Following facts should be outlined when referred to the period between July 2003 and June 2004:
1. The Institute reasonably and economically managed the financial means from the State Budget. Within the limits of the granted budget the Institute gained possession of office space, adjusted it and renovated according to its requirements. This was due to Instituteωs own initiative and good cooperation with state and local authorities.
2. The Institute gathered 99% of the archival documents due on the basis of the Act on IPN. However, Internal Security Agency (ABW), Intelligence Agency (AW) and Military Information Service (WSI) have not delivered yet all the cards of persons who were subject of interest of state security organs stipulated in the act, nor have they submitted other archival documents. Nevertheless, the IPN archivists are granted access to those documents in order to proceed the statutory tasks of IPN. The heads of the above mentioned institutions have obliged to deliver the remaining documents until the end of the year 2004.
3. Documents endangered by biological or mechanical degradation have been protected against any further failure. The Institute has prepared and launched the process of rendering files produced by security services before 1990 accessible to grieved persons. At the same time IPN is thoroughly processing the gathered archival documents. The time to access documents regarding grieved persons has been reduced and it ranges from 3 month till one year, depending on the regional archival office of IPN.
4. During the period covered by the last IPN annual information the Institute has accepted 8,205 applications for rendering archival documents accessible/ status of grieved person (i.e. 3 times more than the previous year). The number includes 2,658 persons recognized as grieved parties, 5,063 persons who were not recognized as grieved parties due to lack of documentation gathered purposefully and secretly by security services, 484 persons with regard to whom the Institute possesses documents which attest cooperation with security services. In the period the Institute rendered accessible 8,454 archival units to 2,475 persons recognized as grieved parties in the meaning of the Article 6 of the Act on IPN.
5. The prosecutors of the Institute have conducted 646 cases of investigations, including 142 regarding Nazi crimes, 487 regarding communist crimes and 17 regarding other war crimes and crimes against humanity. The investigations are particularly complex due to the evidence and organization. In the period covered by the report the prosecutors interrogated 8,882 witnesses. In the period 28 acts of indictment have been filed to courts, and in other cases 49 persons have been charged. One motion of extradition had been filed. In the period the courts had issued 7 convictions, one sentence of acquittal and one verdict of discontinuance due to death of the accused. It should be stressed that the number of sentences of conviction worked out by the IPN prosecutors does not implicate grounds for evaluating reliability of the investigations and the justification for the indictment. It results from the fact that the accused often prolong the legal proceeding, claiming that their health condition precludes participation in the trial. Often they appeal against the sentence what also withholds pronouncing of the legally binding verdict. Moreover, many investigations, where the statutory aims (explanation circumstances of crimes and recognizing the grieved persons) have been met, are being discontinued because of death of the perpetrators. This refers chiefly to the crimes committed in the Stalinist period by the functionaries of State Security Ministry (MBP) and Security Office (UB). Nevertheless, IPN prosecutors are obliged to carry out that kind of investigations for the sake of the grieved parties, persons who testify about the crime or persons who act as witnesses. The legal formulations resulting from investigations, many of which have a pioneering character, allow to formulate a doctrine and to shape the court jurisdiction what should be considered as an essential contribution to the law culture of the democratic state of law.
6. The Institute has become a stable and permanent link for historic education and patriotic youth. Within four years of its activity the Institute has become a major research center. The success had been marked by important scientific conferences, network of thematic publications and two periodicals. The Institute carries out research programs about meaningful events between 1939-1949 (extermination of Jews on Polish territory; conspiracy in the region of Wielkopolska between 1939-1945; German occupation of the region of ω sentenced for death penalty between 1944-1956; repression apparatus; resistance between 1944-1989; repressions against peasant movements, 1944-1989; martial law). Institute has engaged close cooperation with Historic Institute and Political Studies Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as with most Polish universities ω on the basis of cooperation agreements.
7. Institute supports combatantsω organizations and constitutes a forum for soldiers and witnesses of war as well as for activists of post-war democratic opposition.
8. Institute has engaged cooperation with its equivalent institutions abroad (Czech Republic, Israel, Lithuania, Germany, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, USA). In Ukraine there is no equivalent of IPN and therefore the Institute cooperates with individual archivists and historians. IPN prosecutors closely cooperate with the German Centre for Prosecution of Nazi Crimes in Ludwigsburg, Wiesenthal Centre, US Department of Justice, as well as, within the frames of legal assistance, with prosecutors in Germany, Russia, Bialorussia, Ukraine, Lithuania, USA, Canada, and Great Britain. Serving the truth, the Institute has implemented its work into the process of the reconciliation process of our Nation with German, Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Bialorussian and Jewish Nations.
BUDGET OF THE INSTITUTE
Nine territorial branch offices of IPN manage their budget locally. The Warsaw branch office shares budget with the central office with regard to the fact that both offices use the same buildings and share renovation costs and IT services.
The expenses of IPN in 2003 amounted to 84,259 PLN, what constitutes 98,93 % of the plan for 2003, and 102,16 % of the expenses in 2002.
The current expenses were the highest position. Within the position the expenses for salaries amounted to 54,693 (74,98 % of the current expenses) and the expenses for goods and services were 15,981 (21,91% of the current expenses).
In comparison with 2002 the average gross month salary in 2003 had increased by 4,8%. The salary rise was financed according to the scheduled salary fund included in the Budget Act of 2003.
The financial means for prosecutors salaries were not fully used due to the fact that the number of 115 statutory posts of IPN prosecutors was not reached. According to the Act on IPN the General Prosecutor appoints IPN prosecutors and lack of his decision precluded full employment of IPN prosecutors.
Property expenses in 2003 were lower in comparison to 2002 by 3 450 000 PLN i.e. 25,56%. The expenses amounted to 10 047,000, 99,98 % of the means scheduled for investment expenses in the budget act for 2003 and increased by decision of Finance Minister regarding allowance of 49,500 from the reserve fund for computer equipment which serves to better cooperation with State Budget Department in Finance Ministry.
The renovations scheduled in 2003 regarded buildings which had been renovated since 2002. Not all of the renovation scheduled works could have been carried out as Sejm has reduced the funds for investments in 2003.
The necessary investments resulted from obligations imposed on IPN by the Act on IPN, regulations on: archival and building law, fire protection and protection of classified information as well as rules on archivisation of documents adopted by the Council of IPN. Buildings retrieved by IPN from the Treasury by the end of 2000 were in general ill-adapted to the new functions and thus they required modernization and adjustment.
In average in 2003 there were 1,175 full time positions occupied in the Institute. This means 7,01 % increase of full time positions with comparison to the previous year. According to the plan there should be 40 full time positions more. 84.4 % of IPN employees have office and scientific positions.
