On January 27th, the world marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day, honouring the victims of the Nazi regime on the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz-Birkenau’s liberation. Leaders from across the globe, including Poland’s President Andrzej Duda and Britain’s King Charles III, gathered to pay tribute to the millions who suffered and died. Yet, one glaring omission in King Charles III’s speech has left many Poles feeling deeply disrespected.
The Speech That Left Out Poles
Speaking at the Jewish Community Centre in Kraków, King Charles III listed several groups victimized by the Nazis: Jews, Sinti, Roma, disabled individuals, political prisoners, and members of the LGBT community. Noticeably absent from his remarks were Polish victims, even though Poles made up the second-largest group killed in Auschwitz. This omission has ignited a wave of frustration and anger, particularly in Poland, where the trauma of the war remains deeply felt.
Diplomatic Outrage
Marek Magierowski, Poland’s former ambassador to the United States, did not hold back on social media: “With all due respect: mentioning Jews, Sinti, Roma, the LGBT community, disabled people & political prisoners, and leaving out Polish victims (among ‘many others’, I presume), just raised my eyebrows. And I am doing my utmost to be as diplomatic and as phlegmatic as it gets.”
With all due respect: mentioning Jews, Sinti, Roma, the LGBT community, disabled people & political prisoners, and leaving out Polish victims (among "many others", I presume), just raised my eyebrows. And I am doing my utmost to be as diplomatic and as phlegmatic as it gets. pic.twitter.com/Ymi05Cqcky
— Marek Magierowski (@mmagierowski) January 27, 2025
Others echoed his concerns. Witold Spirydowicz commented that this kind of selective remembrance is nothing new: “Nothing will change the fact that the message going out to the world excludes Polish victims. The message is clear: only Jews, Roma, and homosexuals were murdered by the ‘Nazis’ (conveniently without nationality).”
Nic nie pomogą nasze słuszne pretensje o uwzględnienie polskich ofiar niemieckiego obozu zagłady. Taki przekaz pójdzie w świat. Ginęli jedynie Żydzi, Cyganie i homoseksualiści z rąk "nazistów" (bez narodowości). https://t.co/QUUJDu1RcA
— Spirydowicz Witold (@SpirydowiczW) January 27, 2025
Poland’s Forgotten Sacrifices
Poland suffered devastating losses under Nazi Germany. Six million Polish citizens were killed during the war—half of them Jewish, the other half non-Jewish Poles who were targeted for extermination forced labour, or cultural destruction. At Auschwitz alone, Poles accounted for hundreds of thousands of victims. Despite this, Western narratives often sideline Poland’s suffering, reducing the Holocaust to a simplified version that ignores the full extent of Nazi atrocities.
A Pattern of Marginalization
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Poland’s sacrifices have been downplayed. As Ewa Thompson pointed out: “Omitting Poles as major victims of German Nazi onslaught has been standard practice in the English-speaking world. I have witnessed it many times in public statements of celebrities and politicians. Loud international protests are in order.”
Omitting Poles as major victims of the German Nazi onslaught has been standard practice in the English-speaking world. I have witnessed it many time in public statements of celebrities and politicians. Loud international protests are in order. @mmagierowski https://t.co/QyC28gpBmN
— Ewa Thompson (@EwaThompson1) January 27, 2025
Why It Matters
This isn’t just about history—it’s about respect. When a global leader like King Charles III forgets to mention Polish victims at a Holocaust commemoration, it sends a message that their suffering is less significant or less worthy of recognition. It also perpetuates a distorted view of World War II, where Nazis are treated as faceless villains with no connection to Germany, and Poland’s unimaginable losses are brushed aside.