PM-ADVISOR BARTOSZEWSKI DISCUSSES PLANS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 000043 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/FO, EUR/CE, EUR/OHI, AND DRL - ROSENTHAL NSC FOR HOVENIER E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2020 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PL SUBJECT: PM-ADVISOR BARTOSZEWSKI DISCUSSES PLANS FOR AUSCHWITZ COMMEMORATIONS, ENDOWMENT Classified By: Ambassador Feinstein for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a January 19 meeting with Ambassador Feinstein, Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, PM Tusk's Plenipotentiary for Polish-Jewish Dialogue and chair of the International Auschwitz Council, confirmed that Polish President Kaczynski, Polish PM Tusk, European Parliament President Buzek, and Israeli PM Netanyahu will participate in January 27 ceremonies marking the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. Poland has not yet received word from the Russian government on its delegation. Separately, post has learned Germany will be represented by Deputy FM Pieper. Bartoszewski briefly discussed plans for a 120 million euro international endowment to fund preservation projects at Auschwitz, and invited a U.S. contribution. Asked about Polish participation in a January 29 conference on implementation of the Terezin Declaration, Bartoszewski offered assurances that Poland's ambassador in Prague was well qualified to represent the GOP. END SUMMARY. JANUARY 27 AUSCHWITZ COMMEMORATIONS ¶2. (C) In a January 19 meeting with the Ambassador, Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, PM Tusk's Plenipotentiary for Polish-Jewish Dialogue and an Auschwitz survivor, said Polish President Kaczynski, PM Tusk, European Parliament President Buzek, and Israeli PM Netanyahu had confirmed their participation in January 27 ceremonies marking the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. He noted Tusk and Netanyahu would also meet in Warsaw the day before. ¶3. (C) Bartoszewski said Russian President Medvedev had not yet responded to President Kaczynski's invitation to attend. He said the Russian Ambassador had assured him that, if not Medvedev, a suitably high-level Russian official would attend. He explained that Russian participation features prominently in Polish planning because the Soviet Army liberated the camp. (NB: Post had learned from the German Embassy that German Deputy Foreign Minister -- and Coordinator for German-Polish Relations -- Cornelia Pieper will head the German delegation.) Bartoszewski expressed interest in the make-up of the U.S. delegation, noting positively that U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Executive Director Sara Bloomfield would be recognized by President Kaczynski for her work in keeping alive the memory of the Holocaust. ¶4. (C) Bartoszewski said Auschwitz survivors, wearing authentic prisoner uniforms, would participate in the ceremony, as well. Bartoszewski noted that he (on behalf of Polish Christian survivors) would deliver a five-minute speech, as would Marian Turski (a Polish Jewish survivor who heads the Warsaw-based Jewish Historical Institute). Among those in attendance will be Simone Weil, who spoke on behalf of Jewish survivors at the 60th anniversary ceremony in 2005. AUSCHWITZ FOUNDATION ¶5. (C) Bartoszewski noted that over 40 Members of Congress had signed on to a letter calling on President Obama to commit funds to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation's 120 million euro endowment for preservation projects at Auschwitz. He expressed great satisfaction with German Chancellor Merkel's December pledge of 60 million euros and noted that other European governments, including Norway, Sweden, the Czech Republic, had also made pledges of between 100,000 and 200,000 euros. In addition, the UK, France, Belgium, and Malta had expressed support but not yet pledged concrete sums. ¶6. (C) Bartoszewski noted that the December theft of the "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign at the entrance of the Auschwitz-I camp had helped raise awareness of the urgent need to fund preservation projects at Auschwitz. He pointed out that over 80 percent of the 1.3 million visitors to Auschwitz in 2009 were students -- "that's what it's all about," he said. (NB: A Bartoszewski advisor confirmed that a high-level representative of the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum is in Washington this week to discuss the endowment with select congressional staffers.) TEREZIN DECLARATION ¶7. (C) Ambassador Feinstein asked who would represent Poland at a January 29 meeting in Prague to discuss implementation of commitments made at the June 2009 Conference on WARSAW 00000043 002 OF 002 Holocaust-Era Assets. Bartoszewski explained that because of scarcity of financial resources and personnel, and the conference's timing (following immediately on the heels of the Auschwitz 65th anniversary commemorations) the GOP would be represented by Poland's ambassador to the Czech Republic. Bartoszewski said Czech officials had also raised the issue of Polish participation with him in December, offering to give him a prominent role at the conference. "I told them the same thing I will tell you. Our ambassador is qualified. He knows the issues," Bartoszewski said. ¶8. (C) Bartoszewski expressed frustration that the Czechs were overreaching in terms of plans for the Terezin Center. "They want to be the central coordination point (on Holocaust-related matters),trying to direct the efforts of Yad Vashem, the U.S. Holocaust Museum, Auschwitz, and Buchenwald," Bartoszewski boomed. He hinted that bilateral relations with the interim Czech government had further complicated cooperation on Terezin. FEINSTEIN