| Dear Mr Ebeid. I am writing to you in relation to the miniseries Our Mothers, Our Fathers: Generation War, which was screened recently by SBS. This movie has triggered broad reaction from members of the Australian Polish community. Most of them - regrettably - strongly critical. I wish to emphasise that the executive committee of the Polish Community Council of Australia understands entirely that this series is a form of art and the authors have a right to present their own impressions of historical events. It is not our intention to protest against the screening of a presentation of a German latest view of this country participation in the II World War either. In fact, this film contains an interesting take-on in relation to motivation and behaviour of young people enlisted/conscripted into the German army. We merely question the portrayal of a nation which was invaded by German Third Reich in September 1939 and lost more than four million of its citizens (including the three million of Polish Jews, who perished in Holocaust).
Among some minor issues the one aspect is particularly unjust – the presentation of the second largest underground army in the occupied Europe, which acted under the command of the Polish Government in Exile, located in London, liaising with British military command, and acting in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, and following the military standards of conduct. The English section of Wikipedia, presenting Our Mothers, Our Fathers states that “many critics were enraged by parts of the story, including the portrayal of the Polish anti-Nazi resistance as fanatical anti-Semites worse than the German Nazis”.
We don’t think that such a movie, without a proper comment, meets the SBS Chapter criteria, particularly (1) and (2)(c). We also believe that such a biased view requires a second opinion, so that the (2)(h) requirement is met.
We propose that SBS organize a 20-30 minute discussion with a representative of the movie producer, the representative of the Australian Polish community and an SBS moderator. The Polish Community Council of Australia will be happy to provide a suitable participant for the debate.
To discuss this proposal or for further information, the Polish Community Council of Australia can be contacted via email at either president@polishcouncil.org.au or through the secretariat at secretary@polishcouncil.org.au.
Yours sincerely
Leszek Wikarjusz
President
Polish Community Council of Australia
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