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CeWeekly
Weekly analytical newsletter on the Baltic States, Central Europe, Germany and the Balkans (also available in Polish as BEST)

Contents

No. 4 | 2008-10-16
Also available in PDF

Analyses

  • Germany facing the global financial crisis

    The global financial crisis has also affected Germany, albeit to a lesser extent than the USA and other Eurozone countries. The main problem for the German financial sector is not bad loans but a decline in inter-bank loans, falling confidence in the banking system, and the real possibility of economic recession those may entail. The comprehensive rescue plan announced by the government, for which 500 billion euros has been allocated, gives hope that the deadlock will be broken - although it is unclear when. The financial crisis in Germany and the related downturn in the country's economy will have a negative effect on the economic growth in Poland; however not to a significant extent. The present situation is also highly likely to have political implications for the results of the upcoming elections in Germany.

Events

 

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Germany: Strasbourg Court rejects the Prussian Trust's claim
CeWeekly

2008-10-16

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The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg on 9 October rejected the Prussian Trust's claim against Poland, including charges of violation of human rights and ownership titles. The Court found that Poland had no obligation of restitution to the plaintiffs who had lost their property in 1945. The Court's award did not arouse big interest in Germany. There were noted strong Polish reactions; according to some comments, such large interest was a consequence of the insufficient settlement of historical issues in Poland.

The Court passed the award in response to the claim brought in 2006 by the Prussian Trust, which was representing the interests of 22 German expellees. The Prussian Trust claimed that Poland should either give back the property or pay compensation for property lost after WWII. The Court found the claim inadmissible because Poland had not administered the land from which Germans had been displaced in 1945. It further argued that Poland had ratified the European Convention on Human Rights, which had come into force in 1953, as late as 1994.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed their opinion on this matter, repeating that the award complied with the German government's stance regarding the groundlessness of the claims. Although the German government deems the matter closed, it cannot be ruled out that actions aimed at regaining property lost by Germans will be continued. The Prussian Trust has promised to bring further claims to the international courts, including the American courts, and more claims to the ECtHR concerning property lost at later times after the war. <MŚK>

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