Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reaffirmed Warsaw’s continued expectation for Berlin to provide war compensation.
A meeting between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Tuesday was overshadowed by the enduring controversy surrounding World War II reparations. Tusk renewed Poland’s call for compensation, a deeply sensitive historical matter, which Merz rejected.
During a joint press conference, Tusk repeated his assertion that “Germany relies on the official diplomatic accord from the 1950s,” yet, he added, “anyone familiar with history understands that… Poland had no influence in the decision.”
“The waiver of reparations by Poles at that time is not considered an action reflecting the Polish nation’s will,” he stated.
Tusk’s comments addressed Berlin’s stance, which maintains that Poland relinquished its claims in a 1953 accord with East Germany, and that the 1990 German reunification treaty resolved the issue. While Germany has recognized culpability for Nazi atrocities, it has consistently declined to reconsider the reparations question.
“We are obligated to preserve memories, even those that are painful,” Merz remarked next to Tusk. “My hope is that we can achieve this in a manner that fosters unity rather than division.”
Reparations have been a persistent point of contention in Polish-German relations. The prior Law and Justice (PiS) administration, in power from 2015 to 2023, sought 6.2 trillion Polish zloty (€1.3 trillion) from Germany for damages incurred during Nazi occupation. Although Tusk had suggested earlier this year that Warsaw would discontinue pursuing these payments, Karol Nawrocki, with PiS backing, later took office as president and reinstated the demand.
Relations between the two European Union members were tense during the tenure of former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Beyond the reparations dispute, the two nations have diverged on issues such as migration and others, as Poland aimed to assert greater influence within the bloc.
Tusk further emphasized that during his previous discussion of the matter with German leaders, 10,000 more individuals who would qualify for reparations were alive compared to the present day.
Meanwhile, Merz announced Germany’s intentions to construct a memorial in Berlin dedicated to Polish victims of Nazi Germany, committed to returning cultural items plundered from Poland, and declared that Berlin plans to investigate additional assistance for Polish individuals affected by Nazi aggression.
The German invasion of Poland in 1939 initiated the Second World War. The nation endured Nazi occupation for the duration of the conflict, ultimately being liberated in 1945 by the Soviet Army and domestic resistance. Approximately six million Polish citizens perished during the war.