Statement of Henryk Pikielny

I was born in 1928 in Lodz, Poland. I am a survivor of several Nazi concentration camps. The Nazis murdered my mother, grandfather, and numerous other close relatives, and took away the successful business my grandfather had built. Then came the Communists who perpetuated the theft by nationalizing the company. I was compelled to leave for Brazil in 1946 with my father and brother because there was no future for us in Poland.

When Poland emerged from Communist rule, I expected that my family’s company, after so many decades, could finally be returned to us. It had been stolen, but the thieves were no longer in power. However, the new democratic government apparently decided that profit was more important than morality, and refused to return the company.

This is more than a financial issue to me. I remember that, until the outbreak of the war, there was a tennis court on our property, for the use of the younger Pikielny generation. I also remember that, after school, I used to play soccer with my friends on another part of the factory property, where there were no buildings. My grandfather established the company in order to provide for his family, and we have waited 60 years for his legacy to be returned to us.

Joining NATO, joining the European Union and being part of the free world brings not only rights and benefits but also obligations and commitments, including respect for the basic human right to peaceful enjoyment of one’s private property. We urge Poland to live up to these obligations and commitments.