WBZ

On the days 14-16 September 2-day conference with experts from Poland, Germany, Italy, Ukraine and Israel took place at the Willy Brandt Center. The experts discussed historical meaning of reparation payments for former forced labors employed in the German economy during World War II.

On 15. September open for public panel discussion and lecture took place. The panel discussion took place at 5.15 p. m. Its participants were: Jakub Deka (Foundation Polish-German Reconciliation in Warsaw), Bartosz Jałowiecki (Warsaw), Prof. Jose Brunner (Tel Aviv University), Prof. Philip Ther (European University in Florence). Discussion was moderated by Prof. Constantin Goschler (Ruhr-Universität Bochum). After discussion, at about 7 p. m. a lecture by Prof. Jerzy Sułek (Warsaw) "German humanitarian and financial aid 1991-2007 for affected by the Third Reich" began. Panel and discussion were translated simultaneously.

After seven years of reparation payments for former forced labors and other victims of National Socialism Foundation "Remembrance, Responsibility" completed its activities in June 2007. In collaboration with its partnering organizations the Foundation payed 4,4 billion euro for 1,6 mln affected. These funds came from the German money, i. a. from the money transferred by the German business companies. An international project coordinated by Ruhr-Universität in Bochum is to research this action. The work of the Foundation not only ended the lasting for decades dispute about reparations for former forced labors, but also created new forms of international cooperation in dealing with this historical injustice. The Foundation`s actions research will enable us to know how actions in the name of historical justice worked in practice and what such form of compensation meant in practice for people and societies affected by the conflict.

The conference was organized by the University of Wroclaw, the Willy Brandt Center of the University of Wroclaw and Ruhr-Universität in Bochum.

For further information please contact Prof. Krzysztof Ruchniewicz