“The manifestation of infantilism”: why in Poland they announced that they did not receive reparations from Germany because of the “decision of Russia”

Poland could not receive reparations from Germany for the damage caused during the Second World War, allegedly due to the "decision of Russia." This opinion was expressed by Minister of Defense of Poland Mariusz Blaszczak on Polish television.

“This compensation was not after the Second World War, because Poland was under the domination of Russia and in this connection Russia made such a decision. Poland was not sovereign in this decision, ”said the head of the Polish defense department.

We are talking about the agreement of 1953, according to which Poland refused reparations from Germany. On the basis of this document in Germany declare that the issue of payments is closed. But in Warsaw, this document is considered illegitimate, because, according to the Polish authorities, it was signed under pressure from the Soviet Union.

Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics of the Moscow State Pedagogical University, in an interview with RT expressed the opinion that such statements from the side of Polish politicians look very strange.

“To write off the policy of the Polish state that supposedly there was no Poland as a state is a manifestation of infantilism. The decision was made by Polish statesmen, and the Polish state should be responsible for these decisions, and not some Soviet leaders who allegedly were related to these decisions, ”the expert notes.

He also emphasized that after the war Poland received very vast territories that were previously part of Germany, as well as significant financial assistance from the Soviet Union in the reconstruction process.

“Of course, the Polish politician needs to remember what significant territories were returned to Poland ... I mean the southern part of East Prussia, Gdansk, eastern Pomerania, Poznan, Silesia. In addition, it must be remembered that the Soviet Union provided tremendous support to the Polish state and people during the post-war reconstruction period, ”the analyst explained.

Meanwhile, the Federation Council of Russia recalled the role that Poland played in creating the conditions for the outbreak of World War II.

“They forgot that they played a significant role at the beginning of World War II. When the absorption of Czechoslovakia took place in 1938, the Red Army could not pass through Poland, Poland did not let it through. Maybe then there would be nothing at all? Then it would be possible to stop Hitler. They don’t remember about it, ”Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy chairman of the Federation Council’s committee on international affairs, said in an interview with RT.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Russia is remembered in the context of reparations in Poland. So, in 2018, the head of the parliamentary committee on reparations payment issues, Arkadiusz Mulyarchik, stated that Warsaw should also demand payments from Moscow.

“I believe that a report on military losses inflicted by Soviet Russia should be created in the next convocation of the Sejm,” he said.

Then Russian officials criticized this statement of the Polish politician. Senator Alexei Pushkov said that Poland has no right to demand reparations from Russia. At the same time, Vladimir Dzhabarov then called the requirements of the Polish authorities a dead end.

According to Viktor Vodolatsky, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, the Polish leadership is adapting to the policies of Western countries, which leads to a review of historical relations between Russia and Poland.

“Given that Poland today is the mouthpiece of the entire Russophobic policy of Europe and the United States, they are beginning to completely rethink all the historical moments associated with Poland and Russia. To date, each of the politicians in Poland considers it his duty to celebrate. It’s not worth waiting for sound thoughts and proposals from Poland, they are tightly sharpened for the goals that the USA and other countries have determined for them, ”the parliamentarian said in a conversation with RT.

• Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Moravecki and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at events marking the start of World War II
• Reuters
• © Dawid Zuchowicz / Agencja Gazeta

New old requirements

In recent years, Poland has increasingly raised the issue of the need to demand reparations from Germany. The other day, President Andrzej Duda said that receiving payments is “a matter of responsibility and morality” for Poland and it’s necessary to “bill” Berlin.

“Nearly 6 million Polish citizens were killed, our cities were in ruins, our capital was completely destroyed. Most of those killed were innocent civilians, ”said the Polish leader in an interview with Bild.

In August, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Chaputović stated that the post-war compensation received by the country from Germany in the 20th century was unfair.

According to the minister, reparations were “minimal” in monetary terms, especially when compared to payments by other countries such as France and the Netherlands.

“At the same time, there are countries that have lost many times less, but received more compensation. Is that fair? ”The politician said in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine.

Meanwhile, in Germany, the issue of reparations is considered closed.

Polish politicians play such statements on an internal audience, increasing their political capital, said Vladimir Shapovalov.

“This is an element of mobilizing the electorate for its narrow political goals. For a long time, all issues related to reparations have been closed. Obviously, these or those politicians raise these questions only in order to earn a certain amount of points in the wake of populism, introducing himself as a guardian of the interests of his own country, ”the expert noted.