Below are links, information, and suggested responses to H.R. #1226 (JUST ACT), currently before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. Please become informed and be ready to take action. Our representatives in Washington need to be made aware of the issues involved with this bill. If passed, as it was in the Senate in December 2017 with no discussion, this legally flawed bill could be potentially destructive to Poland’s economy.

Feel free to share and copy information provided.

 

1.  THE POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS DOES NOT WANT THE JUST ACT OF 2017 APPLIED TO POLAND

A dangerous United States Congressional Resolution for Poland soon may be enacted. The full title of this resolution is: “Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act of 2017”. This

resolution, the JUST ACT OF 2017 has two components: Senate Resolution 447 (S. 447), and House of Representatives Resolution 1226 (H.R. 1226).

The United States Senate voted-up without opposition, on 12 December 2017, S. 447. Now the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives is considering H.R. 1226.

In a general way, the JUST ACT OF 2017 requires the United States Government to observe how 46 countries are fulfilling their obligations to implement numerous agreements on compensation

and/or restitution of both private and communal moveable and immovable property, and other commitments, like the maintenance of historic sites and monuments.

The specific purpose of the JUST ACT OF 2017 is: “To require reporting on acts of certain foreign countries on Holocaust era assets and related issues, and for other purposes.” This would require

the United States Government to observe and monitor, pressure is a more honest description, compliance by Poland and other countries that participated in the Prague Holocaust Era

Conference’s Terezin Declaration (2009).  Poland is the principal target of the JUST ACT OF 2017, because the largest portion of private property formerly owned by Jews (which amounts to 20% of the total of despoiled and nationalized private property), and now claimed by Jewish individuals and organizations, is located in today’s Poland. This private property on conquered Polish territory, called World War II era private property, was first despoiled by Nazi Germany and then nationalized by the communists.

Compensation payments to redress these crimes against private property should be sent to Berlin and Moscow, not Warsaw.

Moreover, Poland already satisfied, by acceding to a 1960 bilateral treaty, all claims for private property in Poland owned by United States citizens before September 1, 1939. Today, the United

States Congress and the Office of Holocaust Issues in the Department of State is pressuring Poland to pay lump-sum compensation on behalf of transnational Jewish organizations like the

World Jewish Congress, and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. The World Jewish Congress recently opened an office in Warsaw. This pressure on Poland is

unwarranted. The exceptional role of Poland and the Poles in World War II and her armed resistance to the imposition of communist dictatorship by the Soviet Army makes a moral and

historical case for NOT applying H.R. 1226 to Poland.

Two members of the House of Representatives introduced H.R. 1226: Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY14), and Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ4). In 2008 Congressman Crowley

introduced a House of Representatives Resolution calling on Poland to pay lump-sum compensation for World War II era Jewish private property. In 1991, Congressman Smith

organized the Congressional Caucus on Poland to pressure Poland into paying lump-sum compensation. Moreover, in 2005, Congressman Smith introduced a House of Representatives

Resolution calling on Poland to pay lump-sum compensation.

This is why the President of the Polish American Congress (PAC), Mr. Frank J. Spula, wrote a forceful letter, addressed to Chairman Ed Royce, and by extension his 46 colleagues serving on

the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This letter strongly encourages these 47 members of the House of Representatives NOT TO APPLY H.R. 1226 to Poland. If they ignore this sound advice

from the PAC, then Polish Americans will not vote to re-elect these members of the House of Representatives on 6 November 2018 in Congressional Elections.

John Czop

Director of Policy Planning (PAC)

 

2.  PAC Action Alert for House Foreign Affairs Committee Members (including full list of U.S. Senators and Congressmen): (There are no Michigan congressmen on the Foreign Affairs Committee currently; should the bill go to a vote before the whole House, then every congressman would need to be contacted and informed)

 

http://www.pac1944.org/ameragenda/ActionAlert.1801.htm

 

3. “Coalition of Polish Americans” letter to Committee Chairman Royce

 

 

 

4. Have your name, or that of your organization, added to a letter to House Foreign Affairs Committee, contact Edward Jesman, president@pacsocal.org, 310-291-2681 or edward@jesman.com.

Please read below:

On January 8, 2018 24 leaders of the Polish community in the USA, among others from organizations like the Polish American Congress sent a letter to the Members of Congress urging the congressmen and congresswomen to reject the Act H.R. 1226:

http://stopacthr1226.org/

Dear Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee,

On December 12, 2017 the U.S. Senate approved Bill S.447, known as “the Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act of 2017”. The House Bill H.R.1226, which mirrors the U.S. Senate bill S.447, is presently awaiting evaluation of the House Foreign Affairs Committee

Attached is a legal evaluation (see link above), of the proposed House Bill H.R.1226 that we are respectfully submitting for your review. It is our position that H.R.1226 is logically and legally flawed, as per the attached legal analysis. Moral, historical and political dimensions must be carefully considered as well.

A follow up letter, and a full list of the Polish American signatory organizations monitoring this bill, shall follow within the next several days.

We urge you to reject H.R.1226.

