The Jedwabne pogrom is a significant and harrowing example of violence against Jews during the Nazi occupation in World War II. It occurred on July 10, 1941, in the village of Jedwabne, located in northeastern Poland. Local Polish townspeople committed the massacre against their Jewish neighbors, an act that was influenced by pre-existing anti-Semitic sentiments and the chaotic environment of war and occupation. The Nazis, having swiftly invaded Poland, sought to establish control and eliminate Jewish populations across occupied territories. This pogrom exemplifies how local populations could, and did, participate in the broader genocidal campaign against Jews during this time, motivated by hatred and ideological conformity to Nazi doctrine.Eyewitness accounts describe how Polish villagers rounded up the Jews, forcing them into a barn, where many were shot or burned alive. Estimates suggest that around 340 to 1,600 Jews were killed. The pogrom's violence was compounded by an atmosphere where vengeance against Jews was fueled by Nazi propaganda and misinformation. The aftermath of the pogrom left the Jewish community in Jedwabne largely decimated. It also highlighted the complicity of local populations in the Holocaust, and it continues to be a subject of study and reflection on Polish-Jewish relations.In the years following the war, the Jedwabne pogrom faded into the background of collective memory in Poland, although it emerged more prominently in the public discourse in the 21st century. Books, documentaries, and historical investigations have sought to unravel the complexities of this event, not just in terms of historical facts but also its implications for understanding guilt, memory, and reconciliation in Polish society today.