Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau has signed a diplomatic note addressed to the foreign ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany. The subject of the note is issues relating to reparations for damage suffered by Poland as a result of German aggression and occupation between 1939 and 1945.

“The note expresses the conviction that both interested parties should take immediate action to settle the issue of the consequences of German aggression in 1939-1945”, said Zbigniew Rau at a press conference.

He added that the settlement of this issue will allow Polish-German relations to be based on justice and truth and will lead to the closing of painful chapters of the past and will ensure the further development of bilateral relations in a spirit of good neighbourliness and friendly cooperation.

Minister Rau noted at the same time that this settlement should include the payment of compensation by Germany for the material and non-material damage caused to the Polish state by this aggression and occupation, the compensation of the victims of this aggression and occupation and their family members for the damage and harm caused to them, as well as a systemic solution to the issue of seized Polish cultural property and archival records.

In an interview with Gazeta Polska, President Andrzej Duda stated that “the Germans will defend themselves in every way to avoid paying us, because they caused us great damage, so it is about huge money. Huge enough that the German taxpayer will feel the payment in his pocket. But we are entitled to this money.”

Meanwhile, MP Arkadiusz Mularczyk argued that “our claims are justified – morally, legally and politically. The Germans have no arguments not to pay for the war crimes committed in Poland, for the genocide they committed, the robbery and destruction of property,” said the chairman of the team estimating the amount of reparations due to Poland for World War II.

Adrian Andrzejewski