Sincerely, Edward Wojciech Jeśman, President

Polish American Congress of Southern California Los Angeles, California

 

Andrzej Prokopczuk, President
Polish American Congress of Northern California San Francisco, California

Jerzy Bogdziewicz, President
Polish American Congress of Florida Pompano Beach, Florida

Michael Nidzinski, President
Polish American Congress of Illinois Chicago, Illinois

Ann Bankowski, President
Polish American Congress Michigan Division Hamtramck, Michigan

Wieslaw Wierzbowski, President
Polish American Congress of Eastern Massachusetts Quincy, Massachusetts

Walter Wiesław Gołebiewski
Polish American Congress Florida Western Division Corp. New Port Richey, Florida

James L. Ławicki II, President
Polish American Congress Western New York Division Inc. New York

John (Jan) M. Malek, Founder & President
Polish American Foundation for Economic Research and Education (PAFERE) Torrance, California

Stanislaw Matejczuk, Head Coordinator Polonia Semper Fidelis
New Mexico

Waldemar Biniecki, CEO
Pax Polonica Foundation Manhattan, Kansas

Peter Pachacz, President
Pulaski Association Business and Professional Men, Inc. Brooklyn, New York

Richard Mleczko, President
East Bay Polish American Association Martinez, California

Adam Gromek, President
Polonian Cultural and Pastoral Center Sacramento, California

Leszek Pawlik, CEO
Polonia Institute Torrance, California

Witold Rosowski,
Polish Heritage Council of North America New York, New York

Zygmunt Staszewski, Co-Chair
Polish-Jewish Dialogue Committee New York, New York

Walter Wiesław Gołebiewski
World Research Council on Poles Abroad Florida

Jerzy W. Rozalski
Polish Varieties Radio WNZK Detroit, Michigan

Natalia Kaminski Polish Radio Hour
Los Angeles, California

Mary Lou T. Wyrobek, President
Polish Singers Alliance of America

Ania Karwan, National Director
Polish American Congress of Southern California Los Angeles, California

Edmund Lewandowski, National Director
Polish American Congress of Northern California San Francisco, California

Halina Koralewski
Achilles Poland International Ambassador New York, New York

Zbigniew Koralewski, National Director
Polish Singers Alliance of America Long Island, New York

Cc:

President of the United States, Donald Trump

Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence

Secretary of State of the United States, Rex Tillerson

President of Poland, Andrzej Sebastian Duda

Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Jacek Czaputowicz

Marszalek Sejmu, Marek Kuchciński

Marszalek Senatu, Stanisław Karczewski

 

5.  Summary of Legal Objections to the Bill:

 

Legal Objections to Bills S.447 and H.R.1226 January 4, 2018

1. BILLS 447 AND H.R.1226 VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL TREATY AND LAW

The Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today Act of 2017, S. 447, passed the Senate on December 12, 2017. A related House Bill H.R.1226 was introduced in the US House of Representatives on February 27, 2017. Both S. 447 and H.R. 1226 (the “Bills”) are now before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. The texts of the two Bills are similar and in parts identical. The Bills call on “countries of particular concern” relative to the Holocaust Era assets and related issues to: 1) return to the rightful owner any property, including religious or communal property, that was wrongfully seized or transferred; 2) provide property or compensation for heirless property in order to assist needy Holocaust survivors, to support Holocaust education, and for other purposes.

1. Compensation for private property in Poland already paid to rightful owners

In calling for the return to the rightful owner of a property that was “wrongfully seized or transferred,” the Bills violate the Agreement between the Government of the United State of America and the Government of the Polish People’s Republic regarding claims of nationals of the United States signed at Washington on July 16, 1960, and registered with the United Nations by the United States of America on January 6, 1961 (“1960 Treaty”).

Under the 1960 Treaty, Poland paid the United States $40 million in full settlement of claims of nationals of the United States for nationalization or other taking of property, appropriation or loss of use of their property and debt owed by enterprises taken over by the State.1 The $40 million paid pursuant to the 1960 Treaty represents over a billion dollars in 2017. Hence, this substantial compensation was intended to settle property claims against Poland by US nationals. In accordance with Article IV of the 1960 Treaty, the United States agreed to fully indemnify Poland for any property claims of US nationals, which occurred on or before the entry into force of the 1960 Treaty.2

 

 

1 Art. II of the 1960 Treaty provides compensation for the following: (a) the nationalization or other taking by Poland of property and of rights and interests in and with respect to property; (b) the appropriation or the loss of use or enjoyment of property under Polish laws, decrees or other measures limiting or restricting rights and interests in and with respect to property, and (c) debts owed by enterprises which have been nationalized or taken by Poland and debts which were a charge upon property which has been nationalized, appropriated or otherwise taken by Poland.

2 Article IV of the 1960 Treaty provides: After the entry into force of this Agreement the Government of the United States will neither present to the Government of Poland nor espouse claims of nationals of the United States against the Government of Poland to which reference is made in Article I of this Agreement. In the event that such claims are presented directly by nationals of the United States to the Government of Poland, the Government of Poland will refer them to the Government of the United States.

 

On March 31, 1966, the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the US completed its administration of the Polish Claims Program pursuant to the 1960 Treaty and submitted a final report to various committees of Congress. Awards granted under the Polish Claims Program totaled $100,737,681.63 in the principal amount plus interest in the amount of $51,051,825.01.

Accordingly, in light of the contractual obligation of the United States to provide indemnity to Poland for private property claims, the enactment of the Bills that direct the US Secretary of State to pressure Poland to pay further private property claims violates the contractual obligation of the United States.

Also, it shall be noted that between 1948 and 1971 Poland concluded property restitution and compensation treaties not only with the United States but also with Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. All claims for property located in Poland by the citizens of these countries have been since settled in full and discharged.

Furthermore, since 1989, all legitimate property claims of private individuals can be freely pursued before the Polish courts in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Code. Every person regardless of their nationality or ethnic origin may enforce their property and inheritance rights before the Polish courts in accordance with the procedures of the Code of Civil Procedure. Hence, every individual with a right title can file a request for declaration of the acquisition of the inheritance. Thousands of people with legitimate title claims – regardless of their ethnic origin – have recovered their properties in Poland pursuant to the private property law.

