Doc. 9945

30 September 2003

Establishment of the Centre for European Nations’ Remembrance under the auspices of the Council of Europe

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Klich and others

1.       The Assembly expresses its deep concern about the project of creating a Centre Against Expulsions in Berlin recently discussed in Germany. This Centre, in its proposed objectives, would document the sufferings of German people, displaced as the outcome of the Second World War from the Central, East and South European countries.

2.       The Assembly draws attention to the fact that the decision on these displacements was taken by the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union during the Potsdam Conference. This decision, aiming for a new political order in Europe, was one of the tragic consequences of terrible and total war commenced and waged by the Third Reich.

3.       The Assembly does not forget about sufferings of the displaced. However, the Assembly also indicates that exclusion of the above-mentioned fact leads to omission of the historical truth. Furthermore, such a way of thinking facilitates relativisation of opinions, as legally valid displacement of German people is being made equivalent with crimes committed by Nazi German and the Communist Soviet Union.

4.       The Assembly recognizes the need for the establishment of the Centre for European Nations’ Remembrance, aimed at commemorating the tragic experience of Europeans in the Twentieth Century. This institution ought to take account of the general character of criminal activities of totalitarian regimes, unvaryingly Nazi and Communist. It should research and document both the sufferings of the nations and the civil resistance to the totalitarian regimes, including the history of the resistance as well as of democratic opposition.

5.       The Assembly believes that such a Centre ought to have a wide-reaching, multinational character and function under the auspices of the Council of Europe. This will be the best way to secure the objective character of its works and will contribute to the creation of a collective European remembrance.

6.       The Assembly therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

      - urgently create a concept for such a Centre;

      - put it forward for consultation by the member states of the Council of Europe;

      - establish the Centre, in accordance with the agreed proposal, at the earliest possible time.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed ¹:

Klich, Poland, EPP/CD

Čekuolis, Lithuania, LDR

Cilevičs, Latvia, SOC

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Figel, Slovakia, EPP/CD

Grzyb, Poland, EPP/CD

Holovaty, Ukraine, LDR

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Libicki, Poland, EDG

Smorawiński, Poland, EPP/CD

Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group