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Home Secretary Nancy Faeser
Photo: Julian Stratenschulte / dpa
German native speakers in Poland have to fear for their identity, says Union domestic politician Christoph de Vries - and the federal government has so far done too little to take action against it.
De Vries accuses Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) of a lack of commitment to the interests of the German minority in Poland.
In an answer to a parliamentary question from his parliamentary group, the federal government confirmed that the massive restriction of native German lessons for members of the minority violated European and Polish law.
Both Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) and Faeser have so far done too little to persuade the Polish government to give in, criticized the CDU MP.
New regulation under criticism
An ordinance of February 4 stipulates that members of the German minority in Poland should receive only one hour of mother tongue instruction per week from September instead of three hours per week.
This reduction does not apply to children of all other national minorities.
In its response to the question from the Union faction in June, the federal government had stated that the regulations, which go hand in hand with a reduction in funds for teaching, represent "significant restrictions" and are "identity-threatening".
"The federal government must now act immediately and at the highest level," De Vries said.
In view of the threat to peace and freedom in Europe from Russia, cohesion between Poland and Germany is currently particularly important.
The domestic politician continued: “In this spirit and with a view to positive signals from the Polish Ministry of Education, we want to build bridges on the Polish side by examining whether the current range of Polish courses in Germany meets the actual demand”.
The provision of a special fund to finance any additional needs in the federal states is also conceivable.
mrc/dpa