Jarosław Kaczyński in “Le Figaro”: Time for a settlement between Germany and Poland. We have every right to recover

On the anniversary of Hitler’s invasion of Poland, Jarosław Kaczyński, the President of Law and Justice, pointed out in the daily Le Figaro the need to pay German reparations to Poland, recalling the German atrocities and devastation suffered during World War II. caused.*

Poland therefore has the full and indisputable right to seek and obtain appropriate redress. Poland should benefit from this for the sake of a fundamental sense of justice, for the sake of historical truth, and also for the sake of genuine Polish-German reconciliation

– emphasized the PiS chairman, pointing to the report published Thursday on the losses suffered by Poland as a result of the aggression and the German occupation during the Second World War.

The crimes of the Germans in Poland were extraordinarily cruel. From the first days of military operations, monstrous murders were committed (people were burned alive) and this state of affairs lasted until the end of the occupation. The crimes committed by German state officials were accompanied by individual crimes, such as murder or theft. Simultaneously with the mass murders, a policy of starvation of Polish society was carried out with complete premeditation, leading to the death of some and deterioration of the health of others, often permanently, affecting future generations.

– declared President Kaczyński.

Under no circumstances should we forget the immense moral suffering and humiliation resulting from the crimes openly committed by the occupying forces – including, of course, the Holocaust; crimes that could not be prevented effectively and on a larger scale, as any act of disobedience – for example any form of aid to persecuted Polish citizens of Jewish descent – was punishable by death

— reminded the PiS president.

As Kaczyński emphasized, “it is unacceptable – from the point of view of morality and dignity – that Poland should be excluded from the compensation process by Germany, while seventy other countries could benefit from some form of compensation”.

Contrary to what the German side claims, Poland never gave up on demanding war reparations from Germany. The unilateral declaration of the Council of Ministers of 23 August 1953 by its nature had no legal significance, since it was never published in the Official Gazette or entered in the relevant registers of the United Nations. In addition, some legal circles argue that it was not in accordance with the constitutional provisions in force at the time. In this regard, it is recalled that the Sejm of the Republic of Poland noted in the resolution of September 10, 2004 that + until that date Poland had not received adequate financial compensation or reparations for the enormous damage and material damage and intangible losses caused by aggression, occupation and genocide (committed by the Germans) and the loss of independence

– lists the chairman of PiS.

No settlement with the past

We should also not forget that Germany has largely failed to account for its Nazi past and crimes

– noted the politician, pointing out that many Third Reich officials took an active part in the political and public life of both West and East Germany, and “a number of legal mechanisms allowed them to enjoy effective amnesty”.

President Kaczyński stressed that the lack of reparations and the denial by German politicians of the legitimacy to raise them cast a shadow on Polish-German relations.

President Kaczyński concluded that the prepared report on losses and reparations is the result of the work of the parliamentary committee and experts.

The report would never have been published without years of commitment and dedication from the wider patriotic camp. I risk adding that the first step after 1989 towards a methodical description of the Polish losses during the Second World War was taken by my late brother Lech Kaczyński, who, as mayor of the capital, led to the development and publication of a report on war losses from the capital Warsaw

– noted the politician.

mly / PAP