The United States and the Defense of the Good Name of Poland and the Polish Nation in the Context of the Holocaust
The United States and the Defense of the Good Name of Poland and the Polish Nation in the Context of the Holocaust

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the paper is to analyze and evaluate the reaction of the United States to the changes to the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance, which were to defend the good name of Poland and the Polish nation in the context of the Holocaust. The paper explains the signifi cance of these changes for Polish-American relations. The assessment takes into account the important context of recent legal changes preventing the restitution of private Jewish property in Poland, lost after World War II. In criticizing the legal changes to the Act on the IPN carried out by the American authorities, respecting the freedom of expression and public debate was of the greatest importance. Since the Polish authorities resigned from the regulations that would have infringed these values, the United States did not limit cooperation with Poland. However, the controversy surrounding the act has shown that the legal restriction of basic democratic values, including the freedom of speech, may cause a more decisive response from the USA, decreasing the importance of relations with Poland. This, however, depends on the current appraisal of the strategic interests in the United States.

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