Reuters
—
Germany rejected a claim for huge reparations by the Polish nationalist government. Second World Warsaid the foreign ministry in Warsaw on Tuesday, in response to a diplomatic memo saying the issue had been resolved.
A spokesman for Germany’s foreign ministry said it had responded to a letter sent from Poland in October on the matter, but did not comment on the content of the diplomatic note.
Poland estimates Germany’s World War II losses at $1.4 trillion and is demanding reparations, but Berlin has repeatedly said all financial claims related to the war have been settled. Says.
“In summary, this response shows an attitude of absolute disrespect towards Poland and Poles,” said Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arkadiusz Mralczyk. Polish news agency.
“Germany does not pursue a friendly policy towards Poland and wants to expand its influence here and treat Poland as a client state.”
When asked about further dialogue with Germany on compensation, Mularczyk said it would continue “through international bodies.”
About 6 million Poles, including 3 million Polish Jews, were killed during the war, and Warsaw was devastated after the 1944 riots that killed about 200,000 civilians. rice field.
In 1953, the rulers of then-communist Poland renounced all war reparations claims under pressure from the Soviet Union, which wanted to relieve its satellite state, East Germany, of all responsibility.
Poland’s ruling nationalist Party of Law and Justice (PiS) says the deal is void because Poland failed to negotiate fair compensation. Since taking power in 2015, calls for reparations have revived, and propaganda of Poland’s wartime victims has been at the center of its appeal to nationalism.
The belligerent stance against Germany, which PiS often uses to mobilize voters, has strained relations with Berlin.
At a joint press conference with Poland’s Foreign Minister Zbigniew Lau last October, German Foreign Minister Analena Beerbock said the pain caused by Germany during World War II was “passed down through generations” in Poland. said the compensation issue had been resolved.
