The Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Piotr Gliński, delivered a full report on Polish losses caused by German occupation during World War II to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The presentation occurred in the context of an official exchange that also featured a publication focusing on cultural losses suffered by Poland. The announcement was shared by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage on its official Twitter channel.
On the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Gliński accompanied by Steinmeier visited the exhibition Memory 1943 at the Kordegarda gallery in Warsaw. During the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister is reported to have handed over the English version of the report titled Losses Suffered by Poland due to German Aggression and Occupation during World War II 1939-1945, along with the cultural losses publication. This gesture was framed as a step toward opening a dialogue with Germany on these painful historical contingencies.
Glinski emphasized the significance of presenting the report in English to facilitate broader understanding and dialogue with German counterparts. The aim, he noted, is to foster constructive discussion that can contribute to mutual understanding and reconciliation between the two nations.
The Deputy Prime Minister also presented the President of Germany with a publication dedicated to Polish wartime cultural losses, detailing items that were lost or could not be located. The publication highlighted collections and artifacts whose absence leaves gaps in the cultural memory of the country and its people.
Both sides underscored the importance of dialogue for the European future, the welfare of the continent, and the enduring friendship between Poland and Germany, according to the ministry’s account.
The programme also included a midday gathering with President Andrzej Duda of Poland, President Steinmeier of Germany, and President Isaac Herzog of Israel for the main commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The ceremonies were held at Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Square and reflected on the uprising that began on April 19, 1943, as the first urban resistance against German occupation in the occupied European territories.
Historical context describes a brutal, drawn-out struggle in which a relatively small group of Jewish fighters faced overwhelming force from SS, Wehrmacht, and security services. The insurgents fought bravely for nearly a month, with many losing their lives in the fight or in the subsequent destruction of the ghetto. The eventual destruction of the ghetto and the tragic events that followed, including the fall of the uprising leader Mordechaj Anielewicz and several dozen fighters in the Miła 18 air raid shelter, remain powerful symbols of resistance and sacrifice. The escape attempts through the sewers and the memory of those who stood against oppression sustain a message of resilience for contemporary generations.
In closing remarks, officials signaled a shared commitment to remembering the past while building a more cooperative future for Europe. The exchange of reports and cultural documentation is presented as a practical step toward clearer historical understanding and strengthened bilateral relations, with a view toward peaceful coexistence and shared democratic values.
Further reflections on the anniversary highlighted how historical memory can inform current policy and communal life, reinforcing bonds among nations that endured hardship in the 20th century and continuing to shape responses to present day challenges. The public discussions and exhibitions associated with the day served to remind audiences of the costs of occupation and the enduring importance of safeguarding cultural heritage and human dignity.
Source material and subsequent discussions were reported by media outlets in Poland and across Europe, contributing to a broader public conversation about history, memory, and reconciliation. These exchanges underscore the role of official commemorations in framing dialogue that supports European unity and mutual respect between nations that experienced the trauma of war.