Press Releases 2004

USHMM, courtesy of Philip Vock

Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State
Indian Treaty Room, Old Executive Office Building
Washington, D.C.
May 11, 2004

Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted I could be here today to serve as a witness to the signing of this important agreement with a key ally.

In the overall context of the times, this may seem a tangential moment. We are standing together in this magnificent Indian Treaty Room in this beautiful building in appreciation of our shared culture. At the same time, American and Polish troops are standing together in the dust and sorrow of a distant battlefield, shoulder to shoulder in combat.

But this moment is entirely germane. Our mutual peace and prosperity depend on the ties that bind our nations together, and those ties ultimately are made up of more than bullets and boots on the ground. We are not so much defined by the magnificence of our weapons but by the beauty of our expressions and the memories we preserve for our children. Indeed, it is particularly important in a time of war that we remember what it is we are truly fighting for and all that distinguishes us as a people.

In this effort, the United States and Poland are allies in the deepest sense. We share values and we share beliefs in liberty and human dignity, in the rule of law and right to opportunity. But we also share something more: a common heritage.

Some nine million Americans are of Polish descent, a population that has greatly enriched this immigrant nation. So the United States has an abiding interest in celebrating that human link between us, and that is why the agreement we are about to sign is so important.

That is particularly the case when you consider some of the memories we plan to preserve together. Before World War II, Poland had the largest Jewish population in Europe, numbering over three million. In the years that followed, the majority of that number were killed or fled, many to the United States or to Israel.

Indeed, it is fitting that we are joined today by Ambassador Grudzinski of Poland and Ambassador Ayalon of Israel. Thank you both for coming. These gentlemen represent two states steadfast friends of this nation which have developed and deepened their own diplomatic, security, and trade relations. Since 1989, the government of Poland has consistently worked to build those links, but also to struggle against anti-Semitism more broadly a struggle to which our country and our President are deeply committed, as well. In addition, President Kwasniewski has placed a high priority on the revival of Poland's Jewish community. And we are delighted today to join in that effort.

The Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad, under the able leadership of Warren Miller since 2001, has found willing partners in 17 other nations, as well, 14 of them since President Bush took office. The agreement we sign today with Poland will provide a framework for bilateral cooperation in preservation and restoration of cultural properties and sensibilities, as well as historic sites.

Indeed, while we will shortly add Poland as a partner in the formal sense -- we have just added Poland in a formal sense -- we have long worked together in the cause of memory. The Commission has actively supported projects in Poland and we hope this agreement will pave the way for the expansion of those activities, and there is every reason to believe that will be the case, given the Polish Government's longstanding commitment to preservation. The Government finances state museums at the sites of several Nazi death camps, including Auschwitz-Birkenau, which I know made a profound impression on our President when he visited last year. And the Government is working with the American Jewish Committee to complete a memorial at Belzec, a particularly brutal killing grounds where Nazi forces massacred over 500,000 Jews. While Poland is a country that has taken great care to remember all those who died, it has also made sure to celebrate their lives, including through a new museum, which will commemorate the 800-year history of Jewish life in Poland and through extensive educational programs. We applaud Poland's decision to Chair the International Holocaust Education Task Force in the year 2005.

While we would still like to see Poland pass legislation dealing with comprehensive private property restitution - a matter of direct concern to Americans - Poland has made good progress in returning nationalized religious property to its rightful owners. For example, the return of a cemetery in Slubice to the Jewish community is a positive development, one of significance to many Americans. And one in particular, who is here with us today. I want to thank Rabbi Berel Polatsek for his tireless efforts to save this important site, for Poles, Americans, and for posterity.

Of course, the revival of the Jewish community in Poland and restoration of such important historic places goes beyond the good deeds of any one individual. It represents a collective commitment, including by the Polish government at all levels, from the Foreign Minister through Ambassador Grudzinski down to provincial and local officials.

Of course, since 1989, that same kind of commitment has benefited the entire country. In that short space of 15 years, freely elected, democratic governments have made extraordinary progress in ensuring that all Polish citizens, regardless of ethnicity or religion, enjoy the full range of human and political rights that had been denied them for so long. Poland's accession to the European Union on the first of this month was a very fitting recognition of that achievement.

Moreover, Poland's dedication to democracy goes beyond national borders. Polish leaders have taken a courageous, forthright role in the struggle against terrorism and the struggle against oppression worldwide. And so today, we see Polish troops making tremendous sacrifices in support of freedom in Iraq and in Afghanistan, but also in Bosnia and Kosovo, in Lebanon and the Golan Heights. All who love freedom around the world are deeply indebted to the Polish nation for such courage in such a crucial fight. Certainly, the people of this country, this country of mine, are honored to call Poland a partner, a friend, and an ally in all things. Thank you all, thank you for giving me this opportunity to join all of you in celebrating our shared heritage and the human links between us. [End]

Released on May 12, 2004