The reduction of budget for 2003 by 13 120,000 PLN, including 7 500,000 PLN for investment expenses resulted in postponing for 2004 of finishing works in archival rooms. Since the financial means for IPN expenses had been reduced once again in 2004 ω in the amount of 9 564,000 PLN including 7 800,000 PLN for investment expenses ω obliges to limit the financial means aimed at fulfilling the statutory tasks and prolongs the period of termination of investments.
The activity of Gospodarstwo Pomocnicze agency focused on editorial activity i.e. printing of IPN publications and selling of the publications. The revenue of the Gospodarstwo Pomocnicze agency in 2003 amounted to 325,000 PLN, and in the first 6 months of 2004 it was 267,000 PLN. The sale of publications is carried out by warehouses, bookstores, IPN offices and IPN shop at Towarowa 28 in Warsaw. The agency is also doing the mail-order sale of IPN publications.
PROSECUTION OF CRIMES
The prosecutors of the Instituteωs Commission continued previous investigations as well as launched new investigations in recently revealed crimes committed between September 1, 1939 and December 31, 1989. The notion of crime against the Polish Nation embraces the Nazi crimes, Communist crimes, crimes against peace, humanity and war crimes committed on persons of Polish nationality ω disregarding the place of crime, as well as crimes committed on persons of other nationalities, provided the crimes had been committed on the territory of Polish State.
The Polish prosecutors, similarly to the Czech and German ones, prosecute only the deeds which at the moment of the commitment were forbidden by binding criminal law at the time. At that time, as today, it was forbidden, according to Polish law and UN conventions ratified in Poland, to physically abuse people during investigations, to sentence them on the basis of not biding law, or to be in charge of mass repressions and associations showing traits of criminal character within the frames of state structures.
On June 30, 2004 the prosecutors of IPN Divisional Commissions conducted 1,359 investigations, including 363 cases of Nazi crimes, 918 cases of Communist crimes and 78 cases of other crimes (war crimes and crimes against humanity).
In the cases of Nazi crimes the IPN prosecutors have finished the analysis of German decision to discontinue investigations of crimes (in accordance with German law) committed in September 1939 in Poland by the Wehrmacht against civilians. None of the German investigations in Federal German Republic resulted in conviction of the perpetrators. In general, the German prosecutors claimed in their justification of the verdicts that the perpetrators were found guilty of crimes allowed by 1907 Hague Convention regarding fighting guerilla, and not of war crimes. Prosecution of other murders committed by Werhmacht was lapsed. German prosecutors did not identify perpetrators (soldiers and officers of Wehrmacht) of crimes which are not subject of limitation.
Only a few investigations on Nazi crimes give prognosis to indict the living perpetrators. Nevertheless, during the period covered by the report IPN prosecutors in cooperation with Interpol identified 12 perpetrators of Nazi crimes. One of the perpetrators, Bohdan Kozij residing in Costa Rica, died on November 30, 2003, just after the motion for extradition had been handed over to him by the local authorities.
IPN prosecutors continue proceedings aiming at certifying the criminal character of verdicts pronounced in cases of Poles by German special courts. Respective motions have been filed to German prosecutorsω office via German Central Office for the Prosecution of Socio-National Crimes of Ludwigsburg. The first sentence which has been revoked was the sentence by Gωtz prosecutorsω office (pronounced on March 10, 2004) conviction on death penalty of priest Wincenty Harasimowicz, issued on December 9, 1094.
With regard to communist crimes committed till the end of 1956 (known as Stalinist crimes) the court jurisdiction is characterized by full approval of the grounds for indictments filed to courts by IPN prosecutors against former functionaries of Public Security Office. Prosecutors accuse them of illegal arresting, physical and mental torturing of the grieved persons, who at the time were treated as political enemies. Both the proceeding of trials and justification of the sentences prove the grounds for prosecution and criminal responsibility of this category of perpetrators.
So far the courts have not shared the grounds presented in justification of indictment against Stalinist judges and prosecutors ω perpetrators of the court crimes. The only sentence in a case of Stalinist judge was pronounced on April 18, 2003 at Garrison Court in Warsaw and regarded to Stalinist judge who pronounced a sentence of a longtime imprisonment for alleged dissemination of hostile propaganda. The sentence was revoked by Military District Court in Warsaw on December 3, 2003 on the following grounds: the accused (since 1975 retired ωmilitary pensioner ) is still under the protection of judgeωs immunity, which had not been canceled. Cassation of the sentence has been filed by the General Military Prosecutor who stated that the immunity of the accused had been expired at the moment of his resignation from the position of judge. The cassation had not been accepted. The Supreme Court Military Chamber stipulated that the General Military Prosecutor has no right to file cassation in cases which pertain with the scope of IPN prosecutorsω activities. It is worth mentioning that the cassation filed in the period covered with the previous report by the General Director of the Commission, who at the same time is the deputy General Prosecutor in the case of court murder, what lies within the scope of IPN activities, has not been accepted by the Supreme Court Military Chamber ω on the grounds that only the Military General Prosecutor has right to file such cassation.
Currently the former military prosecutor Czesωaw ω. is being on trial in Military District Court in Warsaw. He is charged by IPN prosecutors with participation in court murder on captain Witold Pilecki.
In the cases of communist crimes committed after 1956 several former functionaries of Security Service (SB) have been sentenced, charged with physical and mental torturing while they carried out criminal proceedings of members of ωSolidarnoω攠in Konin at the time of martial law in Poland.
In the case of Katyn Massacre the prosecutors of IPN prepared analysis of the law binding in Russian Federation. Motions for legal assistance in cases of officers and soldiers murdered in September 1939 were filed to Russian General Military Prosecutorωs Office. The reply of Russian party allowed to draft the legal aspects of the expected decision which shall finalize the Russian prosecutorsω investigation into the case of Katyn Massacre. In the letter of March 17, 2004 Russian General Military Prosecutor refused to give legal assistance in the case of murder of gen. J Olszyna-Wilczy and captain Mieczysωaw Strzemeski. Both of them were taken captive and killed on September 22, 1939 by Red Army soldiers. In his legal evaluation, the IPN prosecutors stated that with regard to the Ribbentrop ω Molotov the Pact of August 23, 1939 the Red Army started war against Polish State on September 17, 1939. Therefore, murdering Polish soldiers who had been taken captive was qualified by IPN prosecutors as war crime which is not subject to limitation. The General Prosecutor of Russian Federation did not agree with the legal qualification and stated that Pact of August 23, 1939 was essentially a non-aggression pact between Soviet Union and Germany and thus ωduring the period mentioned in the motion and later the Red Army forces could not provide for any kind of assistance to German forces or their allies with regard to committing murders on Polish civilians, soldiers and prisoners of war. Thus, the acts specified in the motion could be considered solely as common crimesω. In his conclusion, the General Military Prosecutor of Russian Federation claimed that prosecution of common crimes committed during the WWII is subject of limitation according to law binding in Russian Federation ω for what reasons the Polish motion for legal assistance was returned. Disregarding this statement, the RF General Military Prosecutor points out in the same letter that the agreement of August 8, 1945 concluded by the allied powers aimed at ωsaddling German soldiers, officers and member of Nazi party with criminal responsibility for war crimes committed during WWIIω.
