On the 86th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, the theme of reparation from Germany resounded again in the Polish public debate. President Karol Nawrocki spoke during the ceremony on Westerplatte about the necessity to deal with this matter. Is there really a chance?
Why is the theme of reparation coming back?
Traditionally, 1 September is the moment at which Poland claims historical justice.Loud statements by the president and politicians stressed – without solving the issue of compensation it is difficult to build a real partnership with Germany.
The growing geopolitical tensions and the role of Poland on the eastern flank of NATO make the subject of redress a reality as a symbolic foundation of mutual relations.
Key demands of the Polish side
- Poland demands German reparation for losses from World War II.
- President Nawrocki calls for government support in these activities.
- The demands were estimated at over PLN 6 trillion, according to a report of 2022.
German position and international reactions
Berlin maintains that the matter of reparation has been legally closed, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently confirmed during his visit to Warsaw. Germany argues that Poland waived damages in 1953 and that some of the benefits were provided by the USSR and the GDR.
However, in Polish society, the belief that moral debt towards victims and the country that suffered most from the war still prevails.
Will the direction change?
Today, the views of real reparations are small, but the return of the subject is of symbolic and political importance. The matter may be a point of emphasis and remind of Poland's role in the history of Europe and modern alliances.
86th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II
Today marks the 86th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II, which was traditionally commemorated at Westerplatte in Gdańsk. The ceremony was attended by the most important people in the country – President Karol Nawrocki, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Speaker of the Sejm Simon Holovnia, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the MON Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish, as well as ministers, parliamentarians and representatives of local governments.
The celebrations began just before dawn – at 4:45 p.m., with the sound of alarm sirens, resembling an attack on the Military Transit Component in 1939. After raising the state flag and chanting the anthem, there was an inflammation of the Znicza Peace, the reading of the Memorial Appeal and the surrender of cannon salutes. The participants laid their wreaths at the Coast Defenders Memorial, and President Nawrocki presented the awards earned in the memory care of World War II.
There were no shortages of symbolic gestures – prayers for the fallen, speeches of the leaders of the state and Westerplatte messages, which were read by the scouts. The whole was a tribute to the heroes and a reminder that the history of Westerplatte still shapes Polish identity.
