Poland is demanding 1.3 trillion euros in reparations from Germany – the opposition accuses the government of propaganda

Created: 09/01/2022, 15:40

By: Stefan Krieger

While Poland is demanding compensation, the federal government sees no legal basis for reparations for damage suffered in World War II.

Warsaw – Poland is demanding €1.3 trillion in reparations from the German government for damage suffered by Germany in World War II.

Warsaw wants to negotiate compensation in this estimated volume with Berlin, said Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski on Thursday (September 1).

According to Kaczynski, it is a sum that the German economy can “perfectly cope with” without being overwhelmed.

Kaczynski, who is also chairman of Poland's right-wing populist ruling party PiS, conceded that it would be a "long and difficult" process before Poland received reparations.

He presented a report on the damage his country suffered as a result of the German invasion and occupation at a press conference in Warsaw.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Vice Prime Minister of Poland and leader of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party.

© Radek Pietruszka

Poland is demanding 1.3 trillion euros: the sum could be even larger

The sum was determined in a conservative manner and could be much larger, said the 73-year-old on the 83rd anniversary of the start of the world war.

Germany does not have to pay the reparations all at once, but over decades, Kaczynski added.

The sum does not represent an excessive burden for the German economy. Dozens of countries around the world have received compensation from Germany.

"There is no reason why Poland should be exempt from this rule," said the PiS boss.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki (PiS) said at the event that normal relations with Germany would not be possible without truth and without compensation.

The report on war damage presented by a commission of the Polish parliament serves a real reconciliation.

Reparations payments to Poland: Opposition sees “domestic campaign”

The national conservative PiS government, which has been in power in Poland since 2015, has repeatedly raised the issue of compensation payments.

In 2017, the PiS set up a parliamentary commission for the report.

Poland also founded a research institute for war damage.

The report that had been announced several times was now presented on a symbolic day: On September 1, 1939, the German invasion of Poland began.

Meanwhile, criticism of the demands comes from within the country.

Opposition leader and former EU Council President Donald Tusk has strongly criticized the project.

The national-conservative governing party PiS is actually not concerned with reparations payments from Germany, but with a domestic political campaign, said Tusk at a performance in Pomerania.

"Kaczynski makes no secret of the fact that he wants to increase support for the ruling party with this anti-German campaign," said Tusk. 

Polish demands are rejected by the federal government

The federal government also sees no legal basis for claims for reparations from Poland, as it has repeatedly stated in the past.

She argues that the communist Polish leadership had declared in 1953 that they would not accept German reparations.

The question of reparations was thus finally settled.

The government spokesman at the time, Steffen Seibert, emphasized in September 2017 that Germany stood by its responsibility for the “unbelievable crimes” of the Second World War.

Reparations have already been paid to Poland for this.

In addition, Germany continues to make payments for the consequences of Nazi injustice.

(skr with AFP/KNA/dpa)