1. Religious and communal property returned or compensated for in Poland

The return of Jewish religious and communal properties has been implemented in Poland pursuant to the 1997 law on the relationship between the Polish State and Jewish religious organizations.3 On the basis of this unprecedented legislation, Poland granted the Jewish minority broad decision- making powers in the implementation of this legislation. The Commission for the Jewish Communities Affairs carried out the restitution of Jewish religious and communal properties program in close cooperation with the Union of Jewish Communities.4 Over 2,500 communal properties, including synagogues, cemeteries and cultural centers, have been either returned or compensated for based on the Polish 1997 law.

Accordingly, practically all religious and communal properties with adequately documented ownership have been either returned or compensated for by now. Therefore, claims for this type of property restitution have been settled in Poland.

1. Restitution of heirless property is against the law

If there are no heirs, the property is not “wrongfully seized or transferred.” It escheats to the state. That’s the law in every country. The Bills introduce a precarious precedence of “heirless property” compensation that is contrary to the Western legal tradition and principles of jurisprudence. In S.

3 Law dated February 20, 1997, DZ. U. 1997 No. 41 Item 251.

4 Art. 32.1 of the 1997 Law .

 

447, the goal and objective relative to heirless property is “the provision of property or compensation to assist needy Holocaust survivors, to support Holocaust education, and for other purposes. . .” H.R. 1226 states the goal and objective as “the restitution of heirless property to assist needy Holocaust survivors, and for other purposes . . .”

“Restitution of heirless property” is an aberration by definition. “Restitution” means the restoration of something to its rightful owner. If the property is “heirless” then, by definition, restitution of the property to the rightful owner is impossible. The property might have been “wrongfully seized or transferred” originally, but if the property is now heirless, it escheats to the state. That’s the law everywhere, including the United States.

The Bills call on the Secretary of State to present reports that are to address “wrongfully seized or transferred Holocaust era assets.” Hence, such reports should not include “heirless property” which always and everywhere escheat to the state; such escheat being lawful and legal, regardless of whether the property was earlier wrongfully seized or transferred.

This issue is of crucial importance to Poland since most of the heirless property claims are against Poland. Creating ex post facto a legal precedent of property restitution to “non-heirs” for “other purposes” amounts to extortion of funds from “other” uncompensated victims of the German WWII genocide. Such scheme treats the Polish taxpayers, who themselves are victims of the German genocide and wrongful seizure of property, as those guilty of the Jewish Holocaust, hence it is unconscionable.

1. Multiple payments for the same claims are wrong in law and equity

Poland has implemented numerous laws and procedures under which WWII property claims have been effectively pursued. Since 1951 Germany has paid the equivalent of over 100 billion dollars to Jewish individuals, Jewish organizations and the State of Israel. The German payments covered all of the Jewish property seized and expropriated by Germany during WW2, including the immovable property located on the Polish territory conquered and occupied by the Third Reich.

 

2. THE BILLS ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL

The US Congress does not have the constitutional power to enact either of the two Bills.

Rule XII Clause 7(c) of the House of Representatives requires that all bills (H.R.) and joint resolutions (H.J.Res.) must provide a document stating “as specifically as practicable the power or powers granted to Congress in the Constitution to enact the bill or joint resolution” to be accepted for introduction by the House Clerk.

According to the Constitutional Authority Statement, Congress has the power to enact the Bills pursuant to Article I Section 8 Clause 3 of the Constitution of the United States.5 The cited clause

5 See: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1226 From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office. By Mr. CROWLEY: H.R. 1226 – the following: Article I Section 8 Clause 3 [Page H1355].

 

of “Article I Section 8 Clause 3” is commonly known as the Commerce Clause,6 which gives Congress the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes.”

Clearly, neither S 447 nor HR 1226 are related to the regulation of commerce. Unless, perhaps, it is intended to gather information, under Congress’ investigatory power, to be used in future legislation that would impose sanctions on countries that are deemed not to have made sufficient progress towards the Holocaust (Shoah) Era restitution claims. If so, this purpose should be stated explicitly in HR 1226.

 

3. THE BILLS ARE DISCRIMINATORY IN NATURE

The Bills make reference to the Terezin Declaration adopted at the 2009 Holocaust Era Assets Conference held in Terezin, Czech Republic. The Terezin Declaration adopted the phrase, “Holocaust (Shoah) survivors and other victims of Nazi persecution” throughout, except under the section entitled “Immovable (Real) Property,” in which a more narrow definition of victims i.e. “Holocaust (Shoah) victims” is used. The use of “Shoah” is intended to restrict “Holocaust” to Jews only and not include other victims.

The United States shall not discriminate against racial, ethnic or religious groups whose members may be in the exact same situation as Jews. Approximately 5 million non-Jews (mostly Christians) were killed by the Germans. In particular, close to 3 million Poles were killed in WWII by Hitler’s Germany and the Soviet Union, and it is estimated that about 80% of the potential property claims would be by ethnic Poles while about 20% by ethnic Jewish. The “other victims” in particular the Polish victims of German extermination, must be explicitly included in the restitution claims to avoid misunderstandings and complaints of favoritism, undue influence and outright discrimination.

