ETHICS COMPLAINT & NOTIFICATION
The Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation (AJCF) has submitted a formal complaint to the Sejm Ethics Committee regarding the conduct of Member of Parliament Konrad Berkowitz.
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AJCF has also submitted a Notification of Suspected Criminal Conduct under Polish Law to Prokuratura Okręgowa w Warszawie.
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Formal Complaint – Conduct of Konrad Berkowicz
Dear Members of the Committee, On behalf of the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation Poland (Fundacja Edukacyjne Centrum Żydowskie w Oświęcimiu), a registered nonprofit organization operating in Oświęcim, we respectfully submit this formal complaint regarding the conduct of Member of Parliament Konrad Berkowicz during proceedings of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland on April 14, 2026.
During his remarks, Mr. Berkowicz displayed an altered Israeli flag bearing a swastika and declared Israel to be the “new Third Reich.” This conduct occurred from the parliamentary rostrum and was subsequently disseminated through public media channels, thereby amplifying its reach and potential impact.
The act drew immediate condemnation within the chamber, including from the Speaker of the Sejm, and prompted calls from Members of Parliament for further review.
As an organization with a registered presence and ongoing educational operations in Oświęcim, we consider the use of Nazi imagery in Poland’s national parliament to directly implicate the integrity of Holocaust remembrance and the standards of public responsibility associated with elected office.
The use of such imagery risks normalizing symbols that are inseparable from the history of genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany on Polish soil and undermines the dignity of the Sejm as an institution.
We respectfully request that the Committee review this matter and take any disciplinary action it deems appropriate within its authority.
Respectfully submitted,
Fundacja Edukacyjne Centrum Żydowskie w Oświęcimiu
(Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation Poland)
Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation
(New York, United States)
Notification of Suspected Criminal Conduct under Polish Law
Dear Sir or Madam,
On behalf of Fundacja Edukacyjne Centrum Żydowskie w Oświęcimiu (Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation Poland), a registered nonprofit organization operating in Oświęcim, we hereby notify the Public Prosecutor’s Office of suspected criminal conduct for its review.
On April 14, 2026, during proceedings of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Member of Parliament Konrad Berkowicz publicly displayed an image of the Israeli flag in which the Star of David had been replaced with a Nazi swastika. During the same remarks, he declared that Israel constitutes the “new Third Reich.”
Publicly available recordings of these remarks indicate that the statements were made deliberately from the parliamentary rostrum and were subsequently disseminated through official and affiliated media channels, thereby amplifying their reach and potential impact.
This conduct may constitute behavior falling within the scope of provisions of Polish criminal law concerning the public display of Nazi symbols and the incitement of hatred based on national, ethnic, or religious differences.
We further note that the conduct was immediately met with condemnation within the Sejm, including by the Speaker of the chamber, and prompted calls from Members of Parliament for prosecutorial review.
As an organization with a registered presence and ongoing educational operations in Oświęcim, we consider the public display of Nazi symbolism in Poland’s national legislature to directly implicate the integrity of Holocaust remembrance and the legal protections governing such expression within the Republic of Poland.
The use of such imagery, particularly within a parliamentary setting, risks normalizing symbols that are inseparable from the history of genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany on Polish soil and may contribute to the distortion of historical truth and the incitement of hostility.
We respectfully request that the Public Prosecutor’s Office review the above-described conduct and assess whether it constitutes an offense under applicable provisions of Polish law.
We remain available to provide any additional information that may assist in your review.
Respectfully submitted,
Fundacja Edukacyjne Centrum Żydowskie w Oświęcimiu
(Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation Poland)
Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation
(New York, United States)
