The issue of compensation from the Germans has not been settled. This bill is not closed – said the Speaker of the Sejm, leader of Poland 2050 Szymon Hołownia, at a meeting in Kraśnik (Lubelskie). In his opinion, building common security in Europe could be the best form of so-called reparations today.
During a meeting with the residents of Kraśnik, Szymon Hołownia was asked about the so-called war reparations from Germany. In his opinion, this issue is open and the issue of compensation for the damage has not been settled. – But when you go to the Germans today, they say: OK, we will build a special house of peace where we will talk. Why another house of peace – asked the leader of Poland 2050 rhetorically.
In his opinion, Germany should now “throw itself to our defense.” – Today we spend almost PLN 200 billion of our blood money on defending the eastern border of the European Union. Let's create a national defense fund and as part of these repairs – or whatever we call it – pay a really huge amount in very large billions of euros so that we can relieve our budget today: buy tanks, planes, build the East Shield – said Hołownia.
Szymon Hołownia during a meeting with residents in KraśnikPAP/Wojtek Jargiło
He assessed that it would be an investment not only in Polish, but also in the common security of Europe. – Today I don't need monuments from them, I don't need them today to transfer money for this or that. I believe that today this money should build our security, said the Speaker of the Sejm.
Hołownia: you started a war then, help make sure there is no war
He emphasized that in talks with German partners he presents them with this vision of solving this issue. – You started a war then, help ensure that there is no war in Europe; so that war does not come to Europe, he added. He expressed hope that the government would have the determination to talk to Germany about this in a very serious and consistent manner. – This account is not closed (…). Morally, this is not settled, he emphasized.
In his opinion, building our common security could be the best form of the so-called reparations that we could expect from the Germans.
Subject of talks between the Polish government and the German side
The topic of compensation for the victims of World War II is still the subject of talks between the Polish government and the German side. The announcement of support for Poles still alive injured in World War II was made during the first Polish-German intergovernmental consultations since 2018, which took place in early July, but the details of this assistance remained unspecified.
At the end of August, the government plenipotentiary for Polish-German cooperation, Krzysztof Ruchniewicz, emphasized that “there is a proposal submitted by the German side” on the table. However, the schedule of activities remains unknown.
According to the estimates of the Polish-German Reconciliation Foundation, there are between 60,000 and 80,000 still living victims of the Third Reich, which is almost twice as many as expected in the original calculations. Ruchniewicz informed that data on the number of people who could benefit from compensation had been provided by the Foundation to the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The government plenipotentiary for Polish-German cooperation also pointed out that compensation is one of three elements of comprehensive compensation, which will also include the construction of the German-Polish House and a common defense and security policy.
Main photo source: PAP/Wojtek Jargiło