Polish President Karol Nawrocki has once again called on Germany to pay reparations for the destruction and loss of life caused by the Nazi occupation during the Second World War. The statement was made in the context of the 86th anniversary of the outbreak of the war and was one of the central themes of his visit to Berlin.
According to Polish estimates, the total damage caused by German aggression between 1939 and 1945 amounts to around 1.3 trillion euros (or more than 6 trillion zlotys). This figure includes human losses (around 6 million Polish citizens killed), as well as the destruction of cities, infrastructure and cultural heritage.
Navrotsky emphasised that without a final resolution of the issue of reparations, it is impossible to build truly trusting and good-neighbourly relations between the two countries. “Reparations will not be a substitute for historical amnesia, but Poland needs justice, truth and transparent relations,” the president stated.
These demands are also supported by part of the Polish opposition, as well as the Polish diaspora in the US. Earlier, in 2022, the Law and Justice party government officially sent a note to Germany demanding payments. The new president is continuing this line, despite the change of government in Warsaw.
Berlin has traditionally rejected these claims, considering the matter to be legally settled. Germany cites agreements from the 1950s, including a declaration by the Polish People’s Republic waiving further claims. German officials, including the Chancellor and the President, emphasise that following German reunification, the issue of reparations was resolved at the international level.
No concrete negotiations on payments are expected for the time being. Germany is prepared to discuss issues of historical memory, joint projects and defence support for Poland, but not financial reparations on the scale claimed.