The Oder-Neisse line equals the course of the current German-Polish border which was defined at the end of World War II during the Potsdam Conference. In point of fact, the Soviet Union had already attributed the territories on the Eastern side of that line to Polish administration before the conference started. The final acknowledgement of the border by the reunited German state was framed by the so-called Two Plus Four Agreement in 1990.

A party or group that is either rejecting or resisting the politics of the ruling authorities.

The German und and Soviet attack on Poland in September 1939 lead to the arrest and imprisonment of the Polish government.  As a result, a government in exile was formed which first operated from Paris, then from Angers and later - shortly before the French surrender - moved to London. It was considered to be the legitimate government of Poland and e.g. coordinated the Polish Armed Forces in the West. Władysław Raczkiewicz became the first Polish president in exile. The government remained active after the war and officially handed over its authority after the first half-free elections in Poland in 1990.

The Potsdam Conference (July 17th - August 2nd 1945) can be seen as the continuation of the Yalta Conference after the end of the war. Among other points, the delineation of the border between Poland and Germany was determined here.

In general, the desire to return to an earlier state of political affairs, respectively to annul an agreement or to cancel a treaty.

St Annaberg is a village in Upper Silesia named after the St Anna Mountain, which is a Catholic pilgrimage site as well as a memorial site for fights between German and Polish Freikorps (corps of volunteers) regarding the course of the border in 1921. Since 1945, St Annaberg belongs to Poland and is known for its importance for the German minority in Poland.

The Sejm of the Republic of Poland is next to the senate the lower of the two chambers of Polish parliament. Historically rooted in the 12th century, the Sejm exists in its present form since 1989 and is the Republic's most important political body.

Tadeusz Mazowiecki was the first freely elected, non-communist prime minister of Poland after the Second World War. Being a member of the Club of Catholic Intelligentsia in Wrocław as well as publicist and counsellor of Solidarność, he played an active part in the opposition against communism.

The Polish People's Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany signed the Treaty of Warsaw in 1970. Its central concern was the recognition of the Western border and the territorial integrity of Poland. In Germany, the traety was considered highly controversial and became possible only due to Chancellor Willy Brandt's New Eastern policy. It was not until 1972 that it was ratified and thereby officially effective in Germany.

A shadow state that was operating within occupied Poland since 1939. It was connected to the government in exile in London and organized - on the one hand - the resistance against the German and Soviet occupying forces, while assuming - on the other hand - daily public responsibilities providing e.g. a judicial and an educational system which were independent from the structures imposed by the occupiers.

The term "Untermensch" (eng. "subhuman") was significantly coined and mostly used in the time of national socialism, being rooted in its racist ideology. In 1942, the Reichsführer of the SS Heinrich Himmler published a pamphlet titled "Der Untermensch", in which the term was manly used with regard to the population of Eastern European states and the Soviet Union.

Winston Churchill was appointed to the post of British Prime Minister on May 10th, 1940 and held that office until July 1945. He took part in all three major conferences of the Allies in Teheran, Yalta and Potsdam, and is seen today as one of the first spokesmen for European integration.

Conference held by the three main Allies (Great Britain, Soviet Union, USA) lasting from Feburary 4th-11th 1945. The main topics were the military and political proceedings in the last phase of World War II as well as the post-war order in Europe and Germany.