resistance of 18 March 1943. The Directorate of Civil Resistance was established in April 1941 in the Headquarters of the Union for Armed Struggle – Home Army and since April 1942 it was subject to Government Delegation for Poland. The agency organised the civil fighting. It was headed by Stefan Korboński.