Second Gentleman Pool Reports of January 28, 2023

SGOTUS travel pool report #1 - comments on Jerusalem attack

Good morning from Krakow, where it is gray and below freezing.

The Second Gentleman gaggled after a tour of the Oskar Schindler Enamel Factory in Krakow. He answered a question about last night's shooting attack at a Jerusalem synagogue that killed 7 people.

"This is a terror attack. This is murder."

"These were people who were just prayingin a temple, living their everyday lives, and were murdered in cold blood."

"It's something that we need to just stop. And that's why we're doing this work. And that's why I'm gonna continue to do this work."

"We stand with the people of Israel. We're committed to the security of Israel."

He said he spoke about the attack with the VP and that President Biden has spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

More details to come on his engagements for the day.

SGOTUS travel pool report #2 -- antisemitism roundtable and Schindler's factory

SGOTUS arrived at the Oskar Schindler Enamel Factory at 9:57 a.m. CET this morning. He was greeted by the deputy mayor of Krakow and the museum director. (See below for all names and background on locations.)

Halfway through the tour, SGOTUS walked into an exhibit about "Schindler's List," the 1,000 Jews saved by the German businessman in the Holocaust. SGOTUS spent a minute pausing in the room and reading some of the names.

At the end of the tour, SGOTUS signed a guestbook in front of photos of the Jews saved by Schindler. After, he spoke about his visit to Auschwitz yesterday and took two questions from press. Some quotes below (see previous email for quotes on Jerusalem attack).

"It's something I'm never going to forget. And it's going to help me continue to do the work."

"What are we seeing today, we cannot have history repeat itself. And that's why, on behalf of the administration, we are taking this so seriously as an all of government approach to push back on hate and antisemitism."

Motorcade departed the museum at 11:30 a.m. for the Galicia Jewish Museum, where SGOTUS is participating in a roundtable about antisemitism.

At 11:56 a.m. SGOTUS entered the museum and delivered remarks for 10 minutes at the start of the roundtable. One quote below, and WH will send his prepared remarks later today. Press were escorted out of the meeting, which is closed press.

"Before I left on this trip, I spoke to President Biden and Vice President Harris about this. The president spoke to me in the Oval Office about how his own father spoke to him about the horror of horrors of the Holocaust."

Background below Schindler's Enamel Factory and antisemitism round table at Galicia Jewish Museum, per WH:

Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory, Krakow, Poland

Oskar Schindler Enamel Factory (Fabryka Emalia Osakara Schindlera) provides an overview of Krakow's history leading up to and during World War II, in addition to a specific section dedicated to Oskar Schindler and the factory's role made world-famous in the film Schindler's List.

Participants:

• Douglas Emhoff, Second Gentleman

• Ambassador Mark Brzezinski

• U.S. Consul General Erin Nickerson

• Museum of Krakow Director Michal Niezabitowski

• Oskar Schindler Enamel Factory Director Bartosz Heksel

• Deputy Mayor of Krakow Boguslaw Kosmider

• Guide: Beata Bujda - Szwaczka

Galicia Museum, Krakow, Poland

The Galicia Museum, which aims to challenge stereotypes and to educate both Poles and Jews about their own histories, will host the roundtable. The leaders who will participate in the roundtable represent Jewish, Christian, Roma, and other groups working to foster tolerance, dialogue, and inclusion in Poland.

Participants:

· Douglas Emhoff, Second Gentleman

· Mark Brzezinski, U.S. Ambassador to Poland

· Deborah Lipstadt, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism

· Ellen Germain, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues

· Erin Nickerson, U.S. Consul General Krakow, Poland

· Jakub Nowakowski, Director, Galicia Jewish Museum

· Tomasz Kuncewicz Director, Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation

· Janusz Makuch, Director, Jewish Culture Festival

· Henryk Wo?niakowski, President, Christian Culture Foundation ZNAK

· Joanna Talewicz-Kwiatkowska, President, Towards Dialogue Foundation

· Edyta Gawron, Professor of Jewish Studies, Jagiellonian University

· Piotr Kwapisiewicz, President of the Board, Jewish Association Czulent

SGOTUS travel pool report #3 -- Ukrainian refugee briefing at UNHCR

Press did not see SGOTUS again at the last stop after the introductory remarks at his antisemitism roundtable. Pool held at a nearby restaurant during roundtable.

SGOTUS arrived at a UNHCR community center at 2:58 p.m. He and Ambassador Brzezinski received a briefing on UNHCR's work in the country, focused on the last 11 months since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 1.5m Ukrainian refugees have registered with the Polish government in that time, said Kevin Allen of UNHCR. Press were escorted out of the briefing to another room in the community center, where small groups of all ages were playing or talking.

At 3:23 p.m. SGOTUS walked into a large room where elderly Ukrainian women were eating cookies and doing crafts. (Many were painting eggs.) SGOTUS first walked up to a group of children and asked them what game they were playing.

He stopped and chatted with the women for several minutes, talking with them about where they met and what they were doing for work in Poland. SGOTUS did not take questions from the press. See quotes below from his conversation with the women.

"I'm going to talk about you with the vice President as soon as I talk to her."

"On behalf of President Biden and Vice President Harris, who's my wife, and our great ambassador here I just want to let you know the United States is going to do everything we can to continue to support the Ukrainian people."

The motorcade departed back to the hotel at 3:42 p.m. Pool split off from SGOTUS, who will speak to staff of the U.S. Consulate General in Krakow, which is closed press.

UNHCR:
At the center, the Second Gentleman will receive a briefing from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR's) operations in Krakow and Poland. He will tour the community center and engage with Ukrainian refugees.

Participants:
· Douglas Emhoff, Second Gentleman
· U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski
· U.S. Consul General in Krakow Erin Nickerson
· UNHCR Krakow Head of Office, Astrid Castelein
· UNHCR Representative to Poland, Kevin Allen