Is there any chance I would be able to reclaim my grandfathers old house in Ostrolenka?

SomersetThreads: 7 Posts: 28 Joined: Sep 6, 11 ♂	Sep 19, 11, 23:29 #1
just wondered

David_18Threads: 111 Posts: 1,212 Joined: Jan 4, 07 ♂	Sep 19, 11, 23:41 #2
You can allways try ^^ Please report back with the answer, i would really need a good laugh :)

WroclawThreads: 77 Posts: 7,404 Joined: Apr 1, 06 ♂ [Moderator]	Sep 19, 11, 23:54 #3
Is there any chance I would be able to reclaim my grandfathers old house in Ostrolenka? are u sure it's still there ? do u know if it is occupied or not ? did he actually own it or just live in it and pay rent ? have u seen any official papers for the house. ? more details required.

SomersetThreads: 7 Posts: 28 Joined: Sep 6, 11 ♂	Sep 20, 11, 00:07 #4
All I know, is that in 1939 the Germans came for 2 weeks, ripped out my great-grandfathers gold teeth, looted the place and his were deported across to the border to Russia for the duration of the war. I know my grandmothers place in Pinsk was flattened by the war, but there are still some valuables her father hid there, lying in the ground somwhere, maybe I will go to Pinsk to look for it.

♂

Sep 20, 11, 00:14 #5

All I know, is that in 1939 the Germans came for 2 weeks, ripped out my great-grandfathers gold teeth, looted the place and his were deported across to the border to Russia for the duration of the war.

I know my grandmothers place in Pinsk was flattened by the war, but there are still some valuables her father hid there, lying in the ground somwhere, maybe I will go to Pinsk to look for it.

To be honest i dont think you will have that much luck getting anything back.

First of all plenty of Poles lost their homes after ww2 by the communists, such as the Polish nobility and other wealthy people who were not alowed to own more then 50~ hectars. And untill today many have not recivied anything back from the state simply because there is so many that want their estates and homes back.

Your family is not the only ones with a sad story about how they lost everything.

♂

Sep 20, 11, 00:20 #6

Has any non Jewish Pole ever managed to reclaim back some long dead persons house?
Please dont make this a them and us, I just meant plainly, do non jewish descendents of wartime Poles ever feel the compulsion to get back something they never owned?
Its not something I have ever come across where as the old story of a British/American jewish person trying to get Grandpas house is pretty darn common.

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,415 Joined: May 30, 08 ♂	Sep 20, 11, 00:32 #7
=Somerset]but there are still some valuables her father hid there, lying in the ground somwhere, maybe I will go to Pinsk to look for it. Her grandpa`s gold teeth?

David_18Threads: 111 Posts: 1,212 Joined: Jan 4, 07 ♂	Sep 20, 11, 00:33 #8
I just meant plainly, do non jewish descendents of wartime Poles ever feel the compulsion to get back something they never owned? Ow yes. Its one of the favourite past times for the Ex Polish nobles to reclaim their estates. A fine example http://articles.cnn.com/2010-07-05/world/polish.reprivatization.nobili ty_1_wroclaw-poland-polish-government?_s=PM:WORLD

isthatu2Threads: 13 Posts: 5,228 Joined: Apr 3, 08 ♂	Sep 20, 11, 00:49 #9
Under Polish law disowned families can only get compensation for property taken by the communists if the belongings were taken away illegally under the laws of communist Poland. Crikey,is that right???? Thats Kafkasque :)

SomersetThreads: 7 Posts: 28 Joined: Sep 6, 11 ♂	Sep 20, 11, 01:06 #10
taken by the communists what if it was taken by the nazis?

Des EssientesThreads: 11 Posts: 2,318 Joined: Feb 6, 10 ♂ [Suspended]	Sep 20, 11, 01:10 #11
what if it was taken by the nazis? Come on Somerset use your brain a little. Do you think the house somehow remained in Nazi hands after 1945?

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,415 Joined: May 30, 08 ♂	Sep 20, 11, 01:57 #12
=Somerset]Is there any chance I would be able to reclaim my grandfathers old house in Ostrolenka? I am afraid it was destroyed during WW2: http://www.zwoje-scrolls.com/zwoje28/text15p.htm

SomersetThreads: 7 Posts: 28 Joined: Sep 6, 11 ♂	Sep 20, 11, 03:39 #13
Thanks for the pic pawian, my ancestors proabaly prayed in that building. Do you have anymore pre 1939 pics of Ostrolenka or perahps a youtube vid? ( if you have some of Pinsk that would be good too.) djenkuje

beckskiThreads: 19 Posts: 2,148 Joined: May 15, 07 MEMBER ♀	Sep 20, 11, 07:46 #14
Do you have anymore pre 1939 pics of Ostrolenka Pawian's remarkable pics never cease to amaze me. He is truly the PF historian :) A sincere thanks PF, for putting up with me FIVE terrific years, muah!

ShAlEyNsTfOhThreads: 8 Posts: 232 Joined: Feb 5, 11 ♂ [Suspended]	Sep 20, 11, 08:11 #15
My paternal babcia and her family were forced to flee Wilno during the war. They left behind their house/property there. :(

♂

Sep 20, 11, 10:58 #16

Under Polish law disowned families can only get compensation for property taken by the communists if the belongings were taken away illegally under the laws of communist Poland.

And how many got compensated? 1 or 2?

Pawian's remarkable pics never cease to amaze me. He is truly the PF historian :)

Don't think so.... He might have some nice pics but reading Pawians history posts are just..............

♂

Sep 20, 11, 13:23 #17

consider that the house in question is now a private property Somerset - how do you want it back then? - even if the current owners acquired the property unlawfully (which might be the case) there is such a law concept in Polish law (have no idea about the Anglo-Saxon world) as 'zasiedzenie' (I have found some English translation as acquisitive prescription but I have no idea if it is a good translation) - there are at least two kinds of 'zasiedzenie' in POlish law - one is 'zasiedzenie' in good faith the other 'zasiedzenie' in bad faith - however both lead to the acquisition of ownership rights to a property over a prolonged time - in good faith type of 'zasiedzenie' the period to become a lawfull owner is considerably shorter - I am not 100 per cent sure but for 50 years is still enough for the occupiers of ill faith to become rightful owners of a property

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