Are you permanently residing abroad? You still have a chance to have the communist ruling overturned. You don't have to come to Poland to do i - your case will be handled entirely remotely. We have already helped victims living in Sweden, Germany, the USA, Australia and South Africa, among others. You can join the group, too!
Under the provisions of the so-called February Act, those harmed during the PRL era have the right to compensation and redress for communist repression. Money paid by the State Treasury should correspond to the material losses suffered in connection with the repression and compensate for the harm. If the repressed person has passed away, the right to compensation and redress passes to their closest relatives.
As a person repressed in the PRL era, you can claim compensation for material losses (e.g., lost earnings and confiscated property). In addition, you are also entitled to redress for repression, i.e., compensation for harm (physical pain, fear, suffering, trauma, etc.). If you apply for both of these benefits, it may mean that the State Treasury will pay you even several hundred thousand zlotys.
The communist authorities issued a sentence against you in connection with your activities for an independent Poland – provided that the court first declares such a ruling invalid
A decision on your internment was issued (regardless of whether that decision was ultimately carried out)
You were subjected to compulsory military service between 1 November 1982 and 28 February 1983
You were subjected to Stalinist repression between 1 July 1944 and 31 December 1956
You are a child who stayed with your mother during the PRL era in prison or another place of detention, or your mother stayed in such a place while pregnant
A repressed person who was close to you died and, before their death, did not apply for redress and compensation for the PRL
In cases concerning the invalidation of communist rulings, as well as the related compensation and redress, you do not incur any court fees. What’s more, while the costs of proceedings are usually borne by the losing party, in this case, regardless of the outcome, they will be charged to the State Treasury. This means you do not risk financial losses, but you can gain a lot.
Remember that you don’t have to act on your own. Instead of delving into the regulations yourself and investing your time and nerves, you can use the professional help of Solace lawyers, and we will:
verify your case and tell you whether you are entitled to redress and compensation for the repressed,
gather the necessary documents,
help you invalidate the communist ruling;
ensure that the amount of compensation you are entitled to and the lost property are proven,
present arguments that will increase your chances of obtaining high redress,
prepare the application on your behalf,
represent you at every stage of the proceedings,
handle all formalities related to obtaining compensation and redress.
To effectively handle cases concerning compensation for communist repression, much more is needed than knowledge of regulations. The number of cases carried out, courtroom practice and the resulting experience are of great importance. Since the 1990s, we have been helping to invalidate communist rulings and obtain compensation and redress for the PRL. That experience helps us successfully handle even complicated cases. Want to know more? Check out how we help.
Our Client was convicted in the 1980s for pro-independence activity. The judgment led to detention, a criminal record, loss of employment, and long-term professional consequences. Years later, the Client permanently resided abroad and did not have a complete set of documents — key records had to be traced in archives, and the passage of time made the evidentiary work significantly more demanding.
We handled the case end-to-end remotely. First, we obtained and organized archival documentation and filed an application to have the communist ruling declared invalid — this stage took 8 months from filing to a final decision. Next, we prepared the compensation claim (material losses) and the redress claim (harm), including evidence of lost earnings and the personal impact of repression. The compensation proceedings took 10 months, and the State Treasury paid PLN 420,000 in total (PLN 110,000 compensation + PLN 310,000 redress), within several weeks after the judgment became final.
Our Client’s close relative was interned during martial law. The internment and related persecution had a lasting impact on health and family life, but the repressed person passed away before filing for redress and compensation. The family was unsure whether they could still pursue a claim, and they did not have full documentation confirming all circumstances from that period.
We verified the legal basis for the claim, confirmed which family members were entitled to act, and then gathered evidence from archives and institutions (including records confirming internment). From the moment we received authorization to represent the family, collecting documents and filing the application took 6 weeks. The court proceedings lasted 9 months, and the State Treasury paid PLN 210,000 in total (PLN 55,000 compensation + PLN 155,000 redress), within several weeks after the judgment became final.
Compensation for communist repression should correspond to the losses suffered. This means that its amount depends primarily on the consequences of internment, such as loss of work or property.
Redress for harm suffered during the PRL era may be received by a person subjected to repression by the communist regime. However, in order to pursue the money you are owed, you must first invalidate the ruling that was issued at that time.
