What is the Treaty of Warsaw?
Q: What is the Treaty of Warsaw?
A: The Treaty of Warsaw is a treaty between West Germany and the People's Republic of Poland. It was signed on December 7, 1970 and ratified by the German Bundestag on May 17, 1972.
Q: What did both sides commit to in the treaty?
A: Both sides committed themselves to nonviolence and accepted the existing border - the Oder-Neisse line.
Q: Why was this a sensitive topic at the time?
A: This was a sensitive topic at the time as Poland was concerned that one day a German government would lay claim to some of the territory Germany lost after World War II.
Q: What land did Poland take over?
A: Poland took over eastern Polish territory which had been conquered by the Soviet Union in 1939. A lot of that land was east of the Curzon Line, and Poland kept it after their Polish-Soviet War (1919-1921).
Q: Who criticized Chancellor Willy Brandt for signing this treaty?
A: Chancellor Willy Brandt was heavily criticized by conservative CDU/CSU opposition for signing this treaty, as they were in favour of making a claim for some of Germany's lost territories.
Q: When was it reaffirmed by reunified Germany?
A:The Oder-Neisse line was reaffirmed by reunified Germany in their German-Polish Border Treaty, signed on 14 November 1990.
Q: Was this seen as final word on borders at that time? A:No, because article IV stated that previous treaties like Potsdam Agreement were not superseded by this latest agreement, so provisions could be changed with a final peace treaty between Germany and Allies from World War II as provided for in Potsdam Agreement.