Both Bills would require the US Secretary of State to submit a report “that assesses and describes the nature and extent of national laws and enforceable policies” of “covered countries” regarding the “identification and the return of or restitution for wrongfully seized or transferred Holocaust era assets.” The report would also assess and describe the covered countries’ progress towards meeting the goals and objectives of the 2009 Holocaust Era Assets Conference (S. 447), or the 2009 Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets and Related Issues (H.R. 1226).

The Bills give the Secretary of State in cooperation with the Holocaust Envoy the power to determine, “in consultation with expert nongovernmental organizations” whether the proposed law applies to a particular country. The term “expert nongovernmental organizations” is one of several unacceptable ambiguities in these Bills. Requiring the Secretary of State or Holocaust Envoy to consult with undefined NGOs before choosing “covered countries” gives the Secretary or Envoy too much discretion and invites claims of discrimination of ethnic Poles and the Polish American community.

6 https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/commerce_clause.

 

The NGOs that are to be consulted in designating “covered countries” should be explicitly named. As most of the potential claims will involve Polish properties, Polish-American NGOs shall be clearly identified for consultation, and Poland should be given full opportunity to be heard. Poland and the Polish Americans should give input and present their position regarding the issues involved before any decision to apply the Bills to Poland is made.

 

4. THE BILLS ARE DUPLICATIVE OF ESLI STUDY

The US Secretary of State report required by the Bills would be duplicative of a comprehensive study published after the Bills were introduced. In accordance with the Terezin Declaration, in 2010 the Czech government established the European Shoah Legacy Institute (ESLI) in Terezin to monitor the progress and advocate for the principles of the Terezin Declaration.7 In fulfillment of its mission, ESLI commissioned in 2014 the Holocaust (Shoah) Immovable Property Restitution Study (the “Study”). Published on April 24, 2017,8 the Study is the comprehensive compilation of all significant legislation passed by the 47 states since 1945, dealing with the return or compensation of land and businesses confiscated or otherwise misappropriated during the Holocaust era. 9

According to the Executive Summary of the Study, Jewish and non-Jewish claimants, heirs, governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders will now have a one-stop resource where all significant Holocaust restitution legislation and case law dealing with immovable property over the last 70 years has been compiled and analyzed.

Therefore, any report pursuant to HR 1226 would substantially duplicate the ESLI’s Study Report. The cost of a US Secretary of State report is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to be less than $500,000. That money would be wasted because most of the work has already been done. Therefore, the Bills’ duplicative objectives represent waste of government money.

 

 

 

 

7 See the ESLI website: http://shoahlegacy.org

8 According to the World Jewish Restitution Organization website, the Holocaust (Shoah) Immovable Property Restitution Study was published on April 24, 2017.

9 http://shoahlegacy.org/property-issues/immovable-property/immovable-property-study-2014-2017. Prof.

Michael J. Bazyler and Lee Crawford-Boyd led the project, which brought together the research efforts of over 40 pro bono attorneys from major global law firms, including White & Case, O’Melveny & Myers, Morgan Lewis, Fried Frank, and Brownstein Hyatt Farber & Schreck. These pro bono attorneys, under the guidance of Firm directors and associates, completed research reports addressing the status of restitution legislation in an assigned Terezin Declaration country. In addition, the reports provide a preliminary analysis of the country’s compliance with its Terezin Declaration commitments. The Study is available in three versions: The first one is a 1200 page interactive PDF document that can be downloaded in full from this website; the second is an interactive map organized from which individual country reports can be downloaded; and the third is a hard-copy publication of the study through Oxford University Press, which we consider an enormous achievement confirming the high quality and standard of the study.

 

5. GENOCIDE DENIAL UNDERLINES THE PREMISE OF THE BILLS

It shall be noted that the Executive Summary of the Study states” “In the aftermath of the Holocaust, returning victims – not only surviving European Jews but also Roma, political dissidents, homosexuals, persons with disabilities, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others – had to navigate a frequently unclear path to recover their property from governments and neighbors who had failed to protect them, and often, who had been complicit in their persecution.”10

The above statement is of great significance and real concern to the Polish Americans because it excludes from the definition of victims the second-largest group of WWII German genocide, i.e. ethnic Poles. These victims are either omitted all together or covered under “others.” Such omission of this important ethnic group is not coincidental considering that almost half of all Holocaust (Shoah) restitution claims under the Terezin Declaration are against Poland.

It shall be noted that Poland was the greatest victim of WWII in terms of the loss of human life and treasure. In 1939 Hitler declared: “The destruction of Poland shall be the primary objective. The aim is elimination of living forces, not the arrival at a certain line.” About 3 million of ethnic Poles and 3 million of ethnic Jews perished in WWII. About 40% of Poland’s national assets were destroyed. Most of the Polish industry and infrastructure had been lost. Warsaw and many other cities were leveled to the ground through wanton destruction and devastation.

The marginalization of the Polish victims, diminishing of their suffering, and suppression of their voice by proponents of the Holocaust (Shoah) restitution claims is directed against the second most persecuted ethnic group by Nazi Germany. Such treatment of the Polish victims of German WWII genocide borders on genocide denial and is not only illegal but also morally repugnant, grossly unjust, and hence contradictory to the stated objectives of the Bills.

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

RECOMMENDATION

Considering all the above, I urge you, Sir, to vote against H.R. 1226.

Furthermore, I strongly suggest that an Envoy for WWII Genocide on Ethnic Poles be established at the same administrative level as the Holocaust Envoy. Such Envoy on Polish Holocaust shall be consulted on any WWII restitution issues, whether against Poland or on behalf of Poland.

 

Respectfully yours,

 

6.  List of Congressmen on House Foreign Affairs Committee

 

7.  Suggested script when writing to Congressman with legal objections:

 

(Your name and address):

……………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………….

