A delegation of 180 IDF personnel and security officials, part of the long-standing “Witnesses in Uniform” program dedicated to Holocaust commemoration, was halted during a flag march at the entrance to Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland on Thursday morning and told to remove their Israeli flags by a local police officer.
Despite efforts by Israeli officers and local staff to resist and reach an agreement, the flags were taken down.
“We were ready for the ceremony, marching in formation with flags, accompanied by a trumpet, as is customary," B. a participant in the group said "At the notorious gate, the Polish officer stopped the front line and demanded we not enter with flags. Both the local Polish staff and our senior officers argued, but to no avail,” the told Ynet.
The group stood silently in formation during the discussion and after a few minutes, the delegation’s sergeant major was instructed to order the flag-bearers to dismantle the flags. “We placed them in the vehicle used for organizing ceremonies,” B. said. “As we passed through the gate, we said nothing to the officer, but the atmosphere was tense.”
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
B. expressed shock at the decision. “No uniformed ceremony has ever been stopped mid-way—not in the forests, not in Treblinka, Warsaw or Majdanek. We always had flag-bearers leading.”
He described the public humiliation, with onlookers filming the military procession that typically draws admiration. “Every year, delegations enter with flags. There are iconic photos of uniformed officers with flags at Birkenau. We believe this stems from a mix of antisemitism and an attempt to reshape the historical narrative.”
The incident deeply affected the group. “It’s truly sad,” B. said, his voice heavy with emotion. “We had to abandon a long-standing tradition. This ceremony is deeply moving and losing a significant part of it hurt us all. This event shows we’re still fighting antisemitism in Europe, and some are trying to alter the Zionist narrative and the sanctity of this place for us.”