General Military Prosecutor of Russian Federation applied the notion of limitation also with regard to murders committed on Polish citizens in November 1945 (letter of November 25, 2003 on refusal to provide legal assistance with regard to the case of murder of J and Stanisωaw ωempicki, shot down by NKVD functionaries near Ciechanowiec).
In the period covered with the report 8,882 witnesses have been interrogated with regard to the investigations carried out by IPN prosecutors.
Essentially, in the investigations which were discontinued due to various reasons, the IPN prosecutors collected abundant and historically significant evidence material: testimonies of witnesses who had never been interrogated before. The material can be used for scientific purposes or for journalistic ends.
The Chief Commission cooperates with its equivalent institutions abroad, in particular with the German Central Office for the Prosecution of Socio-National Crimes of Ludwigsburg, Special Investigation Office of US Justice Department and Yad Vashem Institute in Jerusalem.
The service of the Instituteωs prosecutors differs from the public prosecutorωs service. The specificity of IPN prosecutors work requires recognition of the historical context of the prosecuted crime, as well as knowledge of the law and jurisdiction binding at the time. In some cases it is necessary to interrogate a few hundred witnesses, which is a laborious process of identifying their personal data, and whereabouts, as well as interrogating ω often in the place of residence. Significant part of the cases must be regarded as similar, taking into account the range of the trial procedure, to investigations in organized crimes cases and economic cases carried out by the prosecutors of appellate and district offices. It results from the fact that the mechanisms of a crime, which need to be reconstructed, were complex and the number of repressed persons, perpetrators, and persons involved in the crime was high. Moreover, the crimes ω in the criminological perspective ω constitute ωcriminality of stateω, i.e. the crimes were committed in the name of the state and its officials. The IPN prosecutors are obliged to make numerous and laborious archival queries in the state, army and government departmentsω archival resources. Predominantly, the prosecutors carry out investigations independent of Police services with regard to defining data relevant for the investigated case. Incomparably more often than other prosecutors the IPN prosecutors need assistance of judicial institutions and other institutions abroad with regard to gathering the evidence. The closed casesω files include from a dozen up to a few hundred volumes.
In many cases the interrogated witnesses express their satisfaction resulting from the legal qualification of the crime adapted by the IPN prosecutors. The testimony in the prosecutorωs office is often the only possibility for the witnesses to preserve their experiences from the past, which in many cases were traumatic life experiences. Investigations, which for various reasons do not end by bringing indictments against the perpetrators of crimes, gained a name of ωhistorical investigationsω that partly renders their character and goals.
The Director of the Chief Commission and the IPN prosecutors presented the Instituteωs investigative branch and its activities on scientific conferences organized by the Institute. The results of prosecution by Polish State of Nazi and communist crimes were presented during the First Expert Meeting on Genocide, War Crimes, and Crimes against Humanity, in Lyon, France, March 23-25, 2004.
The problem of recalling IPN prosecutors and their return to previously occupied position at public prosecutorωs offices remains unsolved. The only possibility so far is the disciplinary procedure.
PRESERVATION AND DISSEMINATION OF DOCUMENTS
The task of preserving and disseminating records produced by Polish and foreign state security organs in the years 1939-1989 stems from the constitutional duty of the state authorities described in articles 61 and 51 of the Polish basic law. According to these provisions as well as provisions coming from the statute on the Institute of National Remembrance ω Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation, the Institute must also take into account demands imposed by the law on the protection of classified information, personal data and protection of persons and their possessions. These tasks are carried out by the archival department of the Institute which consists of the Office of Preservation and Dissemination of Archival Documents, branch offices of preservation and dissemination of archival documents as well as preservation and dissemination units in the Instituteωs delegations.
On June 30, 2004, 497 archivists were employed (one more than the previous year) at the archival department of the Institute, including 179 in the Warsaw archival office (178 permanent posts). Seventeen archivists have a Ph.D. degree, and 2 have assistant professor degrees.
In its fourth year of activity, the archival office focused on elaborating and disseminating the archival materials. The priority was to render the documents accessible to the grieved persons and researchers, as well as other authorized parties.
On June 30, 2004, the Instituteωs archives amounted to 79,920.65 meters of acts: 28,459.51 meters of which (35,6%) were accumulated in the Warsaw-located Office of Preservation and Dissemination of Archival Records and 51,461.14 meters (64,4%) in nine branch offices of the Institute. Compare: the state archive resources are 236,662 meters of acts.
In comparison with the previous year (on June 30, 2003, the Instituteωs archives amounted to 77,858.94 meters of acts) the archival resources have increased by 2,061.71 meters of acts, a 2,65%. In 2003 the increase amounted to 67%.
The process of gathering files, which the Office of Preservation and Dissemination of Archival Records started in the second half of 2000 and in the branch offices in 2001, has come to an end. The majority of the units in the archival department of the Institute reached the envisaged content level that had been planned in 2000 with regard to the estimated data provided by the institutions preserving the files of security services. From the four-year perspective it is clear that the terminal resources capacity of the Institute files had been corrected ω and will not amount to 95 km but to ca. 80-81 km. It resulted from an overestimation of the seize of archival resources of the police and army forces.
The IPN archival office has completed their material with documents retrieved from already taken over archival document units. Only a few new archival document units have been assumed to the archival resources. Now IPN receives the cases which have been lent by the previous owner but not accompanied by all the documents.
Part of the documents remains to be taken over. The Institute has tried to obtain documents which belong to its statutory resources and relate to cases from so called turning point ω the year 1990. At that time the state security organs were being liquidated. The Act on IPN provides for precise final dates of the documents produced by those organs. The specified documents are to be transferred to IPN. For example, the Interior Security Agency (ABW) or Intelligence Agency (AW) documents, databases, registers and card files produced until May 6, 1990 and Military Information Services (WSI) documents produced until December 31, 1990. The time limitations stipulated in the Act on IPN required laborious work which aimed at dividing the documentation (e.g. documents produced by ABW were to be divided into those for IPN and those which remain to the ABW disposal). Often it is necessary to set up and reorganize a new file. This work was done by functionaries of state security services.
The Institute has gathered 99% of the due statutory archival documents. Internal Security Agency, Intelligence Agency and Military Information Services have not yet transferred to IPN all the personal registers of the former secret collaborators of state security services, which are specified in the Act on IPN. The prolongation of the taking over process was due to the following: the State Security Office (UOP) and Interior Security Agency registers assigned for IPN were excluded from current registers, in which the UOP and ABW functionaries were making checking, necessity of checking of the excluded registers, also with regard to including them in the classified files unit, scanning of a part of the units by UOP or ABW.
