Once the Courier from Warsaw, Now the Courier from Washington

Guy Billauer

National Polish American - Jewish American Council

November 2002

Last summer, just as Washingtonians were enjoying the politically idle month of August, and as Poland and America were gearing up for the official state visit of President Aleksander Kwasniewski, those of us who had the privilege and honor to know and work with Jan Nowak-Jezioranski, celebrated an extraordinary contribution of one of the most important Polish leaders in modern history.

The courier from Warsaw was leaving America, and returning to his beloved homeland. At times, Nowak's departure seemed like the most celebrated event of the summer with so many think tanks and international human rights organizations honoring the 87-year old giant on the eve of departure. Champagne and accolades were flowing in many ballrooms in Washington for the man who had touched so many of us, not only with his personal charm and character, but with his legendary fortitude and courage.

In the course of numerous tributes, much was said about Nowak's remarkable role in Radio Free Europe and the fight against Communism. More was said about his heroic actions during the Second World War, where he - much like his counterpart Professor Jan Karski - risked his life to inform the West about the suffering of Jews during the Second World War. Many also mentioned his diligent efforts to enhance Poland's stature in the international arena, specifically ensuring his native country's accession into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and advocating Europeans for the inclusion of Poland in the European Union. Somewhat missing from all those tributes, however, was recognition of Nowak's special involvement in the reconciliation process between Poles and Jews.

Believing that improving Polish-Jewish relations was an essential moral and strategic responsibility for the young Polish democracy, Nowak used his enormous credibility and political savvy to engage the Jewish community in America. Indeed, just as he was always in the forefront combating anti-Poland and anti-Polonia rhetoric, whether from the general public or from social elites, he was also a courageous fighter identifying and speaking out against anti-Semitism wherever it reared its ugly head.

More than anything, Jan Nowak's unerring moral guideposts and political insights served to direct and formulate the priorities of the Polish-Jewish dialogue in America. His eloquent voice and astute guidance were essential to the way in which the public discussion about Jan Tomasz Gross' controversial novel Neighbors (Sąsiedzi) was framed. Nowak's position was that no matter what came out of the official investigation being conducted by the Polish Institute for National Remembrance (IPN), Poland should sustain a courageous fight for historical truth in the Jedwabne case. Nowak's call for an inclusive commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the massacre, his essays about Polish pride and Polish guilt, his realization that this difficult debate carried within it the potential to bring the Polish and Jewish communities closer together, were instrumental in moving the sensitive public discussion in the right direction.

Nowak understood better than most that Polish-Jewish relations are inseparable in Polish history. As a child growing up in a what was then a free and independent Polish republic, he knew very well the more than five hundred years of Jewish-Polish co-existence. While in the U.S., he recognized that among all of his responsibilities as the unofficial Polish ambassador in Washington, he had to reach out to the American Jewish community. Together with counterparts in Jewish organizations - in particular American Jewish Committee leaders - he pushed for greater interaction between Poles and Jews, becoming a leading figure in the National Polish American - Jewish American Council. He had no doubt that both Poles and Jews were victims of the Nazi war machine, albeit in very different ways. It was, therefore, natural for him that the two communities work together in an effort to ensure that persecution and totalitarianism were no longer features of world events.

So, it is true to form that the man we got to know as the courier from Warsaw returned to his beloved homeland, to become the courier from Washington. He has one more message to deliver, that Poland must continue to strengthen its ties with the Jewish world and with America.