The debate over Germany’s wartime crimes and reparations in Europe
The issue of German responsibility for war crimes continues to evoke strong emotions within Germany and in public discourse beyond its borders, including in Poland. In May, members of the left party in the Bundestag pressed for compensation for victims of the Distomo massacre in Greece, and earlier they sought talks on an agreement with Namibia.
In March 2023, several left MPs filed an interpellation titled “The Federal Government and Namibia’s Lack of Consent to the So‑Called Agreement on Reconciliation,” followed by another in May named “Compensation for the Victims of the Distomo Massacre on June 10, 1944.”
The German Left and the Crimes in Namibia
In the Namibia interpellation, the left MPs argue that the joint statement negotiated by the German government with Namibia, initialed in Berlin on May 15, 2021, caused significant controversy in parts of Namibian society and has yet to be formally approved by the Namibian government.
Germany once held its empire over the territory known today as Namibia from 1884 to 1915, suppressing uprisings by local communities. During the 1904‑1908 war in German South-West Africa, colonial authorities carried out mass killings against the Herero and Nama peoples. Many historians regard this as among the first genocides of the 20th century, with estimates indicating about 65,000 Herero and at least 10,000 Nama among the affected populations.
The Herero and Nama Reject Compensation as Apology
The Association of Ethnic Leaders of Herero and Nama declined a German offer to fund infrastructure projects in Namibia as a form of apology for the colonial genocide, arguing that 1.1 billion euros falls far short of what would be just.
In the Namibia interpellation, the delegates also note that Greece, as well as the memory of Nazi crimes, remains a live issue for Greek society. The Greek side emphasizes that questions of compensation and reparations have not been fully settled for all victims, contrary to claims of finality.
Meanwhile, the interpellation references the German government’s stance that reparations discussions have been concluded with Italy, Greece, and Poland.
On June 10, 1944, a Waffen‑SS unit killed 218 residents of the Greek village Distomo. Greek courts later awarded survivors and their descendants approximately 30 million euros in compensation in 1997. Germany has continued to resist broader compensation for Nazi victims and for the Greek state in parallel with other cases.
The MPs who authored the interpellation conclude that the matter remains unresolved and urge the federal government to honor court‑ordered payments to Distomo victims and to initiate negotiations with Greece on open reparations.
The Federal Government’s Tone and Legal Finality
The left MPs argue that the government’s approach does not merely miss the mark on substance; it also conveys a harsh tone toward the last surviving victims of Nazi crimes and their descendants. They contend that the reparations issue was legally and politically settled by the 1990 Two Plus Four treaty, which paved the way for German reunification, and that the matter should not be considered closed for Greece and other victims.
In 2019, left MPs introduced a draft resolution demanding that Germany formally recognize Greece’s reparations claims.
Historical memory of the invasion in April 1941 and the subsequent years remains potent. German armies and SS units conducted numerous actions in Greece and the region through 1944, with mass executions and widespread devastation used as retaliation for partisan activity. The toll included tens of thousands of civilian deaths, famine, and widespread destruction of industry in Greece.
Readers are reminded of related discussions on German colonial crimes in other parts of the world and ongoing debates about redress and acknowledgment.
Source summaries and related analyses discuss varying interpretations of responsibility and the path toward restitution. The ongoing discourse emphasizes that compensation and recognition often intersect with national memory, legal debates, and diplomatic relations across Europe and beyond.
Notes accompanying this overview indicate continued advocacy by lawmakers and civil society groups for transparent and just redress processes, while underscoring the sensitive nature of these historical issues.
– References to broader examinations of colonial violence and its long shadows in the present day.
– Statements from public officials and analysts regarding Namibia and other sites of historic injustice.
– Calls from political figures for renewed dialogue and accountability related to the Second World War.
– Commentary on how reparations discussions intersect with national memory and international law.
rm/PAP
Attribution: wPolityce