Gdansk: Polish President Karol Nawrocki renewed his demand for World War II reparations from Germany, urging both Berlin and the Polish government to address the enduring issue. Speaking on the 87th anniversary of Germany's invasion of Poland, Nawrocki emphasized that Germany has yet to adequately confront the extent of the destruction inflicted on Poland, appealing directly to the German chancellor and the public to resolve the matter of reparations and compensation.
According to Anadolu Agency, Nawrocki, a conservative historian and former head of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance, has consistently highlighted historical memory and the demand for German compensation as key themes of his presidency. He criticized the current Polish government for hesitating to advance the issue, asserting that the history of World War II remains insufficiently understood in Germany, across Europe, and in the United States.
Nawrocki also linked the historical dispute to contemporary Polish-German relations, suggesting that a sustainable partnership with Berlin necessitates truth and historical justice. He referenced Germany's economic ties with Russia in the years preceding the Ukraine conflict, pointing out that German investments in Russia continued despite warnings from Poland and other Central and Eastern European nations.
The remembrance ceremonies on Tuesday took place at Westerplatte in Gdansk, where the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein initiated the invasion of Poland by opening fire on a Polish military depot on September 1, 1939. The topic of German reparations remains a politically sensitive issue in Poland.
In 2022, the previous Law and Justice-led government released a report estimating Poland's wartime losses from German occupation at approximately 6.22 trillion zlotys, equivalent to around $1.5 trillion at that time, and subsequently sent a diplomatic note to Berlin seeking compensation. However, Germany has consistently argued that the legal matter of wartime reparations is resolved.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government has adopted a less confrontational stance than its predecessor, while still maintaining that Poland and individual Polish victims have not received sufficient material and moral compensation for the suffering endured under German occupation.