Germany’s response to the diplomatic note on reparations does not solve the problem, we take note of it and continue to do our job, said Minister for European Affairs, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk. The activities are planned in a broader perspective than correspondence with the German government, he stressed.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ note of the Republic of Poland dated 3 October 2022; according to the German government, the issue of reparations and compensation for war losses remains closed, and the German government does not intend to enter into negotiations on this issue.

Szynkowski vel Sęk: The German position is not surprising

The Minister for European Affairs, when asked on Radio Zet about Germany’s response, said it was not surprising. He added that such reactions were somehow “into” in the process of seeking compensation from Germany.

The position of the German government has been known for a long time, but this, of course, has not yet been finalized

he judged.

Our positions on this matter are very different. This is definitely not the end, this is just the beginning of this matter. Today, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has submitted a request to the United Nations to raise this topic as well, namely reparations; action is being taken in relation to other international forum organizations

– emphasizes Szynkowski vel Sęk.

He estimates that “the time it will take to deal with this problem effectively is calculated not in months, but in years, and possibly even generations.”

But it is a deep moral obligation to take it, because Germany never fulfilled its moral obligation to pay off its debts during World War II.

he noted.

We accept this (German position – PAP) and continue to do our part in this matter. Activities here are planned in a broader perspective than correspondence with the German government

said the minister.

War Losses Report

September 1 last year a report on losses suffered by Poland as a result of German aggression and occupation during World War II was presented, which showed that the total losses were more than PLN 6 billion 220 billion PLN 609 million. The report was prepared by a team that operated during the previous parliamentary term, led by PiS MP Arkadiusz Mularczyk.

On October 3, Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau signed a diplomatic note to the German side regarding reparations. In it, Poland demands, among other things, compensation for material and intangible losses amounting to PLN 6 billion 220 billion 609 million and compensation.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, referring to a note issued by Poland, stated during her last visit to Warsaw in early October last year that “the issue of reparations is a private matter from the point of view of the federal government.”

gah/PAP