Part of the state archive, supervised by the Head Director of State Archive, resources should be transferred to IPN, mainly copies of files of Polish Workers Party (PPR) and Polish United Workers Party (PZPR), which deal exclusively with state security organs ω thus it is not about retrieving whole archival units.
Apart from central archival office, the most abundant archival resources are in Katowice, Wrocωaw, Gda Kraknd Poznaanches of IPN. Their resources amount to 6,000-112,000 meters of acts. In total they gathered 39,374. 72 meters of acts what constitutes 76,51% of documentations gathered by all nine local branches of IPN. Each of the other local branches dispose ca. 2,500-3,900 meters of acts (RzeszLublin, Biaωystok, ω.
The security services files taken over by IPN chiefly include operational files with personal files as well as files regarding activity of the secret cooperators. There are also documents regarding contact places, files regarding persecution and control, which include ωanti-stateω, ωspyω or ωsabotageω activities files and ωproblem-focusedω cases files. Personal files of former functionaries of Security Office, Security Service and Militia as well as civil employees and professional soldiers of the interior ministry constitute an essential part of IPN archival resources. From Police Archive IPN took over mainly files of the functionaries of Security Office and Militia until 1954 and Security Office and Security Service files till 1990 as well as significant number of administrative files (e.g. investigation and inquiry registers of 1944-1954, reports) as well as passport files. The latter constitute the biggest separate archival unit. IPN has gathered 43,134.93 meters of passport acts, including 6,844.74 meters of acts (15,9%) in Warsaw archival office and 36,290.19 meters of acts (84,1%) in nice branch archival offices.
Apart form the above mentioned documents from Interior Ministry resources IPN retrieved also documents of subordinate units of the ministry, which are not personal operational and personal files. It is worth mentioning that IPN posses documents regarding the following key events of the PRL (Polish peopleωs Republic): June 1956 in Poznan, March 1968, December 1970; 1976 in Radom and Ursus; as well as those related to the origins of the Solidarity movement, martial law and repressions aimed at the democratic opposition. Part of the taken over resources are normative acts regarding state security organs (resolutions, acts, orders, decisions, circular letters, personal orders). Part of the files was retrieved as microfilms.
Special Military services files origin basically from archives of Military Information Services. Only the Warsaw archival office took them over. In this group of documents operational documentation and personal files of soldiers and employees prevail (employees of Polish Army Information, Military Interior Service and the Board of II General Staff of Polish Army). Office of Preservation and Dissemination of Archival Records took over also other archival units of military security services, including files of military courts and prosecutorωs offices from Central Military Archive, and Archives of National Defense Ministry, Air-Defense and Air Forces Archive and Land Army Archive in Warsaw, and State Archive of Warsaw City.
The final takeover of the archival resources of the Internal Security Agency and the Intelligence Agency takes place in the storerooms of the Institute of National Remembrance, where secured boxes are being opened in the presence of representatives of the Internal Security Agency and the Intelligence Agency. This constitutes the final element of the acquisition of the Security Office and Security Service documents. An insufficient number of Internal Security Agency representatives is the main problem at this stage of the process. In Warsaw IPN office this task is carried out by only one functionary of ABW. In archival office in Katowice the ABW functionaries are only twice a week there to open the boxes. The number of opened boxes depends on the character of the documents, or with regard to operational files, on the completeness of the document group. What renders the process of opening the boxes even more laborious is inaccurateness of content lists and inexactness of page order in loose files. In the period covered by the report 23,506 boxes taken over from the Internal Security Agency and Police were opened. Since the begin of the process of takeover of documents from the Internal Security Agency and Police 78,108 boxes were opened (as of June 30,2004). In the IPN archival offices in Biaωystok, Gda KrakLublin, ωand Rzeszll boxes were opened. In Warsaw IPN archival office all boxes from State Defense Office/ ABW in Warsaw were opened. Next to be opened are the boxes taken over from ABW Delegation in Radom. Termination of the opening depends on the number of ABW functionaries who are available. The work should proceed five days a week and not once or twice a week.
Separate archival unit are documents taken over from Prison Service. Basically they are penitentiary files of persons who had been repressed for political reasons, including persons hold in detention during the martial law. Warsaw archival office received files from the Central Board of Prison Service as well as from units subordinate to Regional Inspectorat of Prison Service in Warsaw. The regional IPN archival office received documents from the rest of regional inspectorωs office.
The IPN files include also files of persons repressed for political reasons and whose files were produced by public courts and prosecutorωs offices. Among the documents the majority origin from the 70s and 80s of the 20th century.
A slight part of the archival resources are documents given by private persons. In the period covered by the report IPN retrieved almost 20 meters of acts. The documents, often precious private souvenirs which deal with essential national events, are given by private persons or institutions as a donation.
In order to improve the process of dissemination of archival records produced by state security organs IPN launched a detailed register of files in electronic version.
During the period covered by the report work on the retrieved archival resources had been intensified ω especially on the documents most frequently accessed by grieved persons or for scientific purposes, for investigations or queries (search of documents), including cases related to pension money. The archival units related to martial law, and taken over from Ministry of Interior Affairs and Administration, were put in order. Inventory of documents called ωcharacteristicsω or ωelaborationsω, taken over from Office of State Defense were drawn up. The ωcharacteristicsω depict activity of independence organizations, political organizations and military groups between 1944-1956 and later. They were drawn by archivists of interior ministry on the basis of original documents. In total 3,960 inventory units have been processed and delivered in 21 register sheets. In the period covered by the report the final register of documents produced by Office of Prime Minister until 1989, has been delivered to the Chancellery of Prime Minister in 108 CDs. The process of ordering documents regarding Catholic Church and other religious organizations, which had been taken over from ABW under the name of ωMSW Klerω (ωMinistry of Interior Affairs Clergyω).
With regard to the documents not listed before, a register was produced along with list of cryptonyms of particular cases as well as operational cases. The documents were stitched and paginated. The documents were produced in 70s and 80s. On the verge of 80s and 90s the documents were to be destroyed. They include the following cases:
- analysis of situation in academic communities and circles of scientists and editors;
- distribution of democratic opposition publications;
- analysis of situation in opposition communities e.g. KOR, ROPCiO, WiP, NSZZ ωSolidarnoω攠and ωSolidarnoω栗alczωcaω, Pomarawa Alternatywa and NZS;
- situation in youth organizations and scout organizations;
- academic priests;
- opposition activities, e.g. manifestations, happenings, demonstrations and strikes;
- mistakes in functioning of academic centers.
Apart from the documents the files include 810 operational photos which depict manifestations in Warsaw, Radom, and Lublin. It also includes register of activists and supporters of SKS (Students Solidarity Committees).
