Aushwitz Mall (fwd)

[Sheldon Levin <slevin...>]

Cantor Sheldon M. Levin
slevin (at) mciunix(dot)mciu(dot)k12(dot)pa(dot)us

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 19:20:39 -0400
From: Don Croll <GamePla400 (at) AOL(dot)COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list HAZZANET <HAZZANET (at) JTSA(dot)EDU>
Subject: Aushwitz Mall

To all those who are concerned, the following petition is to oppose the
building of a shopping mall at Aushwitz.


To everyone who is outraged at the CONSTRUCTION OF A MALL AT AUSCHWITZ:  LET
YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!

This is an email petition to protest against the building of a shopping mall,
with stores, a beer tavern and an amusement aracade, ONLY THIRTY METERS WAY
FROM AUSCHWITZ.  Public outrage a few weeks ago led to the Polish President's
and Prime Minister's condemnation of the building project. However, contrary
to Polish international obligations, authority over the development has
remained with the local administration, The local administration in turn, has
not only CONTINUED CONSTRUCTION, but also permitted a neo-fascist group to
hold an anti-Semitic rally on the premises. Please read the following letter,
and mail it off as part of a world-wide email petition. IT WILL TAKE YOU
EXACTLY A MINUTE. If you would like to edit passages or add comments of your
own, feel free.

Revise this letter in any way you feel is appropriate AS LONG AS YOU SEND OFF
SOMETHING.

Following are detailed instruction on how to participate in the petition.
Apologies to those of you who are email experts and know all of this already.
The intention is to make sure that no letter will be derailed because someone
is still a beginner.

This is what you should do:
1. First of all, forward this petition to everyone you know that cares about
the largest Jewish cemetary in the world.
2. There are two ways to make your opinion heard: by email and by fax.
3. If you are faxing, write down the fax numbers below. Delete the entire
section marked by asterisks. Print out a copy, sign your name, and fax away.
4. If you are emailing, write down the email addresses below. Choose the
"Forward" command, and when asked if you want to edit the message, choose
"Yes". Delete the entire section marked by asterisks. Make sure to delete any
information (in short parapgraphs preceding the actual content of the email)
about those who forwarded the letter to you.  We want to make these letters
look as personal as possible. Revise the letter if you like. Type your name
at the end of the letter, and any personal information (title, signature,
company etc). Send it to all the email addresses  provided.
5. For Americans: please send copies of your correspondence to your Members
of Congress, and in particular, to Rep.  Eliot Engel (17th Dist-D), 1433
Longworth Building, Washinton DC 20515, FAX  202-225-5513. Note: every Member
of Congress has an email address. You can find it on the internet. Mail them
a copy.
6. For updates on the situation at Auschwitz, contact the Coalition for
Jewish Concerns-AMCHA, 3690 Netherland Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10463, FAX
781-884-3206, email Judy Balint (National Director) at JudyB14868 (at) 
aol(dot)com

Here are the addresses:

Email:

Polish Foreign Ministry / Polish government:
mszdpi (at) sam(dot)nask(dot)com(dot)pl
ajakubow (at) urm(dot)gov(dot)pl
msdzpi (at) warman(dot)com(dot)pl

Polish embassy in Washington:
empol (at) dgs(dot)dgsys(dot)com
fax (202) 883 -8343, (202) 202-328-6271
remote-printer(dot)Poland_Embassy (at) 
1(dot)7(dot)2(dot)6(dot)8(dot)2(dot)3(dot)2(dot)0(dot)2(dot)1(dot)tpc(dot)int

Polish embassy in Ottawa:
Ambassador Tadeusz Diem
polamb (at) hookup(dot)com
Fax 613-789-1218

Canadian embassy in Poland:
wsaw(dot)td (at) wsa01(dot)x400(dot)gc(dot)ca
fax: 011-48-22-296457

Polish Consulate in Strasbourg, France:
100304(dot)3606 (at) compuserve(dot)com

Polish Consul General in New York:
Mr. Sudyrkowski
Tel 212-889-2066
Fax 212-779-3062, 212-818-9623

Polish President Kwasnieski,
Namiestnikowski Palace Warsaw
Fax 011-48-22-628-4701

Prime Minister Cimosaewicz,
Fax 011-48-22-625-2637

Polish Consulate in Chicago:
fax: (312) 642-4102

Polish Consulate in LA:
fax: (310) 442-8526

American Consulate in Krakow:
fax: 011-48-12-218292

US Trade Center Warsaw
Maria Andrews
fax: 011-48-22-621-6327

Note: All information is courtesy of AMCHA or obtained from
the internet, and should be up to date.

This is the petition letter:
******************************************************************
Dear Sir/Madam:

I write to strongly protest the construction of a shopping mall, housing a
beer tavern and an amusement arcade, in the immediate viccinity of the
Auschwitz death camp.

Despite assurances by Polish government officials that the project would be
suspenend, observers at the site report that the construction is continuing.
On March 26, a day after the order to halt construction had been issued,
Jewish groups saw 60 workers still busy at the site. On March 27, Agence
France Presse and eye-witnesses noted that 40 workers were erecting walls and
plastering a building slated to become a store. Despite the condemnations
made by President Kwasnieski and Prime Minister Cimoszewicz, local
authorities clearly have sufficient discretion to resume construction.

The development of a commercial center only 30 yards away from the site where
1 million Jews and 600 000 non-Jews were murdered is a nauseating desecration
of their memory. This matter should not be subject to a "temporary
suspension" pending on an inquiry; it is a
clear violation of international law that should be halted completely and
unconditionally.

Poland is a signatory to the 1972 UN Convention on the Protection of World
Cultural and National Heritage, which designates Auschwitz as a historical
site, and forwards the concept of  an internationally protected zone around
the camp. A 1979 UNESCO declaration identifies Auschwitz as a "historical
site and a place of human testimony", and created a 500 meter buffer zone
around the camp's grounds.

I urge the Polish government to comply with these international laws, overule
its local authorities, and halt construction at Auschwitz promptly and
permanently. I appeal to all in positions of power to influence those who
would belittle and deface the largest Jewish cemetery in the world.


Sincerely,
<name>