THE COALITION OF POLISH AMERICANS

PROMOTING THE INTERESTS OF POLISH AMERICANS

www.coalitionofpolishamericans.org

December 17, 2017

The Honorable Ed Royce Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Committee

2310 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Royce:

The Coalition of Polish Americans, CPA, represents the interests of Americans of Polish heritage who are convinced that their kin country, Poland, as a key NATO ally, protects United States national security interests in Central and Eastern Europe and promotes the values of freedom and limited government in that dangerous part of the world. That country deserves equitable treatment.

This is why Polish Americans are dismayed that the Senate enacted, on December 12, 2017, S. Res. 447, known as the JUST ACT OF 2017, which includes Poland among countries which were Axis allies during World War II, like Romania and Hungary. A parallel resolution (H.R. 1226) is under consideration by your committee. It also appears to side-step serious, historical contextual issues.

Poland, unique circumstances, as a victim nation of German and Russian aggression in September 1939 which started World War II, need to be recognized by Congress on the. matters. The language of HR 1226 fails to recognize, inter alia that between 49-7896 of claims (under Terezin Declaration definitions) could be made against the Polish state. Stunningly, this completely ignores that the massive crimes staged on Polish territory and follow on draconian property transfers were carried out directly by, or under the direction, of, others.

Moreover, the issue of wartime compensation to be paid to Poland as a victim (as identified by the International Military Tribunal – Nuremberg Proceedings) is entirely unresolved. These two colossal factors alone should give pause to anyone considering blanket requiremen. concerning restitution as directed at Poland.

Poland has already compensated all United States citizens who owned private property in Poland before 1September, 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded our kin country. This was done in compliance with the 1960 Bilateral Treaty signed by Poland and the United States. Moreover, in Poland, all claims submitted for compensation by children and grand children (as real persons) of people who lost property have been adjudicated and have been paid.

The purpose of the House resolution appears to be to extend this to other entities or persons. Is this not an overreach by the U.S. Congress ?

The House version of the JUST ACT OF 2017, H.R. 1226, unjustly conflates the role of Poland and the Poles in World War II with countries that were Axis allies. By contrast, in North Africa, and in Western Europe, and in occupied Poland, from start to finish in World War II, Polish armed forces fought Nazi Germany as a full state ally of our country.

There was no collaborationist Nazi German satellite state on Polish territory. Nor was Poland or were any Poles partners in Nazi Germany’s monstrous crime — the mass murder of European Jewry.

The claimants’ bill for their despoiled and nationalized private property on conquered Polish territory during the World War II era should be presented not to the victim nation — Poland, but to the perpetrators, Germany and Russia. It will be recalled the Soviet Union, as an ally of Nazi Germany, invaded Poland on 17 September 1939.

It is unjust to lay the groundwork, political or otherwise, to require today’s Polish society to pay extravagant sums to legacy organizations related to victims of loss of private property or that despoiled by Nazi Germany and then nationalized by a regime indisputably established by Soviet communists.

This amounts to some sort of perverse collective punishment of today’s Poles for crimes of private property expropriation essentially perpetrated by Nazi Germany and the communists on conquered Polish territory. Again, Poland has already undertaken a good faith effort, under strict rule of law, to address these matters.

Clearly, further investigation of facts, or hearings, should occur before action is taken. This is why I encourage you to ask the members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee not to give a favorable report to H.R.1226.

The CPA members and its coalition partners, who represent Polish .nerican organizations and communities, want the Congress to properly address these matters. Our sincere wish is to prevent this issue from becoming one that Polish Americans would come to feel has to be addressed at the ‘ballot box’. Those who voted for the JUST ACT OF 2017, which is most UNJUST to Poland, run that risk.

Respectfully yours,

Dr. Stanislaw Sliwowski. President

Roman Korzan. Vice-President for American Affairs

Coalition of Polish Americans

Address: 177 Broadway, Clark, NJ 07066  |  Phone: Washington DC Office Phone # +1 (202) 780-6501