In the period covered by the report IPN started to decode the cryptonyms from documents produced by UOP/ABW. The registers include only cryptonyms or pseudonyms and do not provide information on who or what the files refer to. Decoding of the information should lead to a better usage of operational files for research and scientific purposes. In the archival unit with documents on the case of destroying documentation of III Department 1,500 cryptonyms of particular cases have been decoded so far.
The documents delivered by WSI archive have been unpacked and marked with current signature. Altogether 143.69 meters of acts have been ordered in this way.
Electronic registers of prisoners from Warsaw Prison I (Mokot for the year 1945 have been created. 6,523 files of acts have been ordered before rendered accessible. The collected archival items are almost entirely documents made of acid paper, which deteriorates over time. Therefore, many items require conservation due to mechanical damages and progressive brittleness of the paper. The results of research show that microbiological contamination of the collected files was caused by improper former storing. Moreover, majority of the documents requires lamination, re-covering, pagination etc.
The IPN web site has been enriched by specification of archival units taken over by IPN archival office between 2000-2003 from Archive of Ministry of Interior and Administration, all archival units from the Chief Commission as well as materials lent by State Archive of Warsaw City, and documents submitted by prosecutors offices, courts and prisons. The specification also includes documents stored in IPN branch in Radom. The specification constitutes an essential assistance for users of IPN archives as it provides for specific name of a unit, the year of origin and IPN signature as well as the general number of the cases (files).
IPN has statutory obligation to show the role of security apparatus during the period of Polish Peopleωs Republic. Therefore, IPN enables the grieved persons to access their files (files produced by security apparatus). The materials are rendered accessible to persons whose ωapplication for accessing documents/obtaining status of a grieved person in the light of the Act on IPNω had been realized.
Since the first applications were submitted on February 7, 2001 till June 30, 2004 15,485 persons have asked to access their documents produced by security apparatus. The procedure of rendering documents accessible starts with submitting the application. Next IPN archivists carry out a query within the IPN archival records and on the basis of those records a certificate is issued. The certificate states whether this particular person has a status of a grieved person or not. A status of a grieved person implies that the state security services had been purposely and secretly collecting information about the person. In the latter case there are two premises. First, stated in Article 6 paragraph 1, about lack of documents collected secretly by security services in the IPN archival records. Second, stated in Article 6 paragraph 3, stipulates that a person is not grieved because it results from the documents or information found in IPN archives that the person did cooperate with security organs. After the certificate is being issued the work on the query is continued. If any new documents are found they shall be accessible to the grieved person.
In the period covered by the report the IPN archival office has realized 8,205 applications for accessing documents/status of grieved person (three times more than in the previous year). 2,658 persons have been declared to be grieved parties and 5,063 were denied that status due to lack of documents collected purposely and secretly by security services and in the case of 484 persons (5%) IPN archivists have found documents proving cooperation with security services.
The grieved persons have access to all materials found in IPN archival resources, there is no time limitation nor a non-disclosure provision. The completeness of documentation does not depend on IPN. The archival records of former security services are rendered accessible in the form they had been submitted to IPN. The Institute attempts to disseminate documents in original form in most cases possible. Before the documents in a form of a copy are disseminated, the personal data of grieved persons, other persons ω including functionaries, employees and agents of state security services - are being blackened, what stems from Article 31 paragraph 3 of the act on IPN.
In the period between July 1, 2003 till June 30,2004 the archival office of IPN as well as the archival branch offices have rendered 8,454 archival units available to 2,475 persons with status of a grieved person in the light of Art. 6 of Act on IPN.
In comparison with the previous period of report the number of archival units rendered accessible to the grieved parties almost doubled and the number of grieved persons was more than double. At a request of a grieved person copies of documents are issued and the names of functionaries, employees and agents of state security services are given. In accordance with Article 32 paragraph 2 of the Act on IPN the names of persons who had informed on common crimes are not given. In the period 962 applications for giving more specific data of functionaries, employees and agents have been submitted. The data which identify the informers of security services (name, surname, date of birth, fatherωs name, pseudonym, place of employment) are given in accordance with Art. 32 paragraph 1 of the Act on IPN only when IPN is able to identify them with certainty on the basis of the IPN archival resources. It is essential with regard to the irrefutable arguments which could be presented during the legal proceeding initiated by persons, whose personal data the Institute had given to the grieved persons. On the basis of those applications IPN issued 423 notes with personal data of the functionaries, employees and agents, where the numbers from blackened documents are decoded into respective names. Refusal to give the personal data might be issued by the Director of the Office of Preservation and Dissemination of Archival Documents or a person authorized by the Director, in accordance with Art. 104 of administrative code of practice, in a form of decision of refusal to give names or other personal data of persons, whose data had been blackened in the disseminated documents. In the period 120 such decision were issued.
In cases of persons who had been functionaries, employees and agents of state security organs in accordance with Art 35 paragraph 2 of the Act on IPN, after the person submits application and declaration on cooperation or work for state security organs, they may get a certificate which specifies materials regarding them in IPN resources. In the period between July 1, 2003 till June 30, 2004 the IPN had issued 161 such certificates (almost three times more than during the previous period). Functionaries, employees and agents may obtain only a copy of employment certificate and copies of opinions on their service or work, in accordance with Art. 35 paragraph 1.
Apart from the above mentioned applications, on the basis of the Act on IPN, the applications regarding scientific purposes are very essential. It stems from the statutory duties of the Institute, which is obliged not only to disseminate the documents produced by apparatus of state security, but also to clarify and provide information on the recent history of Polish State ω by showing methods of operating of state security organs. Most numerous applications have been submitted by legal persons ω 19,433 (in previous year 14,552 application). Natural persons have submitted 8,881 applications (in previous year 11,511 applications). The archival, educational and prosecutorsω departments of IPN submitted 10,895 applications. The rest ω 8,538 are applications of other institutions e.g. organs of justice, state security and public order. In total 28,314 applications had been submitted last year (in the previous year 26,063 applications).
Thematic queries of archival documents constitutes an essential part of the archival officeωs activities. Last year 14,026 queries for natural persons had been carried out and 21,890 for institutions. In total 35,916 queries were carried out (in the previous year 26,063). Often during the initial query additional information are obtained, which allow to deepen the archival query. Therefore, the answer to the applicant is a result of a query of all IPN resources.
Since September 2003 the archival office makes it possible for the scientists to self ω indicate particular number of documents on the basis of records (registers, inventories, electronic data bases, catalogues) in the reading room of open files in IPN at Towarowa 28 street. This manner of work makes it easier for the scientists to chose the documents and complies with the postulates of historians. It is worth mentioning that the IPN employees act in accordance with the Act of 22 January 1999 on protection of confidential information. After the specific documents have been selected, the IPN President gives an administrative decision in which he states whether he grants permission for using the documents for scientific purposes.
