The Office for War Veterans and Victims of Oppression is the main institution dealing with the matters of Veterans of struggles for independence and Victims of Oppression in Poland. The Office's functions and resposibilities have been defined in legal acts establishing the special status of beneficiaries of the Veterans' law. It's main tasks consist of:

  • awarding the status of Veteran struggles for independence, Victim of Oppression and person deported to perform forced labor
  • providing the Veterans and Victims of Oppression with help, special care and proper respect
  • spreading the tradition of struggles for independence of Poland


Practical information

What are the privileges of Veterans?

Veterans are persons who, in the years 1914-1956, actively participated in the struggles for Poland's independence and sovereignty within Polish or allied military units ( regular or underground). Besides, the following among other activities are treated as equivalent to military service during World War II: work within underground civilian authorities of the Underground Polish State, teachers' participation in clandestine education, giving shelter to persones whose harbouring was threatened with death penalty (e.g. persons of the Jewish ethnic origin). Included in this latter group of eligible beneficiaries have also been the participants of the riots against the communist government in December 1970.

 

To Veterans who have been granted the relevant rights, various pecuniary benefits and privileges are due, which include among other things:

  • addition to the length of employment twice the period of independence activities,
  • an additional holiday of 10 working days a year,
  • a monthly pecuniary allowance of about PLN 403 (about  € 97),
  • 50% reduction of the city transport fares,
  • 51% reduction of the domestic railway and bus transport fares.
Veterans are also granted priority in the acces to community welfare services and homes for the elderly. Persons in difficult financial situation may recieve summary financial assistance.
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