Court Rules Against Polish Plaintiffs in German Series Dispute

The European Court of Justice has ruled that damages for the German TV series “Generation War” cannot be sought in Polish courts, sparking public outrage over its depiction of the Home Army.

The ECJ Ruling on Jurisdiction

The Court of Justice of the European Union has issued a ruling regarding the lawsuit filed by Home Army veteran Zbigniew Radłowski and the World Association of Home Army Soldiers against German broadcaster ZDF. The court determined that plaintiffs cannot seek damages in a Polish court for alleged defamation regarding the series “Generation War,” ruling that such claims must be directed to courts in the country where the defendant is based, in this case, Germany.

The tribunal noted, however, that the situation differs for content published online. Polish courts may handle claims for total damages in specific cases if an individual can be identified based on the published materials. The dispute remains one of the most prominent legal battles concerning the portrayal of the Home Army in foreign media.

Public Reaction to “Generation War”

In a recent survey conducted among readers, 78.1 percent of the 5,009 respondents categorized the series’ depiction of the Home Army as negative. Only 12.46 percent held a different view, while 9.44 percent indicated they had no opinion on the matter.

Controversial Depiction of History

Produced in Germany and released in 2013, the series follows a group of young Germans during World War II. Controversy centered on scenes depicting Home Army soldiers as antisemites, specifically a scene where soldiers abandon prisoners in striped uniforms, claiming that Jews are “worse than communists.” Plaintiffs argued that this portrayal violated the personal rights of former soldiers and the legacy of the organization itself.