HC Deb 20 March 1946 vol 420 cc1882-5

  1. 1. The treatment of the Polish Armed Forces returning to Poland from abroad has already been demonstrated in practice, in the case of those soldiers who have returned from France and Italy. The same principles will also be adopted towards those returning home from other territories.
    • No punitive measures or reprisals will be carried out against returning officers and soldiers, except in the following cases:
    1. (a) Against persons who served in the German Forces.
      • It should be added here that all persons who served with the German Forces were divided by the German authorities into four groups of "Volksdeutsche." Groups 3 and 4 comprised those persons who had been compulsorily inscribed on the list of "Volksdeutsche." Group 2 comprised those persons whom the German authorities considered as deserving their confidence to a certain extent only. Group I comprised those persons who were considered to be completely loyal to the Hitler regime.
      • As far as these persons are concerned the general rules regarding the treatment of "Volksdeutsche "will also be applied to members of the Polish Armed Forces returning from abroad. Persons, previously domiciled in territories which were incorporated into the German Reich, 1883 and who had been classified into groups 3 and 4, will be automatically rehabilitated, while persons whom the German authorities classified as groups 1or 2 will have to obtain their rehabilitation before the ordinary Law Courts. For persons previously domiciled in the so called "General government" rehabilitation before the ordinary Law Courts will be obligatory because they adopted German nationality voluntarily and without any compulsion being exercised.
    2. (b)Against persons who are guilty of High Treason—as denned in the Polish Penal Code in force since the 1st September, 1932.
    3. (c)Against persons guilty of common crimes as defined in the Polish Penal Code in force since 1st September, 1932. Returning members of the Polish Armed Forces will not, however, be charged retrospectively with offences under amendments to the penal code introduced by the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity, where the acts in question were committed before the said amendments were introduced.
      • The Amnesty Decree of 21st August, 1945, will be applied to all members of the Polish Armed Forces returning from abroad.
  2. 2.The sacrifices of the Polish soldiers who fought on many fronts under the colours of our Western Allies are accorded equal recognition with the gallantry of the Polish Army formed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Consequently, these soldiers when returning to Poland will be treated on an equal footing with all soldiers of the re-born Polish Forces. This, of course, covers also the right to pensions.
  3. 3.Soldiers liable to demobilisation will be demobilised, and those expressing the wish to choose a professional military career will be enabled to enter officers and N.C.Os. training schools and remain in the Forces. Those demobilised may be liable for service in the Reserve on the same basis as other demobilised members of the Polish Forces.
    • Rank, length of service, decorations and military awards won by officers and soldiers in the fight against Germany—as no matter on what battlefield—as will be recognised and taken into account.
  4. 4. Those who are demobilised have the same right to the grants of land, which 1884 is being distributed among soldiers, as the demobilised soldiers of the re-born Polish Forces.
  5. 5. War invalids will receive allowances and pensions in accordance with existing laws.
    • All the points dealt with in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 above have been covered in the public announcement which the President of Poland's National Council, M. Bierut, made a Press conference it the Ministry of Information and Propaganda in Warsaw, as well as in an appeal of the Government of National Unity issued to all Polish officers, soldiers, sailors and airmen abroad.
    • These points have also been the subject of an expose by the Minister of National Defence, Marshal Zymierski, at a Meeting of the Polish National Council on 1st January, 1945. Moreover, they were also included in the Orders of the Day issued by the Commander-in-Chief on the occasion of the First of May, the National Day, 3rd May, Independence Day, 22nd July, and the anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald. Moreover, they have been mentioned in a speech delivered on the first anniversary of the First Division, and in an interview given by Marshal Zymierski to the representative of the Polpress Agency on 2nd August, 1945.
  6. 6. The members of the Polish Armed Forces will be allowed to bring their personal belongings into Poland free of duty. They will be allowed to transfer their sterling accounts in the United Kingdom to Poland. For this purpose account-holders will have to make an application to the British authorities for the transfer of their sterling balances, or any part thereof, to an account of the National Bank of Poland with the Bank of England. On this basis an account will be opened for them in Polish banks. The payments from these accounts will be effected accordingly to the current exchange rates as announced by the Polish authorities to the members of the Polish Armed Forces. (The Polish authorities state that their present exchange rate for this purpose is, together with subsidies, 420 zloty to the£ sterling.)
  7. 7. On their return to Poland members of the Polish Armed Forces originating from the provinces east of the Curzon Line will automatically be regarded by the Polish Government as Polish citizens if they are of Polish or Jewish race and will 1885 not be required to perform any act signifying that they wish to choose Polish citizenship.
  8. 8.Families of members of the Polish Armed Forces, who are now scattered all over the world, for instance East Africa, Iran, Palestine, South America, etc., are allowed to join soldiers, members of their families, in Poland.
  9. 9.Telegraphic and postal communication with Poland has been basically restored; it needs only technical improvement.
    • Persons returning to Poland as demobilised soldiers will be provided with assistance and information in the Polish Repatriation Offices, which have been set up on the frontier and in different Polish towns.