German-Polish issues in new book by Poland's Foreign Ministry

Poland's Foreign Ministry was releasing an academic study Monday that touches on the most sensitive issues weighing on German-Polish ties, including the expulsion of Germans from lands lost to Poland after World War II. Foreign Minister Stefan Meller, who took over Poland's diplomacy some two months ago, was to personally introduce the book: "Transfer, Citizenship, Estate: Difficult problems in Polish-German relations."

Prepared by Polish historians and specialists in international law and civil affairs, the book "should well serve both Polish policies and the dismantlement of contentious issues in Polish-German relations," said the Foreign Ministry, which was a sponsor of the work.

Poland's new government and president, both from the socially conservative Law and Justice party, won last September's elections with tough talk toward Berlin, although both have assumed a softer line since taking office late last year.

Poles remain wary of German hopes to regain property lost during the post-World War II expulsions, when the Polish-German border was shifted westward, and some 2.5 million Germans left the lands lost to Poland.

Many Poles also fear a "Center Against Expulsions" planned in Berlin by a German foundation could reopen divisive debate about the war, in which Poland was the Nazis' first target, and portray Germans as victims rather than the war's instigators, reports the AP. N.U.