Most of the archival units have been rendered accessible in the reading room of IPN archival departments in Warsaw (22,738 archival units), in Lublin (5,459), and in Biaωystok (5,300), in ω(5,185) as well as in the Bydgoszcz IPN delegation (5,220). In total it was 66,381 archival units when in the previous year it was 55,056. Most frequently visited were the IPN reading rooms in Warsaw (623 visitors), and Gdansk (399). In general 11,464 persons visited IPN reading rooms in Poland (in the previous year only 7,456 persons). The interest in IPN archival resources had risen in comparison with the previous period of report. It was stimulated by faster proceeding with the applications for scientific purposes. The faster pace resulted from more incoming documents and registers, what allowed to carry out detailed queries according to the applicantsω expectations. The nature of the archival resources required two separate reading rooms: for open documents and confidential documents. Too few reading tables and too big amount of available resources resulted in longer working hours of the reading room ω in order to satisfy the readers.
In the period of the report the IPN archival office had lent 18,999 archival units. The majority ω17,479 archival units ω were lent within the Institute: to the educational office or to the Chief Commission as well as to regional branches of IPN archival office (in order to proceed with the answers to applications). The remaining 1,520 archival units were lent to the authorized institutions for professional purposes: ABW, courts, prosecutorsω offices, Public Interest Ombudsman, local authorities.
The cooperation with Public Interest Ombudsman, ABW, Intelligence Agency and WSI lies within the responsibilities of Information and Register Department of archival office. It includes checking the queries of those institutions, dissemination and lending archival materials on the request of the institutions, making copies of the documents. All the materials which were used by the employees and functionaries of the above mentioned units, had been stitched, paginated, and looked through so that they comply with the confidentiality provisions. 29,931 times documents had been checked for the above mentioned institutions. It includes 9,661 check-ups for ABW, 3,525 for the Public Interest Ombudsman and 16,745 for the IPN archival departmentωs offices of dissemination.
In the period of the report the IPN archival office had carried out two major queries for the purposes of Karta Centre and the Head Directorωs office of State Archives. The query for Karta Centre was part of the research program ωIndex of the Repressedω, which aims at identifying and analyzing data of Poles and Polish citizens as well as other nationalities repressed in the former USSR between 1939-1956. Therefore IPN has checked 2,525 names given by Karta Centre. As a result of this cooperation publication entitled: ωSoviet repressions against Poles and Polish citizensω has been issued. Moreover, the following publications have been finalized: ωIndex of the Repressedω volume XIV, entitled ωDisplaced in Archangielsk Oblastω (part I). The second query regards the project ωNachweisbeschaffung fur ehemalige NS-Zwangsarbeiterω ω searching for archival documents for former forced laborer in III Reich during WWII. It is a multinational project which involves also partners from Bialorussia, Czech Republic, Ukraine, and IOM (International Organization for Migration) from Geneve. The Register and Information Unit of IPN archival office has received 4,358 applications, what is most numerous number of applications sent by the Center in Warsaw to all the Polish institutions participating in the project. In the period of the report 3,047 applications had been worked on.
In the period of the report the IPN web site developed. The ωArchival Resources of IPNω link had gained new sections: (1) WolyEast Galicia at the 60th Anniversary of extermination of Polish People, (2) Leaflets and posters before the parliamentary elections in 1947, (3) General August Emil Fieldorf ωNilω, (4) J ωwiatlo, (5) ωStruggle for Crossesω in Mi괮o near Garwolin between 1983-1984.
Two books had been issued by IPN archival Office in the period of report. First, the result of cooperation of Polish-Russian Working Group: Deportations of Polish Citizens from Western Ukraine and Western Bialarussia in 1940. The book is bilingual and contains 172 documents produced by NKVD. The book presentation took place in Moscow and Warsaw. Second, in the frames of Polish-Ukrainian Working Group a book titled ωPolish Underground between 1939 and 1941. From Wolyn to Pokucieω had been issued. The book is also bilingual and contains 88 documents of NKVD.
The employees of IPN archival office carried out query in search for documents regarding participation of Poles in the defeat of Nazism for Imperial War Museum, Cabinet War Room. The results of the query were scanned and sent (CD-ROM) to the London-based future Churchill Museum. Moreover, a query for Museum of General Headquarters of Police was carried out in order to provide materials for exhibition on the occasion of 85th anniversary of State Police.
PUBLIC EDUCATION OFFICE
The work of Public Education Office (BEP) had proceeded according to the ωPlan of IPN Public Education Office Activityω, which had been accepted by the IPN Council. The plan specifies nation-wide programs, regional programs carried out by the central office as well as the regional offices of BEP. The nation-wide programs are ωList of the Sentenced to Death between 1944-1956ω, ωConspiracy and civil Resistance in Poland between 1944-1956. Biographical Dictionaryω, ωWar and Occupation 1939-1945ω, Repressions against Peasants and Peasant Movement between 1944-1989ω, ωExtermination of Jews on Polish Territoryω, Repression apparatus and Civil Resistance 1944-1989ω.
The Scientific Research, Documentation and Library Resources Unit of BEP is the research unit of the Institute. In the period of the report 13 historians in the central office and 50 in the regional offices of BEP were employed. The research projects regarding different periods of recent history of Poland between 1939-1989 were specified in ωPlan of IPN BEPωs Activityω, which had been accepted by the IPN Council.
BEP prepared several dozen of conferences, seminars and sessions, working independently or cooperating with other scientific institutions. The sessions or panel discussion often accompanied openings of IPN exhibitions in particular Polish towns. The subjects of the conferences resulted from the direction of scientific research of BEP as well as from the needs of local communities and educational aims of IPN (anniversaries, local ceremonies).
The most important conferences were: ωPrague Spring. Poland and Czechoslovakia in 1969ω, ω*Common* Ministry. People of the Security Services and their Methods 1944-1956ω, Free Labor Unions of the Coast (1978-1980)ω, ωCivil Resistance against Repression System in Poland and Lithuania between 1944-1956ω, ωPeasants and Peasant Movement versus Polish Peopleωs Republicωs Authority between 1956-1989ω, ωDeportations of Upper Silesians to USSR in 1945ω, Roman Catholic Church in ωRegion during the term of the office of priest Michaω Klepacz (1947-1967)ω, ωPotulice Camp - the Difficult Polish-German Neighborhood Relations during Two Totalitarian Regimesω.
BEP employees maintain contacts with scientific institutions in Poland (e.g. Institute of History and Institute of Political Studies of Polish Academy of Sciences and the majority of Polish universities), they cooperate with combatantsω organizations. As a result the IPN scientists participate in numerous conferences and scientific symposia as well as they often participate in organizing the events.
In June 2004 BEP finalized the nation-wide research project ωList of the Sentenced to Deathω, the aim of which was: a) specification of the number of persons sentenced to death by the communist courts in Poland in 1944-1956, b) depiction of the responsibility of the repression apparatus (Ministry of State Security, prosecutorsω office, courts ω including the military ones), c) filling in detailed questionnaires of the sentenced to death penalty for political purposes between 1946 and 1955 by Military Regional Courts. It appeared that between 1944-1956 different kinds of courts (military and civil) had pronounced 8,000 death sentences, 4,500 of them had been executed. It is impossible to precise how many sentences regarded political activists and how many regarded the actual criminal acts. Most activists were sentenced to death by Military Regional Courts (MRC), which were set up in January 1946 and operating in all regions until the end of 1955. On the IPN web site (www.ipn.gov.pl ) the list of 3,500 names of persons sentenced to death by MRC, among which in 1,400 cases the sentence was executed. The publications within series entitled ωReports and Recollectionsω IPN issued ωBook of Testimonies. Sentenced for Death Penalty in Stalinist Timeω.
Within the subject ωConspiracy and Civil Resistance in Poland 1944-1956. A Dictionary of Biographiesω IPN published the second volume of the dictionary ωConspiracy and Civil Resistance in Poland 1944-1956ω. The dictionaryωs volumes include entries from A to Z in each volume, and the volume has 147 biographic entries, each with indexes and a biography, in total 660 pages. The dictionary depicts representatives of Home Army and other underground organizations, which remained underground after 1944, representatives of underground and open opposition organizations operating since 1945 (e.g. PSL, SN and SP) as well as representatives of the youngest generation of oppositionists, who used to set up self-education groups at schools, or opposed collectivization of villages. Sixty five historians of IPN and from other institutions started to work on Volume II, consisting of 150 biographical notes of soldiers and activists of post-Home Army opposition, national movement, peasant movement, socialist movement and groups focused on ideas of Piωsudski, youth organizations and insurgentsω groups ω from all regions of Poland, including Kresy Wschodnie of II Republic of Poland (Eastern territories).
At the end of 2003, within the subject ωWar and Occupation 1939-1945ω, IPN published a major work entitled ωPolish Civil Administration 1940-1945ω which depicts the whole activity of secret administration in occupied Poland. Moreover, the following publications were issued: double issue of IPN Bulletin and a book entitled: ωArrested Uprisingω as well as a re-edition of Janusz Zawodnyωs ωParticipants and Witnesses of Warsaw Uprising. Interviewsω. The results of parallel scientific research were discussed on the conference ωDays of Uprising ω Warsaw 1944ω, in September 2004. Currently, intensive research on the so-called by III Reich propaganda ωBydgoszcz Bloody Sundayω events are carried out.
In the frames of the greatest research and scientific undertaking of the Institute since mid-2002 entitled ωSystem of Repression and Civil Resistance 1944-1989ω includes three basic projects. All scientists of BEP from Warsaw and regional offices work on the projects. The first project is ωStructure and methods of operation of security system in Polish Peopleωs Republicω. The most essential result of the research is working version of publication ωPersonnel of Security System in Poland 1944-1989. Volume I: Personnel of Security Office 1944-1956ω. The book will include data on structure of the system and its personnel (a few thousands of head management positions) in 1945-1956. To this purpose the authors used archival documents from IPN resources as well as documents from Central Military Archives, Ministry of Justice and prisonsω archives. Parallel research had been carried out by individual scientists. They concentrated on various aspects of functioning of security apparatus. The Institute had issued three volumes of documents entitled ωOperational Work Instructions of Security Apparatus 1945-1989ω, ωThe First Year. Origin and Activity of Public Security Apparatus in Lublin Region (July 1944 ω June 1945), and ω Security Apparatus in Poland 1953-1954ω. In the second half of 2004 a comprehensive selection of information bulletins of Ministry of Public Security from 1950-1951 was issued (with CD including scanned the MPS bulletins).
Within the second project on ωSecurity Apparatusω Struggle with Underground Political and Military Opposition 1944-1956ω, the IPN researchers along with scientists from Maria Curie Skωodowska University analyze various organizations of Polish political and military underground, operation on the territory of contemporary Poland, as well as attempts of Polish and Russian security apparatus to suppress the opposition. ωAtlas of Polish Opposition 1944-1956ω, most essential group endeavor of the project, includes maps, description of structure and forms of activities of all Polish opposition organizations operating on territory of post-war Poland and Second Republic of Poland, sin the period from the moment the Red Army entered a given territory till 1956. Broad analysis was published in the ωMemory and Solidarityω periodical. In 2004 IPN will publish next volume regarding independence underground movement in Biaωystok region between 1944-1956.
The third research project within the subject is ωApparatus of Security ω Its Struggle against Catholic Church and Freedom of Beliefω.
Within the ωExtermination of Jews on Polish Territoryω Program, IPN works on the first phase of the monograph ωωωegotaω. Polish - Jewish Relations during II WWω. The publication includes individual analysis and source annexes regarding e.g. Polish Underground Stateω policy towards extermination of Jewish population, Polish ω Jewish relations in Warsaw, and finally the activity of the Council for Assistance for the Jewish ωωegotaω. Essential part of the program is elaboration of Polish-Jewish relations, saving Jews and their Extermination in particular regions of Poland: Biaωystok, Krakow, ωodω and Upper Silesia. The publishing of monograph is planned for 2005. Proceedings of the international Conference ωωAction Reinhardtω ω Extermination of Jews in General Governanceω are ready for publishing. The Album ωExtermination of Jews in Rzeszegionω was published.
The Instituteωs research program ωAuthorities of PRL towards Social Crises and towards Democratic Opposition in 1956-1989ω aims at describing and analyzing the reactions of PRL authorities on periodically occurring social crises as well as at reconstructing the history of anti-system opposition (with particular attention to the methods used by security service and other special services). As a result, two monograph works depicting two main plots shall be produced. First, regards political opposition and includes report from a meeting of 46 pre-August oppositionists ωWhat do we have left from those years. Political opposition 1976-1980 from todayωs perspectiveω. Within the scope of research on social and political crises IPN published e.g. ωMarch 1968ω, monograph ωControlled Revolution. Fall of Communist Dictatorship in Poland 1988-1990.ω Shortly, IPN will issue a monograph publications on March 1968 and crisis on Lower Silesia.
The Institute supervises the realization of the program ωIndex of the Repressedω run by Karta Centre. The program is the major national initiative aiming at documentation of names and lots of Polish citizens who had suffered from soviet repressions ω they were shot down, imprisoned, displaced. Currently the data base has over 1 million entries. Since 1993 the program became an international endeavor as the Karta Centre engaged close cooperation with Research Centre Memorial (NIPC) in Moscow. Due to this cooperation Karta Centre has contacts with local societies operating within Memorial (e.g. Syktywkar, Workuta, Archangielsk and Perm). Later other partners from Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Belorussia joined the project.
