Sir, – The use by Johnny Ronan of the term "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work sets you free") in his submission to the Oireachtas banking inquiry is not merely crass, but culturally offensive to Ireland's small Jewish community ("Shatter calls on Ronan to withdraw Auschwitz reference", September 25th). These words were attached to the entrance gate of Auschwitz, where over one million European Jews were murdered.
This sign is globally synonymous with the Holocaust, and is acknowledged by anyone with even a basic understanding of the Jewish tragedy as one of the Nazis most cynical and exploitative ploys to trick desperate men, women and children into believing they were not going to be killed, but were merely entering a work camp.
For any Jewish citizen of Ireland today, the use of that phrase immediately evokes images of their relatives being rounded up and led to a horrific death. Make no mistake about this, every Irish Jew will have lost numerous relatives in the death camps.
Therefore, it is beyond comprehension that Mr Ronan would first use such an offensive and culturally insensitive term, and that the Oireachtas has refused to remove it from the official website record. I cannot help but wonder if such an intransigent stance would be taken if such a historically hurtful term had been applied to any other religious or ethnic group? Somehow I doubt it. The fact that the Irish Jewish community is demographically small and highly acculturated seems to expose it on a regular basis to crass and insensitive comments. This is not only morally offensive, but deeply unfair. – Yours, etc,
Dr KEVIN McCARTHY,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
Sir, – For anyone to use a phrase that is synonymous with the Holocaust and believe it is appropriate to apply to their perceived “misfortune” is beyond comprehension. – Yours, etc,
JOHN BELLEW,
Dunleer,
Co Louth.
Sir, – Does Mr Ronan think that this phrase is an appropriate rallying cry to his fellow developers? Does he honestly not know where it comes from? Is it conceivable that there is anybody on earth who does not understand the significance of these three words? – Yours, etc,
FINBAR O’CONNOR,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.