
Polish material losses during World War II

Polish material losses during World War II - are losses suffered by the Second Polish Republic and its inhabitants during World War II.
During World War II, Poland incurred the greatest biological (for every 1000 inhabitants, she lost 220 people) and material losses (with an average $626 U.S. Dollar loss per inhabitant, compared to Yugoslavia's $601). In 1946, during the International Reparations Conference in Paris, Poland's material losses were evaluated to be $16,9 billion U.S. Dollars, $9,1 billion in Yugoslavia. Two-fifths of Poland's cultural property was totally destroyed. Due to the international pressure of the world powers, Poland was forced to hand-over 48% of its territory to the Soviet Union, equating to 178 000 km² of land. Most material losses were as a result of the German invader, others that of the responsibility of the USSR.
Material losses under German occupation.
Material losses endured by Poland under the German occupant can be subdivided into several categories:
In 1947, the postwar Bureau of Reparations during the Presidium of the Council of Ministers ("Sprawozdanie Biura Odszkodowań Wojennych w przedmiocie strat i szkód wojennych Polski 1939–1945") assessed loss of life, national capital and culture:
The Bureau of Reparations during the Presidium of the Council of Ministers estimated the total cost of material losses amounted after the end of World War II that took place between 1939 and 1945.
Conclusively, the material losses and destruction was valued at 258 billion prewar Złoty, which amount to 50 billion U.S. Dollars (1939 rate). In relation to the 2017, the aforesaid U.S. Dollar transfers to $850–920 billion U.S. Dollars. As such, Poland's capital city of Warsaw suffered $60 billion U.S. Dollars in war losses.
Material losses under Soviet occupation.
In September, 1939 the Soviet Union occupied the eastern voivodeships of Poland. During World War II, the occupied territory was annexed and ceded to the Soviet republic of: Ukrainian SSR, Byelorussian SSR and the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. The annexation of this part of Poland was accepted at the Tehran and Yalta Conference. As a result, under the pressure of world powers, Poland was forced to cede the Soviet Union 48% of its territory, equating to the loss of 178,000 km² of land, gaining the equivalent of 101 000 km² in the west. The modification of Poland's borders by the United Kingdom and the United States of America was a direct violation of the Atlantic Charter.
After World War II, the Polish state did not assess the material losses incited by the USSR on Polish territory between 1939 and 1945. Due to the de facto occupation of Poland by the Soviet Union, the Bureau of Reparations during the Presidium of the Council of Ministers ("Sprawozdanie Biura Odszkodowań Wojennych w przedmiocie strat i szkód wojennych Polski 1939–1945") did not take these losses into consideration.
Loss of intelligentsia.
In concentration camps, 135 higher education employees were killed, 80 in the Warsaw Uprising, 163 scientists in public executions (including 67 in Warsaw and 52 in Lwów), and 44 intellectuals in the Katyń Massacre. In respect to the largest intellectual centres in Poland, the largest losses were found in Warsaw - 276 taughts intellects, Kraków - 114, Poznań - 102, Lwów - 95 and in Wilno, 27 scientists.