International law firm to help against "Polish concentration camps"
The Dentons international law firm will help Poland in its battle against the use of the phrases "Polish concentration camps" and "Polish death camps" by international media.
A letter of intent in the matter was signed by Polish Culture Minister Piotr Glinski and Dentons chief Elliott Portnoy in Warsaw on Monday.
Commenting the move, Glinski reminded that Dentos was the world's biggest law firm, and stressed that it offered to aid Poland in the matter free of charge.
Glinski said Poland had undertaken various measures against the use of the phrase "Polish concentration camps", but admitted that support from Dentons may prove "very useful in fighting this shameful practice". In this context he reminded that World War Two death camps in Poland were set up and run by the Germans and stressed that Poland will not agree to suggestions of its co-responsibility for Nazi Germany's wartime crimes.
"We are stating this clearly: we will not allow Poland's good name to be trodden upon, and for us to be attributed with (...) co-responsibility for the genocide that was caused by (...) the German state. Those were Nazi-German death camps", Glinski stressed. He added that Poland had undertaken various measures in the matter but admitted that help from Dentons could prove "useful".
"We in Poland are trying to combat this lie in various ways (...). But of course legal aid from an office with over 100 branches worldwide (...) will be very useful in fighting this shameful practice", the minister said, adding that Dentons will now "strive together with us to protect Poland's good name".
Glinski also informed that the law firm promised to compile a report on the use of the questioned phrases.
Present at the talks between Glinski and Portnoy were among others deputy Culture Minister Jaroslaw Sellin and deputy Foreign Minister Jan Dziedziczak. (PAP)
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