The issue of reparations from Germany to Poland for harms incurred during World War II, along with compensation and legal avenues for individuals and for Poland and other Central and Eastern European nations, will be raised at every viable international platform. The United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the United States Congress hold particular significance now and in the future for the European Union, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk.
We will pursue a consistent course
Germany should confront the question and consider how to address this grievance. The approach will be steady and persistent. The matter will be brought before the Council of Europe, the United Nations, the United States Congress, and other international bodies, and, in time, before the European Union as well, he stated.
He also noted that Polish authorities are actively pursuing an informational, diplomatic, and political campaign on this issue.
More than fifty diplomatic notes have been sent to countries within the European Union, the Council of Europe, and NATO, documenting war-related losses. This demonstrates that foreign ministries across Europe, as well as the United States and Canada, are aware of these matters. In recent weeks and months, he has undertaken several actions at international forums and submitted a draft resolution to the Council of Europe. The proposal suggests examining asymmetries in how civilian victims of the Second World War were treated and whether justice was denied to these victims in light of violations of the European Convention on Human Rights in practice.
Council of Europe resolutions are described as “soft law”
He explained that the focus includes articles in the treaty that protect equal treatment, human dignity, and the right to a fair trial. At the Bureau meeting of the Council of Europe in The Hague, the draft was referred to the Legal Affairs Committee for further consideration. He expects work to continue in the coming months and anticipates a landmark report on the matter by the Council of Europe.
If produced, the document would carry international weight, evaluating whether postwar discrimination deprived civilian victims, particularly those from Central and Eastern Europe, of dignity and fair trial rights, and whether there was unequal treatment in the aftermath of the war.
He noted that Council of Europe resolutions fall under soft law, serving as guidelines for the member states. If a resolution indicates a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, it could trigger various international implications, including potential lawsuits before the European Court of Human Rights and external pressure on the concerned country. Such a country could come under the Council of Europe’s scrutiny, he added.
He recalled several international meetings on reparations, including visits to Athens, Rome, Belgrade, and other capitals, where ambassadors were briefed on the issue and the resolution. The matter, he believes, will continue to be discussed within the Council of Europe, even if it stirs discomfort among some governments beyond Germany, and perhaps in a few more countries as well.
Reparations talks were also conducted at the United Nations in New York and Geneva. Key UN representatives were briefed on the issue, including discussions with the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and other senior figures. In New York, meetings were held with UN officials who oversee human rights and the Council of Europe, and in Geneva discussions covered the Human Rights Council and related UN human rights offices.
Public visibility increases
The plan also included raising the issue with UNESCO’s leadership over Germany’s handling of the restitution of cultural properties. Further actions in international bodies are planned, along with outreach to the United States Congress and Senate to inform members about the matter and seek their support. Meetings with officials at the U.S. State Department were aimed at ensuring careful review of the war-loss report, and outreach to civil society groups in Poland and the United States was pursued to garner broader backing. The topic is gaining visibility across Europe and the world.
This development matters because Germany seeks a seat on a broader United Nations Security Council. It is important that all members of the UN understand that Germany has not resolved compensation discussions and still owes debts to Poland and other Central and Eastern European states. Such a stance would undermine the moral authority expected of a country seeking a prominent international position.
In summary, the pursuit of reparations remains a central diplomatic and legal objective, with continuous engagement across multiple international forums and avenues, aiming to secure recognition, accountability, and justice for the affected nations and individuals.