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Poland: Annalena Baerbock rejects Polish claims for reparations

2022-10-04T10:50:43.502Z


The Federal Foreign Minister has clearly rejected Poland's demand for billions in reparations for the Second World War. The question is closed, said Annalena Baerbock during her visit to Warsaw.


Enlarge image

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau at their meeting in Warsaw

Photo: Christoph Soeder / dpa

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has rejected Poland's demand for German reparations worth billions for damage suffered in World War II.

The issue of reparations was "closed" for Germany, Baerbock said at a joint press conference with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau in Warsaw.

In doing so, she confirmed Germany's official position, which had been in force for many years, that there was no legal basis for claims for reparations from Poland.

Poland, on the other hand, is striving for negotiations.

Germany stands by its historical responsibility “without ifs and buts”, said Baerbock.

"There can be no final stroke".

However, legal foundations were created during the construction of the European Union, "that's why this question has been legally clarified for us," the Foreign Minister reiterated the German refusal to pay reparations.

PiS government blames Germany

Shortly before Baerbock's visit, Poland's PiS government had reiterated its demands for reparations from Germany: Foreign Minister Rau signed a corresponding diplomatic note that is to be handed over to Berlin.

PiS boss Jaroslaw Kaczynski also accused the federal government of striving for “German supremacy” in the EU.

On the 83rd anniversary of the start of the Second World War on September 1st, a parliamentary commission in Warsaw presented a report in which the damage caused by the World War in Poland was estimated at more than 1.3 trillion euros.

The Foreign Office immediately rejected the demand and declared: "The position of the Federal Government is unchanged, the reparations question is closed." Poland had renounced further reparations "a long time ago" and confirmed this several times.

This is "an essential basis for the current order in Europe".

The talks should also focus on possible further aid for Ukraine against the Russian war of aggression.

The evening before, Baerbock had honored Poland's services to German reunification in Warsaw.

At the same time, she assured Poland and all of Central and Eastern Europe of their support in view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

After the meeting with Rau, Baerbock wanted to take part in a discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum on the situation in Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine and its consequences.

muk/AFP/dpa

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-10-04

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