Poland Scales Back Reparations Demand, Seeks Annual Payments for Nazi Victims

Poland has scaled back its long-standing reparations campaign against Germany and is now seeking annual payments of around €2,333 ($2,660) for each living victim of Nazi persecution instead of the €1.3 trillion it once demanded, Suddeutsche Zeitung reported on Sunday. The dispute traces back to the September 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland and nearly six years of occupation that killed around 6 million Polish citizens – 17% of the country’s prewar population. In 2022, the Polish government, led by the right-wing Law and Justice party, demanded €1.3 trillion in war reparations. Berlin vehemently rejected the demand as “legally resolved once and for all,” arguing that Poland’s communist-era government waived further claims in 1953, adding that this position had been reinforced by the 1990 Two-Plus-Four Treaty on German reunification. According to Suddeutsche Zeitung, Warsaw and Berlin have since continued negotiations on the matter, which has become one of the hottest issues in bilateral relations. The outlet said Poland had “submitted a very concrete plan” framing the payouts – which could come through the German-Polish Reconciliation Foundation – not as war reparations but rather a “humanitarian gesture.” The overall sum is estimated at €300 million, with annual payments amounting to €100 million in 2027 and projected to decrease further down the line as roughly a thousand WWII survivors die every month. Around 50,000 Nazi victims are still believed to be alive in Poland, according to Suddeutsche Zeitung. The outlet said there is still no wide consensus on the proposal in Berlin, adding that it “has been talked to death.” However, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said earlier this month there was “someone in the German government who supports it.” One of the main concerns for Germany is worries about similar demands from other countries and a difficult overall budget situation. Meanwhile, the current Polish government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, is also making efforts to tread lightly so that the gesture is not perceived by the public as “charity” and boost the positions of right-wing opposition parties, the article says. Another complication is the obvious discrepancy between the previous €1.3 trillion demand and the potential €2,000 annual payments.