13 July marks the anniversary of the death of Jan Karski (1914–2000) – one of the greatest heroes of the Second World War and a symbol of courage, integrity, and moral responsibility.

As a courier and emissary of the Polish Underground State, Jan Karski repeatedly risked his life to carry secret reports from occupied Poland to the Polish Government-in-Exile and the Allied leaders. His mission was not only to report on the military situation but also to reveal the horrific reality of Nazi Germany’s occupation and the systematic extermination of the Jewish people.

In 1942, Karski secretly entered the Warsaw Ghetto and a Nazi transit camp to witness the atrocities firsthand. His eyewitness testimony, together with intelligence gathered by the Polish Underground State and reports provided by Jewish resistance organisations, formed a crucial part of the evidence sent to London. These materials became the basis of the historic Raczyński Note, issued on 10 December 1942 by Edward Raczyński, the Foreign Minister of the Polish Government-in-Exile.

Officially titled “The Mass Extermination of Jews in German Occupied Poland,” the Raczyński Note was the first diplomatic document issued by any government to inform the Allied powers about the systematic extermination of European Jews by Nazi Germany and to call for urgent international action.

Karski was entrusted with delivering these reports and personally explaining their contents to Allied leaders, making his testimony one of the earliest and most compelling eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust presented to the Western world.

In July 1943, Karski met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House. During the meeting, he described the brutal German occupation of Poland, the terror inflicted upon the Polish population, and the ongoing genocide of European Jews.

Recalling the meeting in his 1944 book Story of a Secret State, Karski wrote:

“The President asked for confirmation of reports concerning the persecution of the Jews. I corrected him, explaining that it was not persecution but the planned extermination of the Jewish nation.”

Despite his powerful testimony, the Allied response fell far short of what Karski and the Jewish resistance had hoped for. Nevertheless, his unwavering determination ensured that the truth about the Holocaust reached the highest levels of government.

After the war, Jan Karski settled in the United States, where he became a respected professor at Georgetown University. For decades, he dedicated himself to educating future generations about the Holocaust, totalitarianism, and the importance of defending human dignity.

His extraordinary service has been recognised with some of the world’s highest honours, including the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest decoration, the title of Righteous Among the Nations, awarded by Yad Vashem, and, posthumously, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the United States.

Today, Jan Karski remains a powerful reminder that one individual, armed only with truth and courage, can help change history. His legacy continues to inspire people around the world to stand against hatred, injustice, and indifference.

We remember Jan Karski with gratitude and respect.

Lest we forget.

Polish Sue 🇵🇱