War losses suffered by Poland as a result of Nazi Germany's aggression amount to one and a half trillion dollars

A report on the losses suffered by Poland as a result of German aggression and occupation during World War II was presented at the Royal Castle in Warsaw on Thursday. As indicated, the work on the report took five years. As underlined by Jarosław Kaczyński, the sum of Polish losses amounts to over 6 trillion 200 billion zlotys.

The report on the losses suffered by Poland during the war was produced by the parliamentary team functioning in the previous term of office - since September 2017 - the Parliamentary Team for Estimating the Amount of Compensation Due to Poland from Germany for Damage Caused during World War II, directed by Law and Justice MP Arkadiusz Mularczyk. There were around 30 scientists - historians, economists, property experts - and 10 expert reviewers working on the report.

Law and Justice president: The day the decision is taken

This day is not only the act of presenting some work, some documentation. It is also a decision about taking this matter to the international forum, and in particular to Polish-German relations

— indicated the President of the Law and Justice party Jarosław Kaczyński.

The point is to obtain, in a perhaps long and difficult process, reparations for everything that Germany - the German state, the German people - did to Poland in 1939-1945. This is our goal. This goal is integrated into the whole concept of rebuilding normality - normality as far as the functioning of the Polish state is concerned. Because dozens of countries in the world - in varying degrees - have obtained reparations from Germany. Poland, however, has not. This was caused by gaps in the sphere of activity that every state must undertake if it is to be regarded seriously as a state that protects its citizens, a state that looks after its interests. Such is the case in international relations that if one state does damage to another, then later, after a possible defeat in war or other circumstances, it must compensate for this damage. There is no reason for Poland to be excluded from this principle. Adopting such a stance means adopting an attitude that can be described as an expression of an almost morbid inferiority complex, which by its very nature cannot be the basis of any good state and national policy

— said the President of the Law and Justice party.

This approach cannot constitute something that is evolutionary. It can only provide the basis for a path towards a new enslavement. That is why we are taking it up. This is the first point: the Germans invaded Poland and did enormous damage to us. The occupation was extremely cruel and had effects which, in many cases, continue to this day. We must not put this behind us just because someone thinks that Poland is in a radically inferior position compared to other countries, and that the Poles are below other nations. Only such a premise can result in our decision not to undertake this project. We have always rejected such an attitude and we are still rejecting it. We know that we are embarking on a path that will take a long time and will not be easy. We do not promise to achieve success very quickly. I have already heard from a very important German politician that no German government will ever accept this. However, the history does take its course, it has its twists and turns and one has to take this into account. This is a special moment in Polish history. We are convinced that we will succeed, and no proposals that are already being made, of joint, minor ventures, can be accepted

— Kaczyński pointed out.

There is also another, secondary rationale for our actions. Germany has never really accounted for its crimes against Poland. What I am talking about are crimes against our country, against Poles. On the one hand, there was abolition for criminals. People guilty of tens of thousands of human lives lived comfortably in Germany, sometimes even attaining various state positions. Also, German historical policy, pedagogy, never addressed the crimes against the Polish people. They did not become part of the German consciousness, except in certain circles. The general consciousness, the consciousness of the German masses - it is non-existent, there is no tendency to expiate guilt. This, too, is the reason for our actions, which is of some importance. If we want to protect our state and our nation, we must strive for a profound reconstruction of the consciousness of the German people

— Deputy Prime Minister Kaczynski pointed out.

Referring to the sum determining the losses it has been calculated using the most conservative method.

The sum could be greatly increased. It is considerable: 6 trillion 200 billion zloty. It is a sum, from the point of view of Germany and taking into account that this kind of compensation is paid over decades, that is manageable for the German economy

• the politician claimed.

Tłum. K.J.