 

 

 

To The Honorable, ………………………………………………., House of Representatives, Foreign Affairs Committee,

 

Dear Sir (Madame),
On December 12, 2017, the U.S. Senate approved Bill S.447, known as “the Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act of 2017”.

 

Now, House Bill H.R.1226, which mirrors U.S. Senate Bill S.447, is awaiting evaluation by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Attached is an independent legal evaluation of the proposed House Bill H.R.1226 that I am respectfully submitting for your review. It is my firm position that H.R.1226 is logically and legally flawed, per the attached legal analysis.

I urge you to reject H.R.1226.

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

Another suggested script when calling or e-mailing your congressman:

 

My name is _________.

Mr(s). ________ is my congressman.

(My family and I participated in helping _______ to be elected

and we made donations during his(her) campaign).

As a Polish American, I am concerned about the proposed bill H.R. 1226.

It is of great importance to me that the JUST ACT will not be applied to Poland.

Poland cannot be treated as villain in the matter of restitution

of or compensation for property confiscated by forcibly-imposed

external regimes during the period from 1939 to 1989.

(I would like to know when I, as a Polish American, could meet

with you and present my arguments.)

My email address _______ and tel. No ________.

Thank you for your attention.

 

 

 

 

 

Amerykańska Polonia chce podziękować Stanom Zjednoczonym za pomoc w odzyskaniu przez nasz kraj niepodległości.  Akcję zbierania podpisów pod deklaracją wdzięczności Amerykanom organizuje wpływowa polonijna organizacja: Polsko-Słowiańska Federalna Unia Kredytowa.

„My, synowie i córki Narodu Polskiego, w setną rocznicę niepodległości Polski pragniemy wyrazić naszą wdzięczność Stanom Zjednoczonym Ameryki za nieoceniony wkład w sprawę polskiej suwerenności” – tak brzmi deklaracja, która ma zostać przekazana władzom Stanów Zjednoczonych w październiku przy okazji dorocznej Parady Pułaskiego w Nowym Jorku.

Organizatorzy akcji liczą na podpisy setek tysięcy a może milionów osób. Przypominają, że dla odzyskania przez Polskę niepodległości kluczowy był plan prezydenta Thomasa Woodrowa Wilsona, który w swoim orędziu do Kongresu zażądał utworzenia niepodległej Polski z dostępem do morza.

Polsko-Słowiańska Federalna Unia Kredytowa wzywa organizacje polonijne do włączenia w zbieranie podpisów. Księgi gdzie można je składać zostały wyłożone w 17 oddziałach Unii. Deklarację można też podpisać w internecie pod adresem: www.deklaracjapolonii2018.org.

Inspiracją do zorganizowania zbierania podpisów pod deklaracją wdzięczności Ameryce była podobna akcja z okresu międzywojennego.  W 1926 roku 5,5 miliona Polaków złożyło podpisy pod życzeniami dla Stanów Zjednoczonych z okazji 150-lecia niepodległości tego kraju. 111 grubych tomów z tymi podpisami znajduje się obecnie w Bibliotece Kongresu USA.

The Polish Declarations of Admiration and Friendship for the United States are a collection of 111 volumes of signatures and greetings presented in 1926 to President Calvin Coolidge to commemorate the 150th anniversary of U.S. independence and to acknowledge American participation and aid to Poland during World War I. Richly illustrated with original works by prominent Polish graphic artists, the volumes were assembled over an eight-month period with submissions from nearly one-sixth of the population of Poland as it then existed, including the signatures of national, provincial, and local government officials, representatives of religious, social, business, academic, and military institutions, and approximately 5.5 million school children.

 

LINKS:

 

https://www.loc.gov/collections/polish-declarations/about-this-collection/

https://deklaracja.genealodzy.pl/

A dangerous United States Congressional Resolution for Poland soon may be enacted.  The full title of this resolution is: “Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act of 2017”.  This resolution, the JUST ACT OF 2017 has two components: Senate Resolution 447 (S. 447), and House of Representatives Resolution 1226 (H.R. 1226).

The United States Senate voted-up without opposition, on 12 December 2017, S. 447. Now the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives is considering H.R. 1226.

In a general way, the JUST ACT OF 2017 requires the United States Government to observe how 46 countries are fulfilling their obligations to implement numerous agreements on compensation and/or restitution of both private and communal moveable and immovable property, and other commitments, like the maintenance of historic sites and monuments.

The specific purpose of the JUST ACT OF 2017 is: “To require reporting on acts of certain foreign countries on Holocaust era assets and related issues, and for other purposes.” This would require the United States Government to observe and monitor, pressure is a more honest description, compliance by Poland and other countries that participated in the Prague Holocaust Era Conference’s Terezin Declaration (2009).

Poland is the principal target of the JUST ACT OF 2017, because the largest portion of private property formerly owned by Jews (which amounts to 20% of the total of despoiled and nationalized private property), and now claimed by Jewish individuals and organizations, is located in today’s Poland. This private property on conquered Polish territory, called World War II era private property, was first despoiled by Nazi Germany and then nationalized by the communists. Compensation payments to redress these crimes against private property should be sent to Berlin and Moscow, not Warsaw.

