On the anniversary of the invasion of Poland, Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the Law and Justice party, reiterated in a prominent European daily that Poland has a legitimate claim to German reparations. He framed the issue as a matter of historical justice, a clear-eyed record of the suffering endured during World War II, and a pathway toward genuine Polish-German reconciliation. He emphasized the importance of addressing the past so that it can inform a healthier present and future relationship between the two nations.
Poland, the PiS president argued, retains an undeniable right to seek appropriate redress. The discussion is not merely about dollars and cents but about acknowledging the depth of losses and the moral accountability that accompanies such a tragic chapter in European history. The call for reparations is presented as a step toward truth-telling and a more complete accounting for the wartime devastation that affected Polish citizens and institutions alike.
The PiS leader cited a recent report detailing the extent of Polish losses caused by German aggression and occupation. The analysis underscores the brutal measures employed by the Nazi regime, including widespread killings, starvation policies, and the systematic plundering of resources. It highlights how state-sponsored violence coexisted with individual crimes, a grim record of the toll exacted on Polish society during the occupation.
According to Kaczyński, the moral weight of these crimes cannot be forgotten. He stressed that the Holocaust and related atrocities were not isolated incidents but part of a broad pattern of oppression that required collective memory and accountability. The discussion, he noted, is inseparable from the larger history of Polish suffering under occupation and the long-lasting impact on communities across the country.
He also reminded audiences that acts of resistance and solidarity by Poles facing persecution were met with severe punishment. Even assisting citizens of Jewish descent who were targeted by the regime could incur the death penalty. This harsh reality underscores the moral stakes involved in any consideration of reparations and restitution, and it reinforces the argument for a formal reckoning with the past.
Kaczyński argued that moral standards and dignity demand that Poland not be excluded from any reparations framework while many other states could benefit from compensation. This point was presented as a test of fairness and a measure of shared European responsibility in facing the consequences of state-sponsored violence during the war.
In addressing the German position, the PiS chairman noted that Poland has never abandoned its demand for reparations. He pointed to historical legal questions surrounding a 1953 government declaration, arguing that its legal status remains contentious. He highlighted parliamentary resolutions that acknowledged the insufficiency of compensation already provided and the profound losses suffered due to aggression, occupation, and genocide.
Speaking about the broader historical context, Kaczyński asserted that Germany has yet to fully reckon with its Nazi past and crimes. He observed that some former Nazi officials remained active in postwar political life in both West and East Germany, and that certain legal mechanisms allowed for what he described as selective amnesty. These points, in his view, continued to cast a shadow on Polish-German relations and on the credibility of ongoing dialogues about restitution.
As the discussion unfolded, the PiS leader framed the release of the losses-and-reparations report as a culmination of years of work by a parliamentary committee and expert researchers. He credited the broader patriotic movement for sustaining momentum and emphasized that the groundwork for this analysis began soon after 1989, with earlier efforts recognizing the scope of wartime losses in the Polish capital and across the country. He marked the report as the natural next step in a methodical narrative of Poland’s wartime experiences.
The push for reparations, according to the speaker, is not an act of retribution but a principled effort to secure full accountability and to restore historical memory for future generations. It is presented as a necessary element in building a transparent and legitimate historical record that respects the experiences of Polish citizens and acknowledges the broader impact of occupation and genocide across the nation.
In closing, the discussion is presented as a sustained national conversation—one that intersects with regional memory, international law, and the ongoing process of reconciliation among European partners. The report and its recommendations are framed as a public good, intended to elevate truth, justice, and durable peace in Polish-German relations while encouraging thoughtful engagement across Europe.
End of statement.