As Bloomberg wrote, quoted in a report published on Thursday the amount of loss was more than double bigger than Poland’s GDP and “renewed the tense debate over reparations” He also pointed out that the publication was made in the context of increasing rhetoric of the Polish authorities towards Germany.

There is little chance of getting compensation

Bloomberg estimates that the legal prospects for obtaining compensation from Berlin are very slim, given Jarosław Kaczyński’s statement that he does not expect quick success in the matter. The portal also reminded that Greece had made a similar claim before Poland, asking for EUR 269 billion.

The AP, like other media reporting on the case, stated that Germany’s position on the issue has not changed and that Berlin has consistently refused to pay compensation.

Berlin refused to pay compensation

“Poland long ago, in 1953, refused to undertake further reparations and has made this clear many times. – the agency cited the response of the German Foreign Ministry. “This is an important foundation for the current European order. “Germany remains politically and morally responsible for World War II.” – added the ministry.

Bloomberg and Reuters note that, according to some historians, the refusal was made under pressure from the Soviet Union.

Reparations and elections in Poland

The agencies also cited statements by Donald Tusk and other PO politicians who, drawing attention to the political context of the case, accused the government of using the issue of reparations to divert attention from the ruling party’s problems before next year’s elections.

“A year before the election, Law and Justice doesn’t have many good ways to maintain its popularity, so it has to go on the offensive and name enemies – and Germany is a good candidate.” – Piotr Buras, head of the Warsaw office of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) think tank, told Bloomberg.

British media recalled the scale of destruction caused by the Germans in Poland

The newspapers Sky News, the Evening Standard, and the Daily Mail say that around six million Poles, including three million Polish Jews, died during the war, and the country’s capital, Warsaw, was destroyed after a 1944 uprising that killed nearly 200,000 people. civilians. They also explained that in 1953, Poland’s then-communist government gave up all demands for reparations under pressure from the Soviet Union, which wanted to relieve East Germany of any obligations.

In contrast, “The Sun” described the German occupation of Poland as “bloody” and “barbaric.” “Millions of Jews were murdered in Poland by the Nazis as Hitler launched his ruthless campaign of extermination. Poles were enslaved and their towns and livelihoods destroyed by the Germans during World War II – the impact of the Nazi occupation was felt for generations after the Allies. victory,” he explained newspaper.

The Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and Financial Times also wrote about the war loss report – noting that the report was published on the anniversary of Germany’s attack on Poland. This last one newspaperwriting about the possible impact on Polish-German relations, noted that the publication came “at a time of diplomatic tensions between Berlin and Warsaw, the latest of which was Poland’s complaint that the German government had backed away from a promise to provide military support to Kiev after a full-blown attack. – Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine.”

(PAP)