Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau signed the papers on Monday in which the country demands compensation for the damage Germany inflicted on the country during World War II. The Poles demand 6,200 billion zlotys, or over NOK 13,750 billion. By way of comparison, the Norwegian oil fund is now well over NOK 12,100 billion. Rau will raise the claim when German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visits Warsaw on Tuesday. Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau Photo: Mary Altaffer / AP 6 million killed World War II began when Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939. Historians have calculated that around 6 million Poles, half of them Jews, were killed by the Nazis, writes AP. In addition, there are several million Jews, Roma and others who were transported from other countries and then killed in Poland. The Nazi extermination camps Auschwitz, Treblinka, Majdanek, Bełżec and Sobibor were all located in Poland. Polish children in the ruins of Warsaw after the German bombing in September and October 1939. Photo: US Holocaust Memorial Museum Enormous destruction In addition to the human suffering, large parts of Poland were destroyed during the war. Among other things, large parts of Warsaw were laid in ruins, first by bombing in 1939 and then by artillery in 1943–44. 85 percent of the city was in ruins after the war. A report made after the war showed the extent of the destruction: 162,190 residential houses, 14,000 factories, 353,876 agricultural buildings and 199,751 shops were destroyed. On 1 September this year, on the 83rd anniversary of the German invasion, Poland presented a report on what the Germans cost the country. The claim of 6,200 billion zlotys stems from that report. Believes Germany has not paid reparations Bolesław Bierut was general secretary of the Communist Party and leader in Poland when the country renounced its right to war reparations in 1953. On 1 September this year, on the 83rd anniversary of the German invasion, Poland presented a report on what the Germans cost the country. The claim of 6,200 billion zlotys stems from that report, writes Reuters. – The sum is the result of the most conservative and restrictive methods. It would have been possible to set it higher, said ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski when the figure was presented. The Polish government believes that Germany has not paid compensation for the destruction. In 1953, Poland’s communist government renounced its right to reparations from Germany. It came after the Soviet Union pressured Poland because they did not want communist East Germany to have to pay reparations. According to the current Polish regime, it was the Soviet Union that decided in 1953. They therefore believe that the declaration should not be valid. Germany rejects Germany’s then chancellor visited Poland on 7 December 1970 and knelt at the memorial in Warsaw. But the journey of reconciliation contained no promise of reparations. Photo: – / AFP Although Germany will only receive the claim formally handed over on Tuesday, the German Foreign Ministry commented on the matter in September. – In 1953, Poland waived the right to further reparations and has since confirmed this a number of times, the ministry wrote in an email to AP. – This is fundamental to today’s European system. Germany stands behind its political and military responsibility for World War II, the ministry wrote further. Germany also believes that all demands for reparations were dropped as part of the agreements when Germany was united in 1990, agreements that Poland also welcomed. Has paid out large sums Germany has also paid large sacrifices to individuals who were victims of the Nazi atrocities. Over the years, Germany has paid over 80 billion euros, over NOK 850 billion, to survivors of the Holocaust, nbcnews writes. A large part of these originate from Poland. A few weeks ago, Germany agreed to pay over NOK 12 billion in 2023 for the care and compensation of Holocaust survivors around the world. Since becoming a member of the EU in 2004, Poland has also received around 200 billion dollars, over 2100 billion kroner in transfers. Bloomberg writes that precisely Germany is the most important contributor to the EU’s budget, where the money for Poland comes from. Elections next year Jaroslaw Kaczynski is deputy prime minister and is considered Poland’s strongman. Photo: Michał Ryniak/AGENCJA WYBORCZA / Reuters An opinion poll conducted at the beginning of September shows that the demand for reparations has strong support in Poland. In a survey conducted by Ibris for the website Onet, 52 percent say that Poland should demand compensation, while 34.5 percent say that Poland has no legal claim. Poland will hold parliamentary elections next autumn at the latest. The former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says that the demand for compensation is an attempt to gain support for the government before the election, writes The Guardian. Also, Greece, Poland is not the only country that has demanded reparations from Germany in recent years. During the country’s debt crisis in 2015 Greece, the government demanded a compensation of 278.7 billion euros, close to NOK 3,000 billion. Last year, Germany entered into an agreement with Namibia, where German colonists killed tens of thousands of people from the Herero and Nama people between 1904 and 1908. The agreement meant that Germany would pay Namibia well over NOK 10 billion, writes The Guardian. However, Germany was careful not to use the word reparations, but said the sum was a gesture of reconciliation. The point was that Germany wanted to avoid others making claims against them for the sins of the past.
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Poland demands over 13,000 billion from Germany in war reparations – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
