The Warsaw Ghetto Museum, in light of the discussion regarding the civil lawsuit against Professor Barbara Engelking and Professor Jan Grabowski, regrets that the debate, which should take place in scientific publications and within the framework of broadly understood scholarly activity, ended in a courtroom.
The Warsaw Ghetto Museum does not feel entitled or obligated to comment on a lawsuit to which it is not a party. However, we wish to emphasize that we fully support the need to maintain the freedom, integrity, and objectivity of scientific research. As one of the most important institutions dedicated to researching and commemorating the Holocaust, we believe that debate regarding the substantive content of historical publications should take place within the framework of scholarly discourse.
We understand that the right to a fair trial is a fundamental right. Without commenting on specific court proceedings, we express concern that attempts to legally adjudicate the validity of scientific findings may significantly hinder scholarly research on the Holocaust, the dissemination of its results, and open debate about them. This, in turn, may adversely affect a fuller understanding of the complex history of the Holocaust and the German occupation of Poland. The memory of the millions of victims persecuted and murdered during World War II requires further research, while maintaining particular sensitivity to all sources of knowledge.
Albert Stankowski
Director of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum
