85th Anniversary of World War II. President in Wieluń: Poles are entitled to compensation

During the ceremony marking the 85th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II, the President recalled that in the early morning of September 1, 1939. Germany carried out an air attack on Wieluń, although the city and its inhabitants were not guilty of anything. He emphasized that the brutal, mass attack on sleeping people was an “act of absolute barbarity.”

Andrzej Duda He emphasized that the Germans had decided to crush the Poles and that was the purpose of their attack. He emphasized that Poland had stood up, opposed this and fought from the first day of this war, opposing the “industry of death” of Hitler's Germany. – We say: “never again war”, we say: “never again can there be world consent to this”. At that time there was in fact this consent. Hitler dared to do it precisely because he had consent. He understood it in such a way that when he had previously carried out the Anschluss Austriaand when he had previously de facto annexed Czechoslovakia, when he had previously started the extermination of Jews in Germany, the world did not react – said the president.

As he pointed out, the then president emphasized this 15 years ago Lech Kaczynski in his speech at Westerplatte. – He said very clearly then: we must not give in to imperialism and the Second World War is a great lesson in this – recalled Andrzej Duda.

During the celebrations of the 85th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II and the bombing of Wieluń, the President assessed that “we can boldly say this: in fact, we have forgiven, although we remember, although there is pain, although there are still tens of thousands of those who were personally wronged by the Germans.”

As he noted, “forgiveness and recognition of guilt are one thing, and compensation for damages is another.” – And this matter is still not resolved and has never been resolved for 80 years, including the entire period of World War II – added President Duda.

– I deeply believe that it will be resolved, because no one has ever given up the expectation that if someone simply came and destroyed something, they should return it to us in the same way or pay for it. Just as it is completely natural that if someone has caused damage to someone, they must face the obvious consequences, also in the form of restoration to the previous state or payment of an amount that will make this possible – said Andrzej Duda.

The president emphasized that “no one will settle accounts with us for everything we have lost over 40 years of being behind the 'iron curtain' and no one will compensate us, but for those calculable losses we have suffered as a result of war and aggression, compensation is not only possible, but is due”. – We Poles expect it – he emphasized.

– Just as we and the entire free world expect, Russia will pay for the crimes committed Ukraine and for the destruction that is being done in Ukraine today, because this is an element of ordinary justice and ordinary logic of consequences. If there is destruction, compensation is due and if there is someone guilty of it, then the guilty person is responsible for it – said Andrzej Duda.

According to the president, “the Polish authorities should demand this and I deeply believe that they will demand it until it is achieved”. – I count on the fact that we will have honest support from the international community in this regard, because we simply deserve it, because we have always been on the right side – indicated the president.

During the celebrations, President Duda laid flowers at the monument commemorating the bombed synagogue in Wieluń, and later a wreath at the monument commemorating the bombing of the Wieluń All Saints Hospital.