Silesians in Poland make up a community of more than one million people. Nonetheless, founder-members of a minority movement, the Union of Population of
Silesian Nationality, had to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights after the Polish Supreme Court ruled in 1998 that a Silesian nation does not exist. One of
the biggest national minorities in Central Europe must now wait for a verdict of the European Court, which will rule whether Poland is obliged to recognize our
nationality.

Although the Republic of Poland ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Silesians are officially regarded only as an ethnic group
within the Polish nation. According to sociological research, about 15-20% of Upper Silesian people regard themselves Silesian, and as a nation separate from Poles,
Czechs or Germans, but are refused official recognition by the State authorities. Moreover, those people are considered “separatists without national awareness”, in
official propaganda.

Most likely the European Court will rule on our case in this spring or summer. We believe that the verdict will coincide with principles set out in the Framework
Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, of which implementation by national/European structures we consider much more important to minorities than
merely its ratification.

We kindly ask you to inform members of your association, party, your compatriots, governments of your region/nation and state, about our struggles and the situation
of Silesians. Your assistance will be a great honor to us.

Yours sincerely,

Foreign Department of
the Silesian Autonomy Movement
www.raslaska.org