Poland Calls Germany Rejects Talks Of Second World War Reparations

Illustration of World War II monuments in Poland. (Wikimedia Commons/Darwinek)

JAKARTA - Germany rejected Poland's nationalist government's latest push for sweeping reparations during the Second World War, saying in response to a diplomatic note that the matter was closed, the foreign ministry in Warsaw said Tuesday.

A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said it had responded to a letter sent by Poland on the matter in October, and did not comment on the contents of the diplomatic correspondence.

Poland has estimated World War Two losses caused by Germany at US$1.4 trillion or around IDR 21.868.000.000.000.000 and has been seeking compensation. But Berlin has repeatedly said all financial claims related to the war have been settled.

"This answer, in short, shows a complete disrespect for Poland and the Polish people," Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Poland's deputy foreign minister, said in an interview with the Polish Press Agency, reported Reuters January 4.

"Germany does not pursue a friendly policy towards Poland, they want to build their sphere of influence here and treat Poland as a vassal state," he continued.

When asked about further dialogue with Germany on compensation, Mularczyk said it would continue "through international organizations".

Poland's foreign ministry said it had received an official letter from Germany rejecting Poland's World War II indemnification claims, citing VOA.

"According to the German government, the issue of reparations and compensation for wartime losses remains closed and it has no intention of starting negotiations," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also added that Poland "will continue to seek compensation for the German aggression and occupation in 1939-1945."

Since coming to power in 2015, Poland's Law and Justice Party (PiS) has championed the issue of war reparations, insisting Germany has a "moral obligation" on the issue.

About six million Poles, including three million Polish Jews, were killed during World War II and Warsaw was razed to the ground after a 1944 uprising that killed an estimated 200,000 civilians.

In 1953, Poland's then-communist rulers renounced all claims to reparations under pressure from the Soviet Union, which wanted to absolve East Germany of any responsibility.

Poland's ruling PiS said the deal was illegal because Poland was unable to negotiate fair compensation.

An aggressive stance toward Germany, which PiS frequently uses to mobilize its constituents, has strained relations with Berlin.

In a joint press conference with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau last October, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the pain caused by Germany during the Second World War "was passed down from generation to generation" in Poland but the issue of reparations was closed.