The Cooperation between the Polish and German judiciary during the trial of the Auschwitz occupation in Frankfurt 1963-1965 as an example and hope for improvement between German-Polish relations in 2018

Abstract

Despite the obvious fact that the present subject is not directly related to1968 and transition justice, it is possible to say that it is one of the essential and important issue looking from the perspective of 2018 and future years to come.  That is because the exchange of documents, witness reports and recollections, meetings held and discussions conducted during 'Frankfurt Trial' is a perfect example of regional cooperation between two completely different countries and also as an example of cooperation between neighboring countries despite many differences that are easily perceivable. In this lecture, I show how the judicial system tried to apply various rules in order to bring war criminals to justice. After the end of Second World War on 8th of May 1945, the defeat of Germany, the occupation, the division into zones of occupation in which the four victorious powers held supreme power, it took twenty years until the “turning point" of remembrance began in the Federal Republic of Germany, mainly driven by the post-war generation. In this talk, I will try to prove that given the above-mentioned differences and problems with which Poland and Germany are confronted today the consolidation of regional cooperation and the ability to solve problems before the become serious crisis’s is the most crucial work of the present government.