Polish President Karol Nawrocki has once again demanded that Germany pay reparations for the crimes of the National Socialists during World War II. "Real actions are needed, not just beautiful words. […] Poland must be paid reparations," he stated on Tuesday, September 1, while speaking on the Westerplatte Peninsula near Gdansk to mark the 87th anniversary of Germany's attack on Poland, which marked the beginning of the war. According to Nawrocki, Poland could use the funds from Germany for its own armed forces and defense industry, foregoing Western loans. Thus, reparations could serve the cause of European security, and Germany would thereby demonstrate that it stands for "common, collective security in Europe," he said. In urging the German government to pay reparations, Nawrocki also reminded that during World War II about six million Polish citizens were killed - 17 percent of the population at that time. Nearly 90 percent of the dead were civilians. **Poland Estimates Damage at €1.3 Trillion** The right-wing conservative Nawrocki has demanded reparations from Germany before, and similar demands have been made by other Polish politicians. The president did not specify a particular amount. However, in an expert report by a Polish parliamentary commission prepared in 2022, the compensation was estimated at €1.3 trillion (one trillion equals 1,000 billion - editor's note). Germany rejects any claims from Poland for reparations. From the perspective of the German government, this issue has already been settled under the 2+4 agreement (Germany, GDR, and the four victorious countries of World War II - the USSR, USA, UK, and France) regarding the foreign policy aspects of German reunification, writes "Deutsche Welle."
