I have just been reading on the Royal British Legion website about a town in Poland who is divided over what to do with a tree planted by Adolf Hitler as a birthday celebration.
According to the Legion, the oak, which stands in the Polish town of Jaslo, is one of several hundred that were given away by the Nazi leader on 20 April each year to commemorate his birthday. The town’s mayor thinks it is bad for the town’s image and is in the way of traffic, and wants it chopped down. But evidently half of the town’s 38,000 population thinks the tree should stay…hmmm.
Here’s an idea. Firstly chop the damn tree down! (why has it taken 60 years to even think about it!) BUT, from the remains of the tree create a nice, tasteful sculptured memorial in rememberance of the millions of Jews, Slavs and other races slaughtered at the hands of the Nazis. A memorial such as this, sculpted out of this symbol of Nazism, would be fitting tribute to the memories of those that perished.
Talking of the Royal British Legion, I want to thank every one who has sponsored me so far in my quest to raise 10 grand for them by riding the WW1 Western Front Trench System. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Great War Heroes Weblog 
Your post and your “hmmm” comment makes it sounds like some of the Poles are pro-Hitler and yet the last line of the referenced article says “The issue has divided the town of 38,000 people in half. Some have said that instead of axing the tree that it should be re-dedicated to victims of the Holocaust.” I understand the movie “Katyn” has been showing in the U.K. and has openned some eyes on what happened to Poland…but it is only a glimpse of the hell that Poland went through and I urge you to become familiar with books like “The Forgotten Holocaust” and “When God Looked the Other Way”. Also, our countries (U.S. and U.K.) betrayal of Poland is something that should be memorialized somewhere.
By: William H. Szych on July 9, 2009
at 9:37 pm
Hi William, firstly thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I have point out that in no way was I suggesting any of the Polish residents of the town in question were pro-Hitler, and if the post came across that way then I can only apologise…I just find it strange that people would want the tree to stay – re-dedicating it to the victims to my mind is not good enough. It needs to be cut down and re-fashioned into a fitting memorial. But that’s just my opinon.
I will check out the books you have suggested, I agree with you that more could have been done to help the Poles. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but i cannot help thinking there were many missed opportunities to help them sooner.
Scott.
By: mcfinder on July 9, 2009
at 9:50 pm