Polish Lawmaker Denies Nazi Gas Chambers Existed

Polish authorities are investigating far-right lawmaker Grzegorz Braun for allegedly claiming on July 10, 2025, that Nazi gas chambers were “fake” while asserting that blood libels are true. The remarks, made during an interview on Poland’s Wnet radio, have sparked widespread condemnation, as reported by JNS.

Braun, a member of the Confederation of the Polish Crown party, reportedly said, “Ritual murder is a fact, and such a thing as Auschwitz with its gas chambers is unfortunately a fake,” according to the Polish Press Agency. The Warsaw district prosecutor’s office is conducting a preliminary investigation into whether Braun’s statements constitute denial of Nazi crimes, which could lead to criminal charges.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the comments, stating, “This fuels antisemitism, spreads hate, and desecrates the memory of millions murdered by the Nazis.” A ministry spokesperson on X demanded Braun face justice. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the remarks “a disgrace,” urging efforts to dissociate Poland from such views.

The controversy follows Braun’s attendance at an unauthorized far-right ceremony in Jedwabne on July 10, near the official memorial for at least 340 Jews killed by Poles in 1941. The event featured plaques blaming Germans for the massacre and alleging Jewish involvement in Communist crimes, drawing further criticism from Israel’s embassy in Poland for manipulating history and inciting hatred with antisemitic and pro-Palestinian slogans.

Braun previously drew attention in December 2023 for extinguishing a Chanukah menorah in Poland’s parliament, an act that also stirred controversy.