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Politics

Rubio to State Department: Push Poland to Do Right by Victims of Nazis, Communists

August 7, 2019 - 6:30am
Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio

Senate Foreign Relations Committeeman Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is calling on the U.S. State Department to support Poland to do more for those who lost their property to the Nazis and the communist regime that took over after World War II. 

Rubio paired up with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., to send a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the matter, rounding up 86 other senators to sign as well.

“The United States and Poland have a strong relationship dating back to the American Revolutionary War that continues today through our NATO partnership. Our alliance is not only based on shared interests, but also the deep affinity between our peoples, who aspire to common ideals. One of those ideals, respect for private property rights, is foundational to the success of democracies,” the senators wrote.  “That is why we were heartened by your public statement in Warsaw in February calling on Poland to take appropriate steps to restitute private property belonging to Holocaust victims, their families and others from whom it was confiscated during the Communist era. Prime Minister Morawiecki's response to your comments, in which he said that Poland has ‘resolved’ this issue, was deeply troubling. As you know, the issue has not been resolved~ nor will it go away. 

“Now is the time, while the last Holocaust survivors are still alive, to back up our words with meaningful action. We encourage you to pursue bold initiatives to help Poland to resolve this issue as quickly as possible,” the senators added. “Poland suffered greatly during the Second World War, and its Jewish population was singled out by the Nazis for extermination. According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, approximately 3 million Jews - 90 percent of Poland's prewar Jewish population -were murdered by the Nazis. An estimated 1.9 million non-Jewish Polish civilians were killed by the Nazis as well. It was the Nazi regime and its allies and collaborators - not Poland- that systematically confiscated Jewish property during the Second World War.  After the war, the Communist regime in Poland nationalized property owned by Jews and nonJews. In the decades since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Jewish Holocaust survivors of Polish origin and their families as well as others have found it nearly impossible to reclaim or seek compensation for the property that was nationalized by the Polish Communist regime. In fact, Poland is the only country in the European Union that has not passed a comprehensive law for the restitution of or compensation for private property, despite in 2009, endorsing the Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets along with the United States and 45 other nations which among other things encouraged states to pass national legislation that facilitates restitution ‘in a fair, comprehensive and nondiscriminatory manner.'" 

Rubio and Baldwin have worked on the issue before. They teamed up with U.S. Reps. Chris Smith, R-NJ,  and U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley, D-NY, to bring back the “Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act” out in 2016 and it was passed in 2016.  The sponsors insisted the bill  “will improve efforts to assist Holocaust survivors and the families of Holocaust victims by requiring the State Department to report on the progress of certain European countries on the return of (or restitution for), wrongfully confiscated or transferred Holocaust-era assets.” 

The legislation continued efforts from the Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets and Related Issues of 2009 which “affirms that the protection of property rights is an essential component of a democratic society based on the rule of law and recognizes the importance of restituting or compensating Holocaust-related confiscations made during the Holocaust-era between 1933-45“ and had the State Department report on how Central and Eastern European counties are complying with those efforts. 

Rubio’s and Baldwin’s letter garnered support this week.  

“The World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) welcomes the resounding call by 88 senators – led by Senators Baldwin and Rubio -- for Poland to restitute property to Holocaust victims and their families,” said Gideon Taylor, the chair of operations of the WJRO, on Monday. “Time is of the essence. With fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors alive today, Poland must urgently address this historic wrong.”

“This letter demonstrates that the United States Congress has not forgotten about Holocaust survivors and remains steadfast in pursuing justice for them,” said Eric Gallagher, WJRO’s representative in Washington. “Senators Baldwin and Rubio are tireless champions for the rights of survivors and we cannot thank them enough for their bold leadership.”

“I lost my entire family in the Holocaust and I survived the Warsaw ghetto. I still have the deeds to two properties in Warsaw. Poland should be more responsive to thousands of Holocaust survivors who are seeking justice for property that was stolen from them,” said Norman Trysk-Frajman, an 89 year old Holocaust survivor living in Boynton Beach. “I want to personally thank Senators Tammy Baldwin and Marco Rubio, and all the other senators for making property restitution in Poland a priority.”

Comments

polish----- Germen-----Amerycan 45mln Amerycan egen Mr Rubio -------Beack ----tu Cuba , nau>>>>>>>>>

Mr. Rubio is manipulated, like so many if not all politicians, by shameless Holocaust Hyenas that use the tragedy of Polish and Jewish Holocaust for political and financial gain.

Mr Rubio nat no Polish History , nat no 2 war history dont be exspert yu nat? dont mes with poland

Un-JUST Act - S.447 is a FRAUD created by Holocaust Hyenas.

USA should compensate all surviving native Americans for the land that was taken from their ancestors, stolen gold, elimination of millions of native people of this land. Using this rhetoric each living descendant of African slaves should be compensated for years of slave labor. Each stick has two eds and one cannot apply it only to one end. It is pure logic. It seems it is not applying to the chosen people. Where is the logic? It is called Extortion.

I love your comments people Rubio I’m sure do not know Polish history he is like rest of them we do not going to give a dime too anyone’s understands Mr Rubio??

This moron, Rubio, just does not get it. There is no such thing as collective tribal ownership. Heirless property passes to the state. That is the end of the matter.

Nazis and nazis and nazis. Who were those Nazis? Was America fighting with the Nazis during the WW II??? Why not tel the truth? Germans, Germans, Germans!!!

The historical and legal ignorance of AMERICAN politicians is astounding.

American Polonia will remember this outrageous act of hostility towards the Polish people during the elections time!

