Poland asks Germany for 1271 billion francs in war reparations

Poland estimated on Thursday the financial cost of the losses of the Second World War at one thousand three hundred billion euros (1271 billion francs). The ruling party chairman said he would “ask Germany to negotiate these reparations”.

The figure of 6.2 trillion zlotys was given at a conference devoted to presenting a report on Poland’s losses in the Second World War.

Of this total “a very important part is the compensation for the death of more than 5.2 million Polish citizens”, underlined Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, adding that the process before Poland receives such repairs would be “long and difficult”.

According to the report, the material losses are estimated at 800 billion zlotys (166 billion francs). Since coming to power in 2015, PiS has often raised the issue of reparations. Work on this report began in 2017.

Negotiation request

“We have not only prepared a report, which is an open document and which will certainly be completed, but we have also taken a decision, a decision on further action, added Mr. Kaczynski, and this action consists in asking the Germany to negotiate these reparations. And it is a decision that we will implement.

“The Germans invaded Poland and did enormous damage to us. The occupation was incredibly criminal, incredibly cruel and caused effects that in many cases continue to this day,” the PiS president said.

According to Germany, Poland had waived war reparations from East Germany in 1953, which Polish conservatives dispute.