Grzegorz Braun’s comments questioning the crimes committed at Auschwitz confirm that “he acts under foreign inspiration to the detriment of our country,” stated Jarosław Kaczyński, chairman of the Law and Justice party, on Friday.
On Thursday, during an interview with Radio Wnet, MEP Grzegorz Braun questioned the Nazi crimes committed at the Auschwitz concentration camp. “Auschwitz with gas chambers is, unfortunately, a fake,” he said. Following this remark, the host, journalist Łukasz Jankowski, decided to cut the broadcast short.
Braun’s statement sparked outrage among historians, politicians, and everyday internet users. A few hours after the interview, a spokesperson for the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office announced that an inquiry had been launched regarding the MEP’s remarks. The investigation concerns a possible violation of Article 55 of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) Act, which criminalizes the denial of, among others, Nazi crimes.
“He Acts Under Foreign Influence”
On Friday, PiS chairman Jarosław Kaczyński addressed the politician’s statements.
“Denying the Holocaust and what happened at Auschwitz is unacceptable, among other reasons, because it shows a fundamental lack of respect for the victims who lost their lives there, and it plays into the agenda of distorting history,” he said.
“Grzegorz Braun’s statements on this matter only confirm that he is acting under foreign influence—to the serious detriment of our country,” he stated via the X platform.
According to Article 55 of the IPN Act, anyone who publicly and contrary to facts denies crimes such as those committed by the Nazis or communists is subject to a fine or imprisonment for up to three years. The case concerning Braun’s statement has been referred to prosecutors from the Institute of National Remembrance.