A definition of the notion of “real estate” in Polish agricultural regulations with specific reference to the terms of the decree of the PKWN of September 6 1944 on the implementation of agricultural reforms

Abstract

The scope of the notion of “real estate” became current in the years after 1990, when applications began to flow to administrative organisations and courts for the reprivatisation of land from former owners or their heirs. These applications questioned the legality of the PKWN [Polish Committee of National Liberation] decree of 6th September 1944 on agricultural reform and the decision to implement nationalisation. The judiciary, and especially the Supreme Administrative Court adopted the position that the notion of “real estate” mentioned in article 2. Act 1. Paragraph e) of the decree of the PKWN should be understood as referring specifically to “real estate of an agricultural nature”. In light of this ruling real estate is exclusively property of an agricultural nature.
However, on the basis of research, it is necessary to state that at the moment the decree of 1944 came into force there was a well-known and universally applied definition of “real estate”. Included within the concept of “real estate” was property located beyond the borders of municipal administrations. “Real estate” was a broad term and included: land assets, manor houses and landed property. During this period real estate was treated as an indivisible whole which combined: arable land, orchards, roads, built up areas, water, forests, peat bogs, livestock, and so on. Even buildings which were of little or no use to the agricultural economy were included within the parameters of real estate.