Vous consultezLa peur des Juifs ou des Juifs qui ont peur ?

Fear of Jews or Jewish Fear? Fear by Jan T. Gross and the debates on anti-Semitism in Poland
American sociologist Jan Gross’s latest book is a historical interpretation of anti-Jewish violence that took place in Poland between 1944 and 1947. The Polish edition of the book, published in 2008, led to a heated public debate on its form and content, that even reached the judicial arena. This article focuses on the main issues elaborated in the book, and especially on its central thesis: Polish fear of having to justify themselves for their deeds during the war is key to understanding the crimes committed against Jewish survivors. Methodological issues of the debate are then discussed. They focus on J. Gross’s writing of history as well as his argumentation. His explanations are challenged by interpretations blending sociological as well as circumstantial factors. The paper eventually argues that this debate tackles the core of Polish society’s identity, analyzing the politico-judiciary developments of the controversy–when Poland’s nationalistic right-wing accused J. Gross of offending the nation.