In its diplomatic note sent to the Federal Republic of Germany on the compensation for damage caused by Germany as a result of its aggression and occupation in 1939-1945, the Republic of Poland demands:

1. Compensation for material and non-material losses amounting to 6 trillion 220 billion 609 million Polish zlotys;
2. Compensating victims of German aggression and occupation, as well as their families, for the losses and harm suffered;
3. Taking systemic measures by the Federal Republic of Germany to return cultural property seized from Poland and currently located on German territory;
4. Return of assets and liabilities of Polish state banks and credit institutions seized by the German state in 1939-1945;
5. Settlement of amounts due resulting from exploitation by the Reichskreditkassen, which funded the Third Reich’s criminal military efforts, and from the operations of the Issuing Bank in Poland;
6. Full rehabilitation of activists of the Polish minority in pre-war Germany who were killed during the war and compensating for the losses suffered by Polish diaspora organisations in Germany.
7. Fully and systemically regulating the current status of Poles and persons of Polish origin in Germany by restoring the status of national minority, in particular as regards the teaching of their mother tongue;
8. Appropriate cooperation with the Republic of Poland with respect to commemorating Polish victims of World War II;
9. Taking effective action by the German authorities to present to its own society a true picture of the war and its consequences, especially the harm and damage inflicted to Poland and its people.

Moreover, in connection with the media discussion about the note, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declares the following:

1. The note uses the term “compensation” instead of “reparations”, as the former word has a much broader meaning and includes both reparations within the meaning of international law and other claims specified in the note.
2. Contrary to false media reports, the diplomatic note to the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany mentions the amount of compensation payable to the Republic of Poland based on the calculation included in the Report on losses suffered by Poland as a result of German aggression and occupation during World War II 1939-1945.
3. A calculation of wartime losses caused by the USSR will be based on a research comparable to the one which resulted in the drafting of the Report on losses suffered by Poland as a result of German aggression and occupation during World War II 1939-1945, in accordance with a resolution of the Polish Sejm.
4. Public disclosure of the content of the note sent directly to another state would be a violation of the fundamental principles of diplomacy. Diplomatic notes are not part of public information, which is clearly evidenced by Polish courts’ case law (e.g. judgements of the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw of 19 December 2019 and of 20 August 2020 in cases no. SA/Wa 2275/19 and II SA/Wa 1954/19 respectively). Notwithstanding the above, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, concerned to maintain the open nature of public debate and the accuracy of the mass media coverage, decided to issue this statement which includes key items addressed in the note. Moreover, at any time, any Polish MP and senator can familiarise themselves with the note pursuant to the Act of 9 May 1996 on discharging the duties of MPs and senators and the Act of 21 January 2021 on foreign service, under conditions that ensure diplomatic secrecy.

 

Łukasz Jasina 
MFA Press Spokesperson