We ask the US Congress – committees, senators and congressmen – to support action regarding compensation for war losses from Germany. The US is a country that today decided to adhere to international justice and order, Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk said on Tuesday.

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Poland asked the US Congress about reparations

At Tuesday’s press conference, Mularczyk said that the next actions of the Polish government regarding the internationalization of the case of Polish claims of war damages from Germany would be presented to the US Congress.

Today I want to tell you about another important initiative related to the internationalization of compensation issues. Today we are discussing the US Congress. We believe that the US is a nation that determines the current global order, a key country in terms of respecting international order, human rights, rule of law and international justice

he announced.

Therefore, we turned to the committees of the US Congress, first of all to the chairman of the US Congressional Helsinki Committee, Senator Benjamin Cardin, to Congressman Gregory Meeks – he is chairman of the Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee; then to Senator Robert Menendez – chairman of the US Senate foreign affairs committee and congresswoman Marcy Kaptur – co-chair of the Polish-American friendship group

Mularczyk said.

Germany did not compensate Poland for war losses

He emphasized that he was counting on the support of the American side in “the issue of Polish compensation claims for the aftermath of World War II.”

I want to emphasize that to this day Germany has not compensated Poland for war losses. Also, Polish citizens do not receive appropriate compensation from the German state. Here we can see the absolute asymmetry in the treatment of the Polish state, as well as our citizens after the Potsdam conference, where the German state provided, by virtue of international agreements, not only to Western European countries, but also to certain international countries. community, compensation benefits, and to the state – compensation

he explained.

As he pointed out, Poland did not enter into any bilateral agreements with Germany on this issue, nor did it participate in any international format “where war reparations would be paid to Poland.”

For this reason, we believe that it is very important and important to involve the US Congress in this matter and to inform US lawmakers, especially regarding the Helsinki Commission, whose main aim and motive is adherence to the rule of law, democracy. and human rights; we believe that the Commission is the right forum for discussion

– said the deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mularczyk emphasized that “after the end of World War II, Germany benefited from the Marshall Plan – which served to rebuild the German economy.” On the other hand, he added, “Poland, on the other hand, fell under Soviet influence, which was associated with the exploitation of Poland’s powerful economy, with unprofitable coal deals and the exploitation of the Polish state and people.”

Unfortunately, the “Iron Curtain” did not allow for many years to resolve this issue or resolve it in a dialogue form. Today, however, nothing is preventing Germany from starting a dialogue with the Polish state. If they don’t take it, we will consistently seek justice in international forms

said the deputy minister.

International support camp

Mularczyk also reminded that the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has conveyed this matter to a number of international organizations, including the United Nations, the European Council, UNESCO, as well as the 50 countries – members of the European Council, NATO and the European Union.

When asked if it would be possible to build something like a support camp for this purpose within the European Union itself, since several countries already have experience in the field of compensation, Mularczyk replied that he “sees such a possibility, such a perspective”.

I think over time, the realization that Poland’s actions are determined, that we are taking action in a very professional and consistent way at different levels of the international agenda, will lead to the building of a coalition of countries that were influenced by Germany, by World War II. , which, like Poland, will not receive appropriate compensation

– said the deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On September 1 last year, a report on the losses suffered by Poland as a result of the German aggression and occupation during World War II was presented. On October 3, Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau signed a diplomatic note to the German side regarding reparations. In it, Poland demands, among other things, compensation for material and intangible losses amounting to PLN 6 billion 220 billion 609 million and compensation.

In early January this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland dated 3 October 2022 regarding compensation for Polish losses incurred as a result. German aggression and occupation during World War II. According to the German government, the issue of reparations and compensation for war losses remains closed, and the German government does not intend to enter into negotiations on this issue.

time/PAP