In year 2018 important issues could be dividing Poles, but Auschwitz and Poland’s treatment of Jews during World War II, around 75 years ago, should not be one of these.

Sir, I am the son of a Polish citizen who was one of the 728 prisoners that in June 1940 arrived on the first train to Auschwitz (#245 on his arm). Though I proudly carry a Polish passport, I have shamefully little knowledge of Poland. That said I am absolutely sure that if my father had heard someone defining “Auschwitz-Birkenau as a “Polish death camps”, he would have punched him. And had he heard of some few Poles not having been complicit in the pursuit of Jews, he would also have asked: “What are you smoking?”

Therefore I was very appreciative off Professor Jan Gross’ comment “Poland’s death camp law distorts history” February 6, and so I wrote to him.

But now Arkady Rzegocki’s “Poland in no way agreed to collaboration” on February 12, confuses me.

Many things could be dividing Poles in 2018, but Auschwitz and Poland’s treatment of Jews during World War II, about 75 years ago, should most definitely be one of those.

Please, for the sanity of Poland (and mine) have them both sit down and urgently resolve their differences… perhaps at an FT Lunch J

@PerKurowski