In an interview with German public radio station Deutschlandfunk (DLF), Krzysztof Ruchniewicz, the Foreign Ministry’s plenipotentiary for Polish-German cooperation, optimistically assessed the chances of reaching a “specific solution” on compensation for surviving victims of World War II in Poland.

This is the right time to work on specific solutions. I am optimistic about this. The focus should be on the victims (of war)

– said Ruchniewicz.

German Package

The interview was broadcast this morning. The editors published the recording earlier on their website. The Wrocław historian has been serving as the plenipotentiary of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for social cooperation and the Polish-German border since mid-June.

Ruchniewicz explained that the issue of compensation was part of the package proposed by Germany. Compensation for the surviving victims of the Third Reich was the first point, and the next points were the Polish-German House project in Berlin and the project on joint security.

The package is complete. You can’t take one point while ignoring the other points.

– said the representative.

He stressed that he was not disappointed by the fact that no agreement was reached during the Polish-German intergovernmental consultations. The meeting of the two governments, chaired by Prime Ministers Donald Tusk and Olaf Scholz, took place on July 2 in Warsaw.

The Polish side is not satisfied with the implementation of the package, so time is needed to clarify the remaining open issues.

– Ruchniewicz explains.

He assured that efforts to find a solution would continue in the coming weeks.

Symbolic gesture

When asked by DLF journalists, Ruchniewicz refused to provide a specific amount of compensation.

I came to the conclusion that there is no amount that is acceptable to anyone interested.

– he explained.

We are talking about symbolic gestures. That is why I am very careful about the amount.

– added.

He recalled that before the intergovernmental consultations, there was speculation in the media about the size of the German offer. The daily “Sueddeutsche Zeitung” later wrote that the amount was several hundred million euros.

We should leave this matter to the politicians

– the representative said, reiterating that the issue of compensation should be considered as part of the overall package.

According to Ruchniewicz, the issue of reparations agreed in Potsdam in 1945 is closed from a legal point of view. He recalled that Poland withdrew from reparations in 1953. He noted that the withdrawal concerned reparations in relations between countries, and not the demands of Polish citizens against the German state, known as compensation or compensation.

More than 20 million Poles suffered from the war. We still live in the shadow of World War II. It is no wonder that the Poles remind us of the defeat.

– said the representative.

Polish-German House

Referring to the project of the Memorial and Meeting Place in Berlin, dedicated to the Polish victims of World War II, Ruchniewicz supports the implementation of the monument first, so that the last victims of the war can witness its opening. Next, further elements of the Polish-German House should be created – a permanent exhibition and a place for education and meetings. The final version of the House design was received by the German government at the end of June. After the summer break, the German parliament will consider it.

According to Ruchniewicz, German President Frank Walter Steinmeier’s visit to Poland on the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising is an important signal that will resonate widely not only in Poland but also in Germany.

“What is important in Germany is that one has to participate, one has to give a sign, one has to remind, one has to show the lessons that can be learned from those times,” he explained. “The president’s visit is an important sign that, without forgetting the tragic times, as neighbors in Europe, we can look to the future.

– concluded Ruchniewicz in an interview for Deutschlandfunk.

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