During the City Council session in Gliwice scheduled for March 19, a vote will take place on a resolution concerning war reparations. The non-partisan initiative of the “Gazeta Polska” Club proposes adopting an appeal to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, urging them to immediately undertake actions aimed at obtaining compensation from Germany.
“The resolution is a cross-party initiative. The motion has been signed by 850 residents of Gliwice who believe that Poland is entitled to reparations from Germany,”
Marta Święcicka, head of the “Gazeta Polska” Club in Gliwice, told Gazeta Polska Codziennie.
The issue of reparations for World War II regularly returns to Poland’s public debate. In 2022, the Polish Sejm adopted a relevant resolution, supported by politicians from nearly all political factions, including the majority of MPs from the Civic Coalition.
At the time, strong statements were also made by members of the then-opposition. “If appropriate actions are taken regarding war reparations from Germany, we will continue them after taking power; I can assure you that certainly more effectively than PiS,” said Borys Budka, then head of the Civic Coalition parliamentary club, in 2022. He also declared that an anti-PiS government would be more effective