• Poland commemorates the murder of hundreds of Jewish residents of Jedwabne by their Polish neighbors during World War II, with a memorial service attended by state representatives and the Chief Rabbi.
• Historical research indicates that the perpetrators of the 1941 massacre in Jedwabne were incited by German occupying forces, leading to a debate in Poland about the extent of anti-Semitism among Poles during that time.
• Former Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski has previously asked for forgiveness for the Jedwabne massacre and warned about the rise of far-right forces in Poland and Germany, as far-right activists staged a demonstration denying Polish responsibility for the atrocity.

Poland on Friday commemorated the murder of hundreds of Jewish residents of the eastern town of Jedwabne by their Polish neighbours during World War II.

"We are here to pray. We are here to mourn," Poland's Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich said at a memorial service near the scene of the atrocity. "The most important thing is that we do this together."

Representing the state, the heads of the two chambers of parliament, Włodzimierz Czarzasty and Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, took part in the ceremony, the PAP news agency reported.

On July 10, 1941, around 40 Polish perpetrators murdered an estimated 340 of Jewish residents of Jedwabne and the surrounding area. Some 300 of the victims were burnt alive in a barn.

According to historical research, the perpetrators were incited by the German occupying forces, who had captured the town from Soviet troops shortly beforehand.

During this phase of the war, Nazi SS units extended the persecution of Jews to the conquered territories, making use of local accomplices.

Former president: I would apologize again

Since 2000, Poland has debated the extent to which anti-Semitism among Poles contributed to the Jedwabne massacre.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said many Poles had shown solidarity with persecuted Jews during the German occupation, but added that there were also events "for which we should still be ashamed today."

In 2001, the then Polish president Aleksander Kwaśniewski asked for forgiveness for what had happened.

"I would apologize again for Jedwabne," the 71-year-old told the Rzeczpospolita newspaper on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the massacre.

Kwaśniewski coupled this with a warning about the rise of far-right forces in Poland as well as in Germany. "It is a very sad picture that these Poles paint when they deny Jedwabne or the Holocaust," he said.

Away from the memorial service, Polish far-right activists staged a demonstration in Jedwabne, PAP reported. Among them was European Parliament member Grzegorz Braun, who denied Polish responsibility for the massacre.

Referring to the protest, Tusk said: "I want all Poles to claim as their own everything we can be proud of, but also to take collective responsibility for what does not bring us honour."