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Triumph of Poland. Steinbach resigns
It is a good day for Polish-German relations - that's how the Polish Foreign Minister reacted on the message that came from Germany. The Federation of Expellees finally gave up nominating its manageress Erika Steinbach to the "Escape, Expulsion, Reconciliation" foundation council. A big role was played here by one of the German politicians.
The Federation of Expellees finally resigned from nominating its manageress Erika Steinbach to the "Escape, Expulsion, Reconciliation" foundation council; in exchange for this it will gain a bigger influence on the planned museum of eviction. In Tadeusz Mazowiecki's opinion this compromise is a good solution.
Agreement on this case was achieved during the Thursday meeting of chairmen of fractions of the CDU/CSU and FDP ruling coalition with Erika Steinbach. It ends the months-long political dispute about the candidature of Steinbach for the foundation authorities, which is going to create a museum in Berlin dedicated to the displacements of the Germans.
The candidature of the manageress of the Federation of Expellees (BdV) for the authorities of the museum of eviction was blocked by the German diplomacy chief Guido Westerwalle (FDP) because of the Poland's conditions.
"We have achieved a good solution, which serves the foundation. (...) There are no losers and no winners." - said Steinbach on the press conference.
This solution provides an increase of the foundation council's members from 13 to 21. The Federation of Expellees will get two times more seats than currently - six instead of three. Also the Bundestag will get two additional representatives (currently it has two) and each one seat will be vested to the Churches: evangelic and catholic and to the Central Council of Jews in Germany.
