Milestones and activities: Poland’s Campaign for Second World War Reparations

What has happened so far in Poland’s campaign for reparations?

On this page, we will document the main milestones and activities that have occurred that concern the campaign for Second World War Reparations for Poland. 

 

November

8 November: Lord Keen's Introductory Report "Reparation and reconciliation processes to overcome past conflicts and build a common peaceful future – the question of just and equal redress" was published.

 

October

11 October: The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe holds a hearing for Lord Keen's Introductory Report that looks to establish a mechanism for Member States to enter into dialogue to resolve conflict.

5 October: The panel discussion "Delivering Justice for Victim States" took place in Central Hall, Westminster, London. 

3 October: Statement on the anniversary of sending the Diplomatic Note to Germany requesting the payment of reparations for World War II.

 

September

14 September: Exhibition in Westminister, "The Price of Freedom: Polish Losses during WW2" 

13 September: Announcement re: the creation of the team to look at Poland's Second World War losses caused by the USSR. | 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence (resolution 45/10), Fabián Salvioli (see 10 July below) - Session 1, Session 2 

4 September: Event: Celebration of British-Polish friendship and unity in Westminister

1 September: Anniversary of the start of the Second World War

 

August

30 Aug: U.S. Congressman Chris Smith calls for the US to support Polish-German WW2 talks

24 Aug: U.S. Rabbis - the North American Board of Rabbis (NABOR) - say Germany has a moral obligation to start talks with Poland

7 Aug: Letters sent to all self-governing and government administrative bodies to support Poland's claim for reparations.

 

July

31 July: Arkadiusz Mularczyk awarded by "Children of War" Association

24-27 July: Meetings in the U.S. Congress, Washington DC and New York

10 July: The Report for the UN Human Rights Council is published: A/HRC/54/24: International legal standards underpinning the pillars of transitional justice - Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Fabián Salvioli.  

 

June

26 June: Secretary of State Arkadiusz Mularczyk attends the Foreign Affairs Council

23 June: Letters sent to all German politicians in the Bundesrat

14 June: Letters sent to all MEPs and the European Commission

13 June: International Conference - Post-conflict Justice: Opening Legal Paths

23 June: Letters sent to all German politicians in the Bundestag

 

May

26 May: Letters sent to all MPs in the German Bundestag

22 May: Meeting in the German Bundestag

17 May: The Reykjavík Declaration was signed at the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe

 

April

29 April: Lecture by the Director of the Jan Karski Institute of War Losses, Zakopane

26-28 April: Meetings in London with the Geostrategy Council Think Tank, Westminster with the APPGP, the Polish Embassy in London, and POSK

26 April: Cooperation announced between The Jan Karski Institute of War Losses and The Polish Academy of Sciences

24-26 April: Council of Europe – Side-Event Conference: The right to just and equal redress and the access to court and a fair trial for all victims of the German Aggression during the Second World War

The Resolution “The question of the right to just and equal redress and the access to court and a fair trial for all victims of the German Aggression during the Second World War” is passed and Lord Keen is appointed as Rapporteur.

20 April: A conference was held at the OECD: Assessing the Economic Costs of War Damages

20 April: The Council of Ministers Resolution was passed clarifying Poland’s position re: reparations 

18 April: Poland appeals to major American think tanks and undertakes a promotional and lobbying campaign among US Congressmen and Senators

15 April: Congress of National Remembrance, hosted by the Institute of National Remembrance

6 April: Requiem in Memory of Polish Composers, Warsaw

 

March

27-28 March: Meeting in the German Bundestag

25 March: Meeting to discuss Reparations in Łódż organised by Museum of Polish Children 

24 March: Screening of the film “1939. Siege of Warsaw” 

24 March: Letters were sent to all members of the US Congress explaining Poland’s position and asking for support 

20 March: The Prime Minister delivered a speech in Heidelberg calling for the repayment of reparations

20 March: Letters about Poland's reparations claims sent to all members of the US Congress

16 March: Meeting at the Polish Embassy in Berlin

1-3 March: Meeting at the Hague

 

February

22-23 February: Meeting in Serbia

19 February: Requiem in Memory of Polish Composers, Kielce 

16-17 February: Meeting in Italy 

14-15 February: Meeting in Greece 

14 February: Meeting in Switzerland

10 February: Meeting with the Swedish Deputy Foreign Minister, Warsaw

3 February: Academic Seminar "War Losses in the Eastern Territories of the Second Polish Republic in the years 1939-1946. State of Research and Research Perspectives”

29 January – 6 February: Meetings in the US: the UN, the Congress, the Heritage Foundation and others

 

January 2023

25 January: Council of Europe – Submission of the Resolution “The question of the right to just and equal redress and the access to court and a fair trial for all victims of the German Aggression during the Second World War”

19-21 January: Meeting in Iceland

17 January: Meeting in Czechia

12 January: Senators Ted Cruz and Rick Scott asked for support for Poland's claim for reparations

3 January: UN asked to support Poland's claim for reparations

 

December

14 December: UNESCO asked to support Poland's claim for reparations

6-7 December: Meeting in Berlin

 

November

24 November: Screening of the film “1939. Siege of Warsaw” 

 

October

31 October: Arkadiusz Mularczyk made Secretary of State for European Policy 

3 October: Diplomatic note sent to Germany demanding the payment of reparations

1 October: The Convention of “Gazeta Polska” Clubs in Spale

 

September 2022

14 September: The Sejm adopted a cross-party resolution with an overwhelming majority stating that:

  • Poland had never received compensation for the losses caused by the German state,
  • Poland has never received reparations for the wrongs suffered by Poland’s citizens.
  • Poland had not renounced its claims against Germany.
  • Poland has called upon the German government to “assume unequivocally its political, historical, legal and financial responsibility” for all the consequences caused in Poland and in relation to the Polish citizens by the Third German Reich.

1 September: After almost 5 years of work, the War Report was published

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