Poland to investigate Swedish artist's claim of Holocaust ashes

Recently Swedish artist, Carl Michael von Hausswolff claimed that he had created an artwork using human ashes from the Majdanek Nazi death camp in Poland. Now Poland is investigating the claim and the artist may face a prison sentence.

Digital Journal reported on the controversial news about the painting, entitled "Memory Works", which was on display in the Lund Gallery in Sweden. The work has, however, since been removed from the gallery due to outrage and protests that it was a "desecration" and "abomination."

Following the announcement of the painting, Polish prosecutors started a legal action against the artist. And now they have launched an investigation into von Hausswolff's claim that he used the ashes of Holocaust victims to create the painting. If they find that this is, in fact, the case, his actions may land the artist in prison for several years.

Von Hausswolff claims that he obtained the ashes during a visit to the former Nazi death camp in 1989. He wrote that he waited a long time before actually using the ash, in his small painting entitled “Memory Works”. 

According to the artist, the black and white painting, which features vertical brushstrokes in a rectangle, represents the suffering of the victims, "people tortured, tormented and murdered by other people in one of the most ruthless wars of the 20th century." 

Majdanek Nazi death camp has since become a memorial museum complex. The camp was one of the most horrifying Nazi death camps, holding around 150,000 people between 1941 and 1944. Around 80,000 people, most of them Jews, were executed in the camp's gas chambers or died through malnutrition or exhaustion. 

 

Apparently it will be difficult to prove whether the artist if actually telling the truth, but in 1989 there were still reportedly ashes in the camp's crematorium area. However, removing this ash would be a crime and according to a spokeswoman for the now-museum, there was no security at the site to register the act. 

The spokeswoman, Beata Syk-Jankowska said on Tuesday that prosecutors in the eastern city of Lublin want to find out whether the artist is telling the truth or is just trying to gain publicity.

Should it be proved that Holocaust victims' ashes were used in the painting, it will most likely cause outrage among Holocaust survivors and those who are preserving the memory of the Nazi death camps victims, thousands of which are Poles.

According to Polish law, should von Hausswolff's claim be proved, he may face charges of desecrating human ashes and their resting place and could, quite possibly, face up to eight years in prison.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/340867

Polish farmers protest sale of land to foreign multinationals

In four cities in Poland, farmers are demonstrating against Polish farmland being sold to foreign multinationals. Now they need international support for their protests, along with help educating the Polish public about GMOs.

Digital Journal reported on Monday that, despite the fact that Poland had banned GM corn and potatoes, the Seeds Act was not vetoed by government and GM seeds can still be traded in Poland.

However, GMOs are not the only problem in Poland right now. It seems there is a loophole in Polish law, that is being exploited to sell Polish farmland to foreign multinationals. Protests have been ongoing for three weeks in four cities in Poland and the Polish government is trying to manipulate the farmers to make them give up the fight.

Farmers are rightfully angry and have been blocking roads and admin centers associated with the scam. They are also demonstrating for the right to sell their food locally and to block GMO products in Poland.

The International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside (ICPPC) has had several successes between 2004 and 2006 in the fight against GMOs in Poland. All polish provinces declared themselves as GMO-free and the Polish government passed an act which prohibited the use of GMO seeds and plants in agriculture.

But, as is natural these days, the pro-GMO lobby didn't give up in the country. They are now making intensive pro-GMO propaganda on all levels - for academics, farmers, politicians and consumers. They are producing pro-GMO articles, organizing meetings and training sessions, where they provide free materials, all, of course saying how good GMO products are.

The latest is that the Polish government is attempting to pass a correction to the GMO act, whereby the use of GMO seeds would be allowed in so-called 'designated GMO areas'. ICPPC now wishes to counteract these pro-GMO activities, using effective tools to educate Polish society about the threats and dangers of GMOs.



The group has translated the full version of the above video clip, "Life Running Out of Control", to make a Polish version. They now need to make thousands of copies of this film and to distribute them around Poland. 

Anyone wishing to help Poland in their fight for farmers' rights and against GMO products can donate here. To see more about the farmers' protests, Protest Rolników, their Facebook page can be accessed here.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/340787

Poland: Seeds Act not vetoed, GM seeds can still be traded

The good news was that Poland banned the planting of GM seeds. The bad news is that the Seeds Act was not vetoed by the Polish Prime Minister and the 'trading' of GM plants and seeds is allowed to continue.

Digital Journal reported recently on the ban by Poland on GM corn and potatoes from BASF and Monsanto. Greenpeace was apparently thrilled that "the government has kept its promises."

 

However, the latest news in from Poland is that everyone was deceived. Despite a great surge of action and letters calling for the flawed act to be vetoed, the Seeds Act is alive and well. While the New Year dawned with Polish Prime Minister Tusk announcing that Poland is to ban the planting of GM seeds as from January 28, he is, however, NOT banning 'trading' of GM plants and seeds.

 

According to the International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside (ICPPC), if trading is allowed, what sort of control will be in place to stop planting? In a word, none. 

ICPPC says that farmers will soon become aware that they will be responsible for any infringements, should their land become contaminated by GM plantings. Should their crops become cross-contaminated, it will be their responsibility and all costs will be payable to the great Monsanto and Big Pesticide.

 

 

ICPPC says that this is a classic political deception. "As the word spins out across the world that Poland is banning GM maize and potato crops, the corporations are being offered the freedom to ply their GM trade. What sort of 'ban' is that?" say Sir Julian Rose and Jadwiga Lopata of ICPPC.

 

The government says that it has the support of Greenpeace. Greenpeace in return, confirms that it is supporting the government position along with a "clique of Facebook supporters".

 

However, the ICPPC has the support of the great majority of farmers and aware consumers and the backing of the Solidarity trade union, the nurses union, the farmers chamber and the bee keeping association. Its members will be uniting the GM opposition groups to form a united front, able and willing to take on the government and the corporations, to force a total ban on GM trading and planting. 

 

The fight continues in Poland against GMOs.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/340694