Moreover, Poland already satisfied, by acceding to a 1960 bilateral treaty, all claims for private property in Poland owned by United States citizens before September 1, 1939. Today, the United States Congress and the Office of Holocaust Issues in the Department of State is pressuring Poland to pay lump-sum compensation on behalf of transnational Jewish organizations like the World Jewish Congress, and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. The World Jewish Congress recently opened an office in Warsaw.  This pressure on Poland is unwarranted. The exceptional role of Poland and the Poles in World War II and her armed resistance to the imposition of communist dictatorship by the Soviet Army makes a moral and historical case for NOT applying deleting H.R. 1226 to Poland.

Two members of the House of Represenatives introduced H.R. 1226: Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY14), and Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ4). In 2008 Congressman Crowley introduced a House of Representatives Resolution calling on Poland to pay lump-sum compensation for World War II era Jewish private property. In 1991, Congressman Smith organized the Congressional Caucus on Poland to pressure Poland into paying lump-sum compensation. Moreover, in 2005, Congressman Smith introduced a House of Representatives Resolution calling on Poland to pay lump-sum compensation.

This is why the President of the Polish American Congress (PAC), Mr. Frank J. Spula, wrote a forceful letter, addressed to Chairman Ed Royce, and by extension his 46 colleagues serving on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This letter strongly encourages these 47 members of the House of Representatives NOT TO APPLY H.R. 1226 to Poland. If they ignore this sound advice from the PAC, then Polish Americans will not vote to re-elect these members of the House of Representatives on 6 November 2018 in Congressional Elections.

John Czop

Director of Policy Planning

Polish American Congress Meets in Washington, D.C

September 25 – 28, 2017

 

The Polish American Congress (PAC) held its annual Council of National Directors (CND) Meeting September 25-28, 2017. The Hilton Garden Inn, near President Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, VA., was the venue for the CND’s business meetings and banquet on September 25.  On Tuesday 26 September the national directors and their guests boarded a bus to Washington, DC for an all -day-event,  POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS ADVOCACY DAY FOR POLAND ON CAPITOL HILL, which included, for the the first time, a Reception/Rally in prestigious Congressional Meeting Room, North, with brief speeches delivered by members of the Congressional Caucus on Poland and Polish Government officials representing the Embassy and the Polish Cultural Institute in New York City.  The CND continued its business meetings at the Hilton Garden Inn on Wednesday and Thursday.

The keynote speaker and Guest of Honor at the CND’s opening session was Reverend Miroslaw Krol, newly appointed Chancellor of Orchard Lake Seminary in Michigan. Reverend Krol thanked the PAC for playing a major role in helping Orchard Lake to continue its mission on behalf of the Church and Polonia.

The members of the PAC Executive Committee, Mrs. Micheline Jaminski, Honory Consul Debbie Majka, and Messrs. Anthony Bajdek, Hubert Cioromski, and Richard Mazella delivered their reports at Monday afternoon’s session. Mrs. Bozena Kaminski’s well received report on Polish Affairs included remarks by a surprise guest speaker: Mrs. Anna Holden, Unit Chief, Counter Terrorism Division, U.S. Department of Justice The PAC is making good progress.

The Guest of Honor at Monday evening’s banquet, Piotr Wilczek, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, praised the achievements of the PAC from its establishment, in 1944, to the present. Ambassador Wilczek called on the PAC to continue its advocacy for permanent NATO armed forces bases in Poland, with troops from western Europe and North America, at this time of resurgent Russian imperialism and aggression. Professor Marek Chodakiewicz’s keynote address called on the PAC and Polonia to open their checkbooks so we can persuade official and public opinion that a strong and truly sovereign Poland protects United States National Security Interests and promotes American values of freedom and free enterprise in the lands between the Baltic and Black Seas.

POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS ADVOCACY DAY FOR POLAND ON CAPITOL HILL had two components.  First, PAC national directors, who represent the 19 states where the PAC has Divisions, and their guests, visited the offices of their United States Senators and Members of the House of Representatives. They delivered two strong messages.  First, resurgent Russian imperialism requires strengthening NATO’s northeastern flank to ensure Poland’s security.  Second, members of the House of Representatives should co-sponsor H.R. 2388. President Spula persuaded Congressman Mike Quigley to sponsor this resolution calling for Poland’s prompt accession to the Visa Waiver Program. Soon there will be a similar Senate resolution.

ADVOCACY DAY FOR POLAND ON CAPITOL HILL concluded with a Reception/Rally in Congressional meeting Room, North.  President Spula asked Congressman Quigley to sponsor this prestigious room for the PAC’s event on the evening of 26 September from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Brief speeches were delivered by:

Mrs. Bozenna Buda, Washington DC Chapter, Friends of Saint Pope John Paul Foundation II

Congressman Mike Quigley (Illinois) who was the Key-Note Speaker

Congressman Tim Murphy (Pennsylvania, first vice-president Rick Pierchalski’s is his top Polish American constituent)

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (Ohio, introduced by PAC National Director David Milcinovic)

Congressman Lapinski (Illinois, introduced by National director Mary Anselmo)

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (Michigan)

Pawel Kotowski, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington D.C.

Izabela Gola, Polish Cultural Institute,  New York City

Dr. Lucja Swiatkowska Cannon, Chairwoman of Polish Americans for Trump Advisory Committee

Mrs. Monika Jablonska, author of a new biography of Saint Pope John Paul II

Mrs. Anna Wellisz, strategic communications expert on correcting the image of Poland and the Poles

Mr. Brandon Weichert, expert on Russia

To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of the great hero of the American Revolution and patriot of his native Poland, General Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a delegation representing the Polish American Congress and Polonia throughout the United States, laid a wreath at the Kosciuszko Monument located in LaFayette Square, across from the White House. Members of the delegation were Micheline Jaminski, Hubert Cioromski, and Dr. Mark Pienkos, who delivered remarks about Kosciuszko. In 1910 the Polish National Alliance gave this magnificent monument to the United States. President William Howard Taft presided over the dedication ceremonies.