Historical educational program which is realized by Expositions and Historical Education Unit of the Public Education Office includes: preparing historic exhibitions and accompanying lectures and museum lessons; organizing historic competitions for students, teachers and others; cooperating with schools and teachers; organizing professional training for history, social studies and Polish language teachers; cooperating with other institutions which are interested in dissemination of knowledge about recent history e.g. radio, TV, press, local authorities, museums and combatant organizations. All educational endeavors of the Institute are co-organized by the Ministry of National Education and Sport.
IPN continues cooperation with universities. On the request and accompanied by representatives of academics the Institute organizes shows, lectures and seminars for students of Jagiellonian University and Warsaw University. Institute participates in events organized by academic circles which aim at popularizing science e.g. science festivals in Warsaw and Gdansk.
The IPN regional branches cooperate with all of the universities of the region which acceded to such mutual contacts. Conferences, exhibitions and panel discussions as well as seminars and workshops for teachers are organized as a result of joint endeavors. Moreover, the academics participate in jury of competitions which are organized by Public Education Office.
Together with the Maria Curie Sklodowska University in Lublin IPN organizes post-graduate studies for teachers ωKnowledge of State and Society 1939-1989ω; with Jagiellonian University in Krakow post-graduate studies for history teachers.
The Institute issues two periodicals: (1) ωIPN Bulletinω monthly, since February 2001. It informs on the current activities of IPN (also the regional offices), about the investigations, exhibitions, publications and competitions organized by IPN. Since the issue nr. 8-9/2003 it is available in retail in bookshops and press stores of MPiK SA and RUCH SA. Electronic version of ωIPN Bulletinω is available on the IPN web site. (2) Semi-yearly ωMemory and Justiceω. In the period covered by the report two issues depicting structure and activity of security apparatus in PRL and pre-August opposition and methods of combating it by PRL authorities were published.
During the discussed period BEP prepared 16 exhibitions. The most important are the following: ωωCommonω Ministry. People and Methods of Security Services 1944-1956ω, prepared by Warsaw Branch and presented in Mazowsze and Podlasie Regions; ωThe Displaced, the Expelledω ω Development of New Society in Warmia nad Mazury Regions 1945-1949ω. The expositions are shown in small towns in all Poland.
During the period covered by the report the BEP has intensified cooperation with all TV stations. IPN historians participated in 185 programs and TVP documentaries. On the 30th of June 2004 IPN signed cooperation agreement with TVP. The cooperation is to be developed within the new outlined program until the end of 2004. ωPolsatω TV produced with IPN three documentaries: ωFerdoniarki. Zwykli ludzieω ω about crimes of UB in North Mazowsze region and ωKanaω 2003ω about Warsaw Rising. In the TVN and TVN24 materials about IPN were shown more often. Another positive novum is co-production of documentaries by IPN and TV ωPoloniaω e.g about crimes of Wehrmacht and battle of Monte Cassino. Relations with TV ωTrwamω have been engaged. IPN cooperation with radio, particularly the public one, is very intense.
The Institute cooperates with majority of Polish dailies and weeklies. The dailies which most frequently cover historic subjects and where IPN authors publish their articles are ωGazeta Wyborczaω (with its Warsaw supplement), ωRzeczpospolitaω, ωNasz Dziennikω, ωωycie Warszawyω, ωωycieω, and ωFaktω. IPN has also good relations with the following weeklies: ωTygodnik Solidarnoscω, ωGazeta Polskaω, ωGoω栎iedzielnyω, ωPolska Zbrojnaω, ωNiedzielaω, ωPolitykaω, ωNewsweekω, ωWprostω and ωGωosω. IPN exchanges publications and cooperates with the quarterlies representing various ideologies e.g. ωArcanaω, ωKrytyka Politycznaω, Christianitasω, ωFrondaω, ωStudia Rzeszowskieω, and ωRubikonω. IPN cooperates on regular basis with the monthlies ωWi, ωNowe Paoω, ωKartaω, and ωM wiekiω. Also foreign press widely informs about IPN activities, particularly the German ωDie Weltω and ωSpiegelω.
An essential element of cooperation with combatant cirles is the activity of Historic Club bearing the name of Stefan Rowecki ωGrotω. Combatants and grieved persons as well as instructors of ZHR and ZHP (scout organizations), historians and teachers associate in the club. The main aim of the club is informing about the recent results of historic research and investigations carried out by IPN.
LEGAL OFFICE
IPN Legal Office consists of Legislation Unit, which produces and gives opinions on normative acts, both the acts of Institute as well as the exterior ones; Legal Service Unit, which produces legal opinions, interpretations of the Act on IPN and prepares cooperation agreements between IPN and other institutions; Jurisdiction Unit, which carries administrative procedures and prepares administrative decisions. The Jurisdiction Unit dealt with 153 cases during the period, including (1) realization of the Act of 24 January 1991 of combatants and some persons who had been victims of war and post war repressions, where 69 projects of administrative decisions in first instance and 21 in second instance were prepared. Against 22 decisions action was brought at the Supreme Administrative Court, where 3 complaints were dismissed and 2 were rejected; (2) realization of the Act on IPN of 18 December 1998, where the following documents were produced: 6 administrative decisions in second instance regarding providing names and further personal data of informers were prepared, and 3 administrative decisions upholding the decisions on refusal to use documents for scientific purposes and 30 decisions to refuse to provide a certificate of a grieved person. As a result of the realization of the Act on IPN 8 complaints were brought to the Supreme Administrative Court. The legal proceedings continue.
Resolution of Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (26 July, 1996) on measures to dismantle the heritage of former communist totalitarian systems says that the heritage of former communist totalitarian systems is not an easy one to handle. On an institutional level this heritage includes (over)centralization, the militarisation of civilian institutions, bureaucratisation, monopolisation, and over-regulation; on the level of society, it reaches from collectivism and conformism to blind obedience. In order to dismantle the heritage of former communist totalitarian systems, and apart from supporting free market economy, rule of law, democratization and human rights, the essential elements are prosecution of crimes committed in the period, vetting procedures and opening the archives of former security services.
Recommendation no. R (2000) 13 of the Committee of Ministers to members States on a European policy on access to archives, adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 13 July 2000 takes into account the increasing interest of the public for history. The Council of Europe stresses that ωa country does not become fully democratic until each one of its inhabitants has the possibility of knowing in an objective manner the elements of their historyω and recognizes ωthe wish of historians to study and civil society to better understand the complexity of the historical process in general, and of that of the twentieth century in particularω.
One can not mistake forgiveness with trivialization of guilt. Democracy and rule of law can not be built on denying responsibility and guilt. According to experts the democratic political culture requires strengthening of trust among the citizens who are willing and capable to responsibly and constantly support and defend values such as justice and respect of law and public institutions. The Institute of National Remembrance has served and will serve those values.
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