2025-12-01 20:12
publication
2025-12-01 20:12
In reports from Monday's intergovernmental consultations with Poland in Berlin, German media draw attention to the still unresolved problem of compensation for Polish victims of World War II and occupation, quoting Prime Minister Donald Tusk's appeal to the Germans: “Hurry up.”
“Neighbors and indispensable partners” – says “Sueddeutsche Zeitung”, reporting on Polish-German intergovernmental consultations on Monday.
“Military cooperation and better infrastructure: Germany and Poland confirm ties in difficult economic, political and defense times,” writes Daniel Broessler.
“The living victims of the Nazi occupation must still wait for a humanitarian gesture,” the author noted. The German government “will explore possibilities of further support for Polish victims of Nazi aggression and German occupation in 1939-1945,” Broessler quotes a fragment of the final statement. He also quotes Chancellor Friedrich Merz's statement from the press conference that he cannot mention any specific amount. Cooperation should be directed towards the future, but the past cannot be ignored – quotes the Chancellor of “SZ”.
Broessler drew attention to Tusk's appeal to the German side – “Hurry up.” He emphasized that the Polish Prime Minister suggested that if Poland does not obtain a quick and unambiguous declaration from Germany regarding the payment of compensation to living Polish victims of World War II, it will consider the decision to fulfill this need on its own.
“SZ” pointed to the German government's commitment to quickly erect a monument to the Polish victims of World War II and Nazi tyranny in 1939-1945. The competition for the architectural design of the monument is to be announced in the first half of next year.
Among the areas of enhanced cooperation, Broessler mentioned infrastructure, security policy and, above all, protection of NATO's eastern flank. Tusk and Merz emphasized that the positions of both countries on aid for Ukraine are identical.
Today's alliance between Germany and Poland is an announcement addressed to future generations that Europe will be peaceful, prosperous, democratic and united – we read in “SZ”. “Germany needs a strong Poland,” the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quotes Merz as saying at the top.
“Relations between Warsaw and Berlin could be better,” the newspaper said. The authors remind that Merz began his term of office with a visit to Warsaw, which was intended to emphasize the importance of relations with Poland. The new opening policy has lost momentum since then, FAZ said.
Among the reasons, the authors mention the persisting – in their opinion – anti-German prejudices in Poland, which makes initiatives aimed at rapprochement with the neighbor fraught with political risk.
The adoption of a joint statement cannot obscure the fact that some matters in mutual relations are “in a sorry state.” Among the sensitive topics, the authors mention the issue of compensation for war crimes in Poland.
The lack of consent is visible – according to “FAZ” – not only in matters of the past, but also in the present and future. Both countries “follow their own paths” in defense policy. An example is the decision of the Polish government to purchase submarines in a country other than Germany. The government in Berlin will still not participate in strengthening the eastern border. The authors criticize the vague provision in the final statement that both countries will work on “developing common standards” and on “exchanging knowledge.”
According to “FAZ”, imprecise wording also applies to infrastructure projects, where it mentions “research” and “making efforts” and “high priority”. In the case of high-speed rail on the Warsaw-Berlin route, there is only talk of an “analysis” in terms of its importance for the mobility of citizens, the economy and defense.
A number of newspapers publish a cable from the DPA agency entitled: “Tusk puts pressure on Merz regarding compensation.”
“Poland is pressing Germany for quick compensation for the still living victims of the German occupation during World War II,” writes the agency, including a quote from Tusk. “Hurry up if you really want to make such a gesture.” The author recalled that such a gesture was promised by the previous Chancellor Olaf Scholz in July last year.
The agency noted that Merz acknowledged German responsibility for the suffering and destruction caused by Germany in Poland, but also confirmed the German position that the issue of reparations is legally and politically closed.
DPA writes that, unlike the right-wing conservative president (Karol Nawrocki), the center-left government of Prime Minister Tusk is not aggressively pushing the issue of reparations, but expects from the German government at least a “gesture of support” for the living victims.
Tusk's “Hurry up” appeal was also broadcast on the evening news of ZDF public television.
Jacek Lepiarz (PAP)
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