Mentana’s words were written in the context of the return to Italy of a volunteer that had been kidnapped in Kenya. Her transition to Islam during nearly eighteen months of captivity sparked a discussion.

In the context of the national debate, Enrico Mentana criticised people comparing the return of Silvia Romano to the return from Auschwitz, asking if anyone knew a Jew who had gone over to the Nazis and returned in SS garb. Mentana found such comparisons to be absurd and emphasised that Auschwitz was located in Poland, which was “very Catholic”, and adding that Adolf Hitler was a “baptised and confirmed Catholic”.

In response, the Polish Embassy in Italy wrote in social media that with such a topic, one should be extremely careful and avoid generalisations. The Polish diplomatic mission confirmed that the country was very Catholic during World War II, adding that the world should be reminded it was occupied by the Germans.

Claims that may suggest that Auschwitz was founded in Poland because the country was Catholic and the combination of these two matters was rightly considered by the Polish Embassy to be unfair and wrong. 

Source: pch24.pl