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Unofficially: Germany's war reparation proposal to Poland stuns Berlin with Tusk's response

08.07.2024 10:33
Germany proposed specific compensation amounts for living victims of the Third Reich to Poland, but Prime Minister Donald Tusk found the offer unsatisfactory, according to Onet. The portal asserts that this decision surprised Germany.
Onet reveals the backstage of Polands response to Germanys compensation proposal. Warsaw, 08.07.2024.
Onet reveals the backstage of Poland's response to Germany's compensation proposal. Warsaw, 08.07.2024.PAP/Leszek Szymański

According to Witold Jurasz's article, during recent visit to Warsaw, Olaf Scholz intended to announce that Germany would allocate 200 million euros for compensation payments to living victims of World War II.

Citing sources in Polish and German diplomatic circles, an Onet journalist (former diplomat) reported that Donald Tusk "was said to have deemed the proposed amount too low and disproportionate compared to payments made by the Federal Republic of Germany to living citizens of Israel who survived the Holocaust."

„Here's why the German Chancellor did not announce the promised aid for victims of German Nazism in Warsaw," explains Bartosz Węglarczyk, Editor-in-Chief of Onet.pl, one of Poland's most popular online portals, on x.com.


Onet reveals the backstage of Poland's response to Germany's compensation proposal

Polish-German intergovernmental consultations occurred in Warsaw last Tuesday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz acknowledged Germany's deep guilt and responsibility for the millions of victims of German occupation and stated that Germany would strive to provide support for survivors.

Before the Chancellor's visit, German media hinted that Scholz would announce compensation for Poland for World War II. However, no such announcement was made during the visit. Instead, Scholz announced the federal cabinet's decision to establish a memorial for Polish victims of World War II and Nazi occupation in Berlin, aiming to serve as a reminder against forgetting and a warning for the future.

During their joint appearance, Prime Minister Tusk emphasized that no gesture or amount of money could satisfy Poles for what happened during World War II. Onet noted that Jewish victims of the Third Reich receive monthly payments rather than one-time compensations.

Additionally, the Polish government suggested that due to the age of remaining victims, compensation should be paid voluntarily rather than through an intergovernmental agreement. Otherwise, Poland would be forced to accept a politically inadequate amount.

Reparations from Germany. The Polish perspective

A survey conducted by SW Research for rp.pl asked participants whether Poland should demand reparations from Germany for World War II. 58.2% responded positively, while 20% disagreed. 21.9% did not express an opinion.

According to the survey, a higher percentage of men (66.5%) than women (50.8%) believe Poland should demand reparations from Germany. Conversely, 23.2% of women and 16.3% of men disagreed.

Source: Onet.pl/money.pl/rp.pl

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Dispute over WWII compensation for Polish victims

03.07.2024 14:45
The prime ministers of Poland and Germany discussed the issue of compensation for Polish victims of World War II during intergovernmental consultations in Warsaw.