The 20th century was a tumultuous period for Central Europe, marked by significant geopolitical upheavals. The dissolution of empires and the birth of new states in 1918, following World War I, reshaped the region’s political landscape. The subsequent rise of the Third Reich in the 1930s led to another devastating war, culminating in widespread displacement and the redrawing of national boundaries. After World War II, Central Europe fell under the influence of the Soviet Union, leading to the establishment of communist regimes that lasted for decades.

These dramatic changes forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their home countries, seeking refuge and new beginnings elsewhere. In their hurried departures, many were unable to manage their properties and assets, leaving them behind as they escaped the chaos. As a result, these properties often remained unclaimed and frozen for decades, lost in the bureaucratic and political turmoil of the communist era.

By the time the communist regimes collapsed, many of these properties had become forgotten, obscured by the passage of time and the shifting sands of political change. Subsequent generations, often unaware of their ancestral ties to these lands, left these assets untouched.

Recognizing the need to address this issue, the Czech state enacted a law in 2012 (89/2012 Coll.). This legislation stipulates that if property owners do not exercise their rights of ownership—such as paying property taxes—the state can seize the land. This law aims to address the problem of forgotten and abandoned properties, ensuring they are utilized and maintained rather than left in limbo.