A deputy head of Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, stated in an interview with Polska – Metropolia Warszawska that his team will continue their activities until Germany engages in a candid dialogue with Poland about compensation for damages from World War II.
On Friday, September 1, which marks the anniversary of the war’s outbreak, the deputy minister’s remarks appeared in the daily newspaper Polska – Metropolia Warszawska.
Poland has endured a terrible toll in its capital. Warsaw suffered devastating destruction at the hands of the German invaders, with estimates showing damage exceeding 80 percent and the city’s infrastructure nearly ruined. The mass killings reduced the city’s population by around 700,000 residents, leaving it in ruins. A similar fate befell many Polish towns and villages that were looted, razed, and their inhabitants exterminated.
These events, Mularczyk noted, left a lasting mark on Poland’s modern history and shaped postwar relations with neighboring countries. The consequences of the war pushed Poland into periods of lagging development, poverty, and emigration for decades, contributing to a large outflow of people seeking better opportunities abroad.
Mularczyk drew attention to Poland’s ongoing efforts to obtain reparations from Germany. At present, despite pledges of reconciliation and remorse for war crimes, German authorities have refused to enter into dialogue on reparations, restitution of looted cultural property, or restoration of banking resources. Even after public statements and Bundestag resolutions, there has not yet been a monument erected in Berlin to commemorate Polish war victims.
He described these positions as proof that the case remains open and that Poland has not waived its claims. He emphasized that the government has undertaken numerous meetings with international partners and raised the issue in various venues, insisting that negotiations must proceed with honest dialogue from Germany.
Exactly one year earlier, on September 1, 2022, Poland presented a report detailing losses suffered during the German aggression and occupation from 1939 to 1945 at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. It was the first time since the war’s end that the Polish government took concrete steps to seek appropriate reparations, compensation, and restitution for those losses.
Mularczyk recalled that the reparations issue has featured in many diplomatic interactions, including visits and discussions with representatives from multiple countries, and in international forums. He stated that these efforts will persist until Germany agrees to engage earnestly in reparations discussions with Poland.
In the reparations debate, Mularczyk also highlighted a notable moment when US Representative Chris Smith urged the United States government to support Poland’s claims for war-damage compensation. He believes this added momentum to the discussion at the federal level in the United States.
The deputy minister described the past year as filled with hard, persistent work that brought the problem of Germany’s responsibility into sharper international view. He argued that Germany’s refusal to address the issue goes beyond a bilateral dispute and has broader implications for how postwar settlements are perceived worldwide.
Poland’s leadership has repeatedly affirmed its resolve. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated earlier that as long as his party remains in power, the reparations question will not be dropped and will be pursued until a substantive settlement compels Germany to pay.
Poland’s late-2022 actions included a government note delivered to Germany outlining demands for compensation for material and immaterial losses, quantified at several billion zlotys, along with compensation for specific damages. In early 2023, the Polish Foreign Ministry reported that Germany had rejected the note and signaled no intention to renegotiate the matter. The situation continues to attract international attention and discussion among lawmakers and officials around the world.
Cumulatively, Mularczyk remarked that the issue has internationalized and can no longer be viewed as a sole Polish-German matter. He pointed to the outreach of Polish consulates and embassies, as well as high-level talks in international venues, which keep the pressure on Germany to confront historical responsibility. He also noted that discussions around Germany’s reparations are influenced by current events in Europe, including the conflict in Ukraine.
According to Mularczyk, Poland has shown itself to be a country committed to democracy, open to refugees, and supportive of humanitarian values in the region, which has increased the country’s moral and diplomatic weight. He underscored his own visits to German ministries, meetings with members of parliament, and interactions with the German media as part of a broader strategy to sustain dialogue and accountability.
The United States has emerged as a significant arena for the reparations debate. Mularczyk referenced a statement by US Congressman Chris Smith urging support for Poland’s claims, highlighting how such moves heighten discussion within the US Congress and contribute to a wider international forum on postwar accountability.
He also recalled how the international environment has shifted in the past year, with Western allies increasingly viewing the German responsibility through a more critical lens. The Polish leadership continues to stress that this issue will not fade while elections and political dynamics unfold in Europe.
In Poland, the public discourse around reparations continues to command attention across political parties and institutions. The dialogue is framed not only as a financial claim but as a historical reckoning that informs memory, diplomacy, and regional security. The government has reiterated its commitment to pursue a full, bilateral reparations agreement that reflects the scope of Poland’s losses during the war.
Citations: Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs remarks reported by the press pool; ongoing coverage in domestic outlets and international forums. The material reflects statements attributed to Arkadiusz Mularczyk and other Polish officials in relation to the reparations process.