The PAC Council of National Directors resumed its business meeting on Wednesday. Ian Brzezinski, Director of the Brent Scowcroft Center, of the Atlantic Council explained the various measures taking place to protect Eastern European nations that are NATO members, including the Republic of Poland.Wednesday’s meeting continued with discussions on ways to improve communication within the organization, as well as action on resolutions.

The PAC annual meeting continued on Thursday morning with speaker Dale Denda who described how  General Kazimierz Pulaski leading his Legion, composed largely of cavalry, kept open the overland supply route to Philadelhia, capital of the Continental Congress, from Little Egg Harbor, on the Atlantic coast of New Jersey.____________________________ __

Founded in 1944, the Polish American Congress is an umbrella organization representing at least ten million Americans of Polish descent, many of whom also are citizens of Poland. The PAC promotes civic, educational, and cultural programs designed to further knowledge of Polish history, language, culture, and encourages Polish American involvement in civic affairs For further information, please visit our website: www.pac1944.org

On behalf of the Polish American Congress, Polish Americans, and friends of Polonia, elected national officers of the PAC laid a wreath at the Kosciuszko Monument in LaFayette Square across from the White House in Washington, D.C. on September 26, 2017. Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the death of this great American Revolutionary General and patriot of his native Poland are:

 

From the left: Richard Mazella, Dr. Mark Pienkos, Micheline Jaminski, Hubert Cioromski

 

O Polakach ratujących Żydów podczas II wojny światowej było zdecydowanie zbyt cicho, dlatego ufam, że wniesiony przeze mnie projekt ustawy o ustanowieniu 17 marca Narodowym Dniem Pamięci Polaków ratujących Żydów podczas II wojny światowej zostanie uchwalony przez Sejm, co będzie istotnym bodźcem do kontynuowania, a zarazem zintensyfikowania koniecznej pracy na rzecz upamiętnienia polskich bohaterów – napisał w liście do uczestników Międzynarodowej Konferencji „Pamięć i Nadzieja” prezydent Andrzej Duda.  List odczytał minister Adam Kwiatkowski.

 

Artykuł na ten temat czytaj tutaj:

https://wpolityce.pl/spoleczenstwo/368901-prezydent-duda-w-liscie-do-uczestnikow-konferencji-w-toruniu-o-polakach-ratujacych-zydow-bylo-zdecydowanie-zbyt-cicho

Edward Wojciech Jeśman
President & National Director
PAC of Southern California

https://www.facebook.com/edward.jesman/posts/474037869662583

A MESSAGE TO MY ENGLISH SPEAKING FRIENDS! Dear Friends! Please do not trust your official media stories of Poland being overrun by 60,000+ fascists, racists, Nazis and other far right elements. Such claims are false and baseless. To see how Warsaw Independence Day March of 2017 really looked like please click on the link enclosed below. No burning cars! No vandalism! No arrests! Instead you see: Deep pride! Love of the country! Real sense of community and overriding patriotism! Appreciation of our long and rich history and culture!… Unfortunately, large number of media sources in the United States has branded the celebrations commemorating the 99th anniversary of the Poland’s Independence of November 11, 2017 as a social and political menace full of unchecked nationalism, racism, fascism and Nazism. Media channels have edited their footage of the march in ways, which completely misrepresented its character and further enhanced their “reporting” with highly distorted commentary full of unsubstantiated claims of violence and insinuations of alleged general mayhem perpetrated by the marchers. Multi-generational, patriotic participants, full of pride and love of the country, have been belittled, disparaged and unfairly labeled with onslaught of appalling and engineered fake news overflowing with obvious anti-Polish bias. The deliberate mischaracterizations of Poland and her people, create an untrue and unacceptable image of Poland as a backward country overrun by fascists. The dissemination of an image of Poland as a country full of bigotry, intolerance, racial bias, xenophobia and antisemitism clashes with the facts. Nothing in fact could be further from the truth. Poland is a modern, economically, socially and politically developed country. She is safe to live in and known around for her hospitality. Media reporting, full of falsehoods and absurd exaggerations, truly pains us, Poles, because it not only tries to undermine Poland ‘s sovereignty and eliminate our traditional values but also tries to establish and propagate bad image of Poles and Polish Americans. Media’s conduct in obvious way institutes, condones and perpetrates anti-Polish bias and amounts to hate speech. We Poles are astonished, shocked and angered by the scope and intensity of the most recent anti-Polish propaganda campaign, which is directed at nothing less than the suppression and elimination of Polish sovereignty and Polish way of life. Needless to say that we view media’s anti-Polish agenda as hostile, political, unprincipled, intellectually flawed, professionally dishonest and morally and legally corrupt. Such continued conduct is absolutely unacceptable. Their actions are widely viewed as harmful and damaging to the interests and safety of Poland, Poles and the Polish-American community of the United States… Edward WojciechJeśman

 

 

It is obvious that Monday’s Detroit News online article reporting on the Independence March in Poland, which took place on 11-11-17 reflected, in orientation and emphasis, political preferences and not reality on the ground.  The Independence March’s main theme “We want God”, proclaimed by the first huge banner at the head of the march, was difficult to miss.  A huge crowd of 60,000 people gathered to manifest their patriotism, love of the country, and growing pride in being Polish.  There were some banners out of place and there was a swift reaction of governmental officials, predictably unreported by the media.  Three hours later Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture of Poland, Professor Piotr Glinski, and on Monday, President of Poland Andrzej Duda, as well as the Chairman of the ruling party PIS, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, stated clearly that several out of context signs noted by the leftist media are considered by the authorities as a provocation against Poland.

 

We are still waiting patiently for the day when reporting about events in Poland becomes accurate and balanced and free of self-serving political prejudices.

 

Ann Bankowski,

President

Polish American Congress

Michigan Division

Polish American organizations joined in on the protests demanding apology from the producers of the popular comedy show Saturday Night Live, which in the episode aired on November 4, included a racist remarks about Polish Americans, as well as allowed its host for this SNL episode, comedian Larry David, to make distasteful jokes about picking up women at Nazi concentration camps.

Dr. Thaddeus Radzilowski, the President of the Piast Institute issued a demand to NBC and Saturday Night Live to retract the insulting, racist remarks and to offer an apology to the Polish American community for it.

SNL’s skit mocking Sarah Huckabee Sanders contained gratuitous remarks about someone being as a “Polack as dumb a box of rocks.”

“This ugly insult, uttered without context, was obviously a search for cheap laughs when creativity fails,” writes Dr. Radzilowski.  “It sought to pander to one of America’s remaining respectable bigotries.  It goes without saying that a similar remark about women, African Americans, Hispanics, gays or other group would have raised howls of public outrage.  That it did not raise outrage, shows how far we as a society that purports to acute sensitivity about bigotry and racism, still have to go.

“It is customary in such replies to recount the role of Polish Americans in building America, serving with honors in its wars and contributing to the commonwealth. That record speaks for itself and we do not have to justify our right to be equal citizens of the United States.  The issue is larger: every person, every group in our nation-indeed in our world-deserves to be treated with dignity and not held up to public mockery, insult and debasement.

“The Polish community deserves to receive a public apology from NBC and SNL for this utterly ignorant characterization.  The American public needs to recognize that racist remarks such as these are an affront to our national ideals and a rupture of public civility no matter about whom they are made.

The National President of the Polish American Congress, Frank Spula, in his letter to Chief Executive Officer of NBC Studio, writes that “since the airing, our office has been inundated with countless calls and e-mails expressing outrage and concern over this remark.

“Ethnic and racial jokes are necessarily scathing and do great damage, both by perpetuating ugly stereotypes and by demeaning a large number of citizens on the basis of their background and other innate characteristics.  These types of remarks are offensive for all communities, not just ours.

“I am hopeful that the writers, executives or hosts who permitted such defamatory, anti-Polish comments to be aired did not do so with malice, as a finding of deliberate ethnic slander over public airwaves could result in a Federal Communications Commission investigation and fine.

“I, as well, as the Polish American Congress, expect that NBC will issue a written public apology for this insulting incident which can be reprinted in the various Polish American media, as well as a commitment to educate and council writers and production staff about preventing racial and cultural stereotypes that mock an entire community representing a large portion of the American populations.”

Ann Bankowski, the President of the Polish American Congress Michigan Division, in a letter to the Saturday Night Live producer, Lorne Michael and to the NBC Programming Managements writes:

“It is with great distress I write this letter on behalf of the members of the Polish American Congress- Michigan, first in response to the extremely distasteful and insensitive opening monologue of Mr. Larry David, on the topic of picking up women in concentration camps.

“Too many of our members, as well as countrymen in Poland, and those who now reside here, experienced and survived, or tragically lost, family and friends under the brutal regime and constant terror of Hitler’s occupation of Poland throughout the years of WWII. Poland lost 20% of its population during that dreadful time and many Polish citizens, Jewish and Gentile, died and suffered in concentration camps. No laughing matter, even for comic relief, to be treated so inappropriately and insensitively. Shame on Mr. David and big disappointment in SNL.

“But that’s not all. We were later subjected to the parody of Ms. Sara Huckabee Sanders in a vulgar and excessively demeaning spoof, in which, to top it all off, she dismisses someone to be a ‘a Polack, who is dumb as a box of rocks.’  We thought such demeaning stereotypes were long gone, but somehow, for lack of better wit and talent, I suppose, such cheap shots are thrown in. Very disappointing and inexcusable!

“We sincerely appeal to your better judgement in regards to such programming and look forward to viewing true comedic genius once again from SNL.”

 

 

 

The Polish American Congress is among official partners of the United States World War One Centennial Commission.  The Commission was created by an Act of Congress in 2013.  This Act was passed in order to honor and recognize the centennial of America’s involvement with World War I.

The Commission is in charge of planning, developing, and executing programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I.  The Commission also develops educational programs for a variety of audiences, organizes events to commemorate America’s involvement in the War, and will establish a National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C.  Members of the Commission were appointed by the President and the leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The Commission formally recognizes Commemorative Partners who demonstrate a commitment to honoring, commemorating, and educating the public about The Great War.  Polish American Congress is proud to be recognized as one of the Commemorative Partners of the United States World War One Centennial Commission.

Over 300,000 Polish Americans served in the armed forces of the United States during World War I, with an additional 24,000 volunteering to the Polish Army in France.  Fighting valiantly throughout the battlefields of Europe alongside our allies, Americans brought with them the Blessings of Liberty and Poland re-emerged as a free nation!

 

LINK TO THE U.S. WORLD WAR ONE CENTENNIAL COMMISSION WEB SITE:
http://www.worldwar1centennial.org

COMMEMORATIVE PARTNERS:
http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/participate/organizations/partner-organizations.html