I  previously posted on this Forum about Poland’s Parliament passing legislation preventing former Polish property owners from regaining property  including Holocaust survivors and their descendants. Polish President Andrzej Duda signed the legislation Saturday—August 14.

While the law received support across the domestic political spectrum both Israel and the United States strongly opposed this action and asked President Duda to veto it. President Duda when signing the law said, “I am convinced that with my signature the era of legal chaos ends, the era of re-privatization mafias, the uncertainty of millions of Poles and the lack of respect for the basic rights of citizens of our country."

Israel reacted to the signing the law by recalling the head of its diplomatic mission to Warsaw and announced it will not be sending a new ambassador at present.

Unlike many other countries, Poland never passed a comprehensive restitution or recompensation law. As a result, some cases made their way through the courts, other individuals were stymied in their efforts and some claims were beset by fraud as criminal gangs made false claims, sometimes acquiring high-end properties and evicting tenants.

In 2015, Poland's constitutional court ruled there should be specific deadlines after which administrative decisions over property titles could no longer be challenged.

The Polish government argues the legislation Duda signed restores certainty to the property market and halts false claims.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Poland "won't pay for Germany's crimes."

To read more see:

https://www.dw.com/en/polish-president-signs-holocaust-restitution-bill/a-58866684

Jan Meisels Allen

Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee