The term '''Polish death camps''' (sometimes also '''Polish concentration camps''') is used to describe  [[Nazi concentration camps]] located in [[Germany|German]]-occupied [[Poland]] during the [[World War II]]. It is sometimes used by international media when describing the [[Holocaust]]. The usage of the term, often attributed to ignorance or bad intentions, has been monitored and discouraged by the Polish [[ministry of foreign affairs]] as well as by [[Polonia]] organizations and all [[Polish government]]s after [[1989]]. It was also condemned by the [[American Jewish Committee]]<ref name="AJC">{{en icon}}  [http://www.piasa.org/news14.html Statement on Poland and the Auschwitz Commemoration]</ref>.

==Examples==

Among the newspapers to use the term or similar term were 
* [[The New York Times]]<ref name="NYT">{{pl icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/editor/pd_edit.phpUzycie,przez,%E2%80%9EThe,New,York,Times%E2%80%9D,sformulowania,-,Majdanek,oboz,smierci,w,Polsce.,4464.html Użycie przez „The New York Times” sformułowania - "Majdanek obóz śmierci w Polsce".]</ref> [[2005]]-[[12-05]]
* [[The Australian Jewish News]]<ref name="Australian">{{pl icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/editor/pd_edit.phpBledne,sformulowanie,%E2%80%9Epolskie,obozy,koncentracyjne%E2%80%9D,w,artykule,opublikowanym,w,tygodniku,%E2%80%9EThe,Australian,Jewish,News%E2%80%9D.,4467.html Błędne sformułowanie „polskie obozy koncentracyjne” w artykule opublikowanym w tygodniku „The Australian Jewish News”.]</ref> [[2005]]-[[11-11]]
* [[The Independent on Sunday]]
* [[The Guardian]]
* [[The Toronto Star]]<ref name="TS">{{pl icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/editor/pd_edit.phpBledne,sformulowanie,%E2%80%9Epolski,oboz,koncentracyjny,w,Treblince,i,Sobiborze%E2%80%9D,w,publikacji,dziennika,%E2%80%9EThe,Toronto,Star%E2%80%9D,nt.,smierci,Szymona,Wiesenthala,4470.html Błędne sformułowanie „polski obóz koncentracyjny w Treblince i Sobiborze” w publikacji dziennika „The Toronto Star” nt. śmierci Szymona Wiesenthala]</ref> [[2005]]-[[09-21]]
* [[The Vancouver Sun]]<ref name="VS">{{pl icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/Bledne,sformulowanie,%E2%80%9EPoland%E2%80%99s,Krakow,ghetto%E2%80%9D,w,publikacji,%E2%80%9EVancuver,Sun%E2%80%9D.,4472.html Błędne sformułowanie „Poland’s Krakow ghetto” w publikacji „Vancuver Sun”.]</ref> [[2005]]-[[09-30]]
* [[The San Francisco Chronicle]]<ref name="SFC">{{pl icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/editor/pd_edit.phpBledne,sformulowanie,%E2%80%9EPolish,,genocide%E2%80%9D,w,artykule,%E2%80%9EThe,San,Francisco,Chronicle,4463.html Błędne sformułowanie „Polish genocide” w artykule „The San Francisco Chronicle"]</ref> [[2006]]-[[01-01]]
* [[Southern Illinois]]<ref name="SI">{{pl icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/editor/pd_edit.phpBledne,sformulowanie,%E2%80%9EPoland%E2%80%99s,Auschwitz,%E2%80%93,Birkenau,concentration,camp%E2%80%9D,w,publikacji,%E2%80%9ESouthern,Illinois%E2%80%9D.,4468.html Błędne sformułowanie „Poland’s Auschwitz – Birkenau concentration camp” w publikacji „Southern Illinois”.]</ref>
* German [[Die Tageszeitung|die tageszeitung]]<ref name="tageszeitung">{{pl icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/List,Ambasadora,RP,w,Berlinie,do,redaktorow,naczelnych,czolowych,niemieckich,dziennikow.,4438.html List Ambasadora RP w Berlinie do redaktorów naczelnych czołowych niemieckich dzienników.]</ref>
* Israeli [[Ha’aretz]]<ref name="Haaretz">{{pl icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/editor/files/obozy/dziennik_haaretz.html Dziennik “Ha’aretz” przeprasza za “polskie obozy”]</ref>
* [[Der Spiegel]]<ref name="Spiegel">{{pl icon}} [http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/drukuj?sponsor=&serv=http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/2029020,53600,3241372.html "Polskie obozy zagłady" w "Der Spiegel"]</ref> 
* Swedish [[Dagens Nyheter]]

In most cases the newspapers in question apologized to the readers for usage of the term.

Among the TV stations to use the term was the [[CTV]].<ref name="CTV">{{pl icon}} [http://dziennik.com/www/dziennik/kult/archiwum/01-06-05/pp-01-28-03.html Polish Concentration Camps Zarys chronicznego problemu]</ref>

== Other uses ==

Confusingly, the term "Polish concentration camps" is sometimes also used to refer to [[political prisoner|political prison]] in [[Biaroza|Biaroza (Polish ''Bereza Kartuska'')]] ([[1934]]–[[1939]]), and also Communist concentration camps for Germans, [[Silesians]] and [[anti-Communist]]s that were operating in the first years after the WWII like the [[Zgoda labour camp]].

== References ==
::'''Inline:'''
<references/>

==External links==
* {{en icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/Wystapienie,Ministra,w,jezyku,angielskim,1162.html Polish minister's speeches on the phenomenon]
* {{en icon}} [http://www.rzeczpospolita.pl/akcja/0,0.html Appeal against "Polish death camps"] by [[Rzeczpospolita (newspaper)|Rzeczpospolita daily]]
*{{en icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/AGAINST,„POLISH,CAMPS”,2076.html Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Against "Polish Camps"]
* {{pl icon}} [http://www.msz.gov.pl/editor/files/obozy/raport_dsi_1.html Report of the Polish ministry on foreign usage of "Polish death camp" argument] 


[[Category:World War II crimes in Poland]]

[[pl:"Polskie obozy koncentracyjne"]]