--- description: Polish prosecutors commenced a libel probe against Professor Jan Gross on Thursday over his comments made in 'Die Welt' title: Princeton Professor Says Poles Killed More Jews Than Nazis During WWII image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt412e2ad460a829d8/6988688d8e06010706462e0f/ap_080123022552.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Princeton Professor Faces Libel Probe for Saying Poles Killed More Jews Than Nazis in WWII ## Video: Know Right Now: Treasure Hunters Target Nazi ‘Gold Train’ [Watch (HLS stream): Know Right Now: Treasure Hunters Target Nazi ‘Gold Train’](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/NYyQ4YxO.m3u8) (1:00)  _Published 2015-08-31. Authorities are blocking the tracks of a rumored Nazi “Gold Train” in Southwest Poland from treasure hunters_ by [Joanna Plucinska](/author/joanna-plucinska/) ## Joanna Plucinska Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 16, 2015 3:42 AM CUT  Princeton University professor Jan T. Gross looks on during a meeting with readers in Warsaw on Jan. 22, 2008 Princeton University professor Jan T. Gross looks on during a meeting with readers in Warsaw on Jan. 22, 2008Aliki Keplicz—AP by [Joanna Plucinska](/author/joanna-plucinska/) ## Joanna Plucinska Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 16, 2015 3:42 AM CUT **Correction appended, Oct. 16** Polish prosecutors in Warsaw commenced a libel probe against Polish-born Princeton professor Jan T. Gross on Thursday after he alleged that Poles killed more Jews than Germans during World War II. Gross made the comments in an opinion [piece](https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/eastern-europe-refugee-crisis-xenophobia-by-jan-gross-2015-09 "undefined") published Sept. 13 that was then picked up by German newspaper [_Die Welt_](http://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/article146355392/Die-Osteuropaeer-haben-kein-Schamgefuehl.html "undefined"). His statements were based on research carried out by the Polish Institute of National Memory and the Polish Academy of Science. In the piece, Gross lamented the reluctance of Eastern European countries like Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to accept refugees, saying that much of their hesitation could stem from residual intolerance carried over from World War II. Recent reports say that Poland plans to receive around [5,000 refugees](http://www.krakowpost.com/2015/09/poland-to-accept-5000-refugees/ "undefined") on top of the 2,000 that it has already accepted. According to [onet.pl](http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/jan-tomasz-gross-i-sledztwo-ws-jego-slow/8pc16e "undefined"), the Warsaw Prosecutor’s Office received 125 complaints about the article. A spokesman for Poland’s Foreign Ministry, Marcin Wojciechowski, has also [condemned](http://www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/221053,Polish-Foreign-Min-rebukes-Gross-over-Die-Welt-refugee-article "undefined") Gross’s comments as “historically untrue, harmful and insulting to Poland.” Jan Gross first came to prominence in Poland with his 2001 book, _Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne_, which details a 1941 massacre of Jews in a Polish town carried out by locals, rather than Nazi forces. The book eventually inspired the 2012 Polish [film](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8RJs8wAA2Y "undefined"), _Aftermath_, which was [banned](http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/129082/in-the-polish-aftermath "undefined") in some Polish theaters over its controversial content. The Warsaw native faced earlier defamation claims over two of his other books, _Fear_ and _Golden Harvest_, the [_Guardian_](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/16/poland-anger-over-claim-that-poles-killed-more-jews-than-germans-during-war "undefined") reports. Recent [polls](http://forward.com/news/world/191155/poland-poll-reveals-stubborn-anti-semitism-amid-je/ "undefined") indicate that anti-Semitism is still prevalent in Poland, a predominantly Roman Catholic and culturally homogenous nation of some 50 million. **Correction**: The original version of this story misstated which university employs Prof. Jan T. Gross. 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