Ep 632: Influential Origins with Alan Mindel and guest Jolanta Zamecka P1 on hmTv

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 632 of Influential Origins on hmTv, host Alan Mindel welcomes longtime Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center leader Jolanta Zamecka for Part 1 of a powerful conversation about Poland’s history, World War II, and the long shadow of Soviet deception.Jolanta reflects on her Polish heritage and explains how Poland disappeared from the map for 123 years, regained independence after World War I, and was invaded by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939. The discussion examines the devastation suffered by Jewish and non-Jewish Polish citizens, the destruction of Warsaw, and the systematic targeting of Poland’s military, intellectual, and civic leadership.Alan and Jolanta take a detailed look at the Katyń massacre, in which approximately 22,000 Polish officers and members of the intelligentsia were murdered by the Soviet secret police. They explore Stalin’s role, the decades-long effort to blame Nazi Germany, and the difficult decisions made by Western leaders who needed the Soviet Union as an ally.This deeply historical episode reveals how propaganda can bury the truth, how political necessity can silence justice, and why the consequences of World War II continue to shape Poland and the world today.Support the show