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I didn't know that you were promoted to Batavier's spokesman. Maybe I'll wait till he explains himself.The question wasn't about aristocracy in existence.hno:
Batavier wanted to know(...)
The situation in East Prussia is as follows: all the owners of properties who were granted Polish citizenship in or after 1945 do possess their properties, even during Communist times. Of course, most of them were relatively poor peasants, so we're talking about ordinary houses of villagers or small detached houses in cities. Definitely not the great mansions, most of their owners were of German nationality.Apparently not, particularly since reparations for former owners is not a priority agenda item in Poland.
If the owners of properties who were granted Polish citizenship after 1945 and were disposessed afterwards (up to 5 December 1990) are eligible to claim their former real estate (as all the other previous owners, on normal basis). Or 100% compensations. Which they do. Of course, it doesn't matter where they live today. If they are now German citizens, they still can claim and they get property. Everybody interested in real estate issues in East Prussia heard of Agnes Trawny case.
Now, all the owners of properties who were not granted Polish citizenship after 1945 (in case of mansions this is the majority) were expelled after the Potsdam conference (technically speaking, in East Prussia most of them did not wait until the Potsdam conference, they fled before advancing Red Army). As German citizens theoretically they can claim compensations from German government. IIRC German government give some compensations in 1950s, as some form of Osthilfe - new accomodation in West Germany, social help, etc.
Polish government suggested many times to gov't of Germany that it would be good idea if German federal authorities bear the brunt of compensations all these claims and close the issue - for the sake of people who were expelled. Polish government gave example of itself - all the Polish citizens who were expelled after 1939 from our Eastern Territories (and were not given compensations in the Regained Territories) were given compensation from the Polish State Treasury. Mostly for humanitarian reasons. I don't know why German federal gov't will not do the same:dunno:
Obviously nobody is going to give up any properties in so called Recovered Territories (among others, Polish part of East Prussia) to descendants of former German owners. Why would they? From the POV of international law, the case is closed since Aug 2, 1945. It is up to German authorities, if they want to settle the claims issue. If this issue exists in the first place.