Abstract
This essay argues for the centrality of Polish-Jewish relations for Polish history. I look at a handful of texts (including history and literature) that show the continued nature of autobiographical elements in the exploration of the Polish and Jewish past and the violence that defined it. The conversations about a difficult past play a crucial role not only in the process of understanding the impact/importance of the past for the present, but they also loom large over any interracial, interethnic, or interreligious dialogues. Finally, continued reflection on the Holocaust and the violence that accompanied it (experienced, witnessed, and instigated) provides an opportunity not only for national soul-searching, but ultimately also for understanding the various factors that condition us as Poles.