20 mln polish---amerycan wach yu Mr-------Rubia dys nat Kiuban prablem , dys Polish--problem

Thanks to all who support my country of Poland. This scheme is a blatant extortion attempt. Note that the formal demands of the Jewish Restitution group address HEIRLESS property of Polish citizens of Jewish origin, which under any civilized law ever (including US), becomes the state's property after an heirless death. Moreover - figuring out the ethinicity of such Polish citizens can only be done based on racial law (Nuremberg law??), which is abhorrent in any civilized society ever - except for one modern country which does it at its constitution level - guess which one is it. Poland is currently probably the most pro-american nation in the socialist-ridden EU. If this WJRO extortion is pushed and backed by USA imperial power against Poland, it will break the very strong alliance we have and wish to keep, and will push broken Poland into slavery for the new masters. The money they formally demanded is $300 billion.

Sorry, but Poles don't owe the Jews any money as they are also victims of the Nazis and Soviets. That concept is similar to paying restitution for slavery to black people in the U.S.

Where does it stop? The Holy Roman Empire conquered the Jewish Nation along with many others. There are churches in Italy filled with Gold Decorations that were made with Gold taken from the Jews, many other sites in Italy were embellished with trophies brought back from their conquests. Should we have all those returned? Sure it's unfair that fortunes were lost and gained in times of war and political turmoil. But how many generations do we go back? Every civilization has at one point or another been enslaved by other civilizations. So do we go back 2,000 years? 1,000 years? 500 years? 100 years? 50 years?

Imagine being invaded by not one, but two superpowers (Nazis and Soviets), losing 25% of your entire countries’ population, your cities destroyed and razed to the ground and then after the world being occupied by the Soviets and then being told that you, the victim, have to owe Jews money.

And what about all the property owned by Poles when Poland's borders were moved westward, my family owned land around Lwow (now in Ukraine), who will compensate us; and what of the Germans forced to move westward from the lands given to Poland? And while on the subject will the U.S. give back all the Indian lands that the U.S. took after breaking treaties with the tribes. Lets not forget that that the palestinians lost land in 1949 to the newly created state of Isreal. If we speak of one instance all instances must be addressed.

Jewish World Restitution Fund should publish an account of the distribution of reparations they already got from sources world wide since 1945.

Absolutely. And American Senators should send a lett to Germany for reparations towards Poles regarding WW2.

The article incorrectly states that: An estimated 1.9 million non-Jewish Polish civilians were killed by the Nazis as well. The correct version is: An estimated 3 million non-Jewish Polish citizens were killed by the Germans as well.

People that inherited property in Poland claim it back and if they successfully prove their claims they get it back - every day - through courts. And no one is ever asked about their religion or nationality. This is similar to the probate or land courts in USA. However why Jewish organization in New York are claiming rights to heir-less property left by Polish citizens murdered by Germans in Poland? Imagine that a Catholic of Polish origin dies without heirs - killed by mobsters in Chicago. Would the Vatican or any Polish organization have grounds to claim his property on the grounds that he was a Catholic or Polish? Nonsense. Heir-less property (also known as abandoned property) stays in the country where it was accumulated - this is the legal norm world wide, including USA.

I'm a Jew and Poles and Poland should pay for the Nazis and Soviet crimes. We can't execute the repatriation from Germany or Russia so Poland should pay because they are weak and helpless. Otherwise we shall not send them any weapon or soldiers. That's it Polish people - no one respects weak people!

YU Rats hena cmentarna jadowitq zmija

newer warsaw ruin 95% Poland economy destroy 80 % , German Fashism end Sowiet Union Atak polan 1939. 7000 tanks 5 mln army 5000 plan Poland defend moderland 7 weks ,UK Frence end oder batrey Poland nex yrs 1940 Pay hewy prace , we newer Forget, FOR dad,, 1945 , poland sold by UK, Frence,US------ tu STalin, 1989 ,we giet idependece eger, Respect For Polend ,

If Poland, the VICTIM should pay for the crimes of its OPPRESSORS, then its only logical that Israel and America pay Poland. Jews owe Poles for risking their lives to save them during WW2, and Americans owe Poles for letting them rot to the Soviets. You have quite a deluded way of thinking, and you seriously dare wonder why many perceive Jews as greedy? Why should Poland/Poles pay for the crimes committed by its aggressors? Take your concerns to Germany and Russia, not Poland, the victim. Shame on you for even thinking of something so stupid.

You’re a vile pos for even thinking like that.

I am a Polish-American and I cant assure you that you won’t get a cent and there are several reasons for that: 1. Poles did not receive a single Euro for its 6 mln killed and total distraction of Poland, including Warsaw that was destroyed in 90 percent by Germans. 2. Poles were not compensated by the USSR for property taken by Soviets after WWII. 3. Poland does not have resources to pay Jews after over 50 years of communism and there is still some level of poverty among some Poles Also, it has been over 70 years after the war. Just give Poland a break since they suffered so much during WWII and over 50 years of communism

Adolph Rodham Hitlary opposes giving help to the victims of communists and nazis.

MR Rubio , yu tynk is joks, <WARA WARA , from poland , 447 is ekscelent for Ciuba, Du yu good jabs ,For Ciuben ,Du yu ,speak spanish no , chu ar yu Luitle marco rubio , YU AR ,Dupa .)))))))))000000000

The Republican party should stay the hell out of other countries' business! Republicans have more than enough problems they've created here to tend to - not the least of which are the unending White House corruption and run amok gun violence.

The letter was signed by both Democrats and Republicans. Stop falling under the illusion that there are two parties, both are controlled by AIPAC/Israel.

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