THE GREAT RETOUCH. HOW WE FORGOT THAT POLES... - TOMASZ ŻUKOWSKI

The book "The Great Retouch" is a deep analysis of the attitudes of Poles towards the Holocaust, showing the mechanisms of self-whitewashing and avoiding the difficult truth about the participation of Poles in the tragedy of Jews during the occupation. The author, Tomasz Żukowski, uses examples from culture to show how myths are created that retouch the image of Poles and what stereotypes penetrate into the collective memory.

• In-depth analysis of the attitudes of Poles towards the Holocaust
• Study of the mechanisms of self-whitewashing and avoiding the truth
• Examples from culture showing the process of image retouching
• Discovering stereotypes in the collective memory about Polish-Jewish relations
• Courageous scientific action giving a chance to tame the past
• The book as a diagnosis of the Polish disease and a recipe for the future
• Author - Tomasz Żukowski, a literary historian from IBL PAN

Tomasz Żukowski, a literary historian working at the Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, specializes in the issues of public discourse in Poland. His interests include the functions of images of the Jew and their role in defining Polish identity, as well as narratives about the People's Republic of Poland and communism after 1989. He is a co-author of the volume "The Holocaust in the Medallions of Zofia Nałkowska. Text and Contexts" and the book "Philosemitic Violence? New Polish Narratives about Jews after 2000".

The book "The Great Retouch" is an uncompromising study of how Poles deal with the difficult history of the Holocaust. The author analyzes films and books from the last seventy years to show how myths are created, work and transform to retouch the image of Poles. He checks how and through which channels stereotypes flow into the canon of memory about Polish-Jewish relations and what the consequences are. Only such courageous and uncompromising scientific activities give a chance to overcome emotions and tame the past.

Refusal to confront the truth and consolidating silence leads nowhere - unrecognized aggression returns, injuries become stronger. This book is the story of a Polish disease, a diagnosis and a recipe in one. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the mechanisms of collective memory and the processes of shaping national identity in the context of a difficult history.

Published by Wielka Litera in 2018, it has 480 pages and a format of 14.5x20.5 cm. The paperback cover ensures comfortable reading and durability. This book is an important voice in the discussion about Polish history and identity, which should be heard by the widest possible audience.