Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister, has rejected Polish demands for reparations worth billions of dollars for damage and casualties during World War II, at the initiative of Nazi Germany. From the federal government’s point of view, the issue of reparations is closed, the Green politician emphasized on Tuesday after consulting her Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau in Warsaw.
At the same time, Baerbock assured: “Germany remains behind its historic responsibility without ifs or buts.” The brutality “with an inhuman campaign of oppression, Germanization, sheer destruction” had “caused a very different pain in Poland than in other places”. The memory of this must also be kept alive among young people in Germany.
Baerbock: ‘The pain is still there today’
It’s “always noticeable how present this pain is to this day,” Baerbock zu Rau said. “And not just in 90-year-olds, but in 9-year-olds too, because this pain is passed down through generations.” That may not always be so conscious in Germany. “We have to keep reminding ourselves of that, especially in Germany. I think that’s something where we really can and should continue to work together.”
Rau emphasized the joint responsibility of Poland and Germany towards previous, present and future generations. “I am therefore convinced that the German government’s position on this issue will continue to evolve through the dialogue.” “.
Polish government demands reparations from Germany
Shortly before Baerbock’s visit, the Polish PiS government had reiterated its demands for reparations from Germany: Rau signed a diplomatic note to be delivered to Berlin. On the 83rd anniversary of the outbreak of World War II on September 1, a parliamentary committee in Warsaw presented a report estimating damage in Poland at more than 1.3 trillion euros. Rau again did not mention a specific amount on Tuesday that could be included in the diplomatic note.
Baerbock said only about the diplomatic note from Warsaw: “We saw on television yesterday that a letter was on its way to Berlin.” It was “good that we were able to talk about it in person today. You already know the attitude of the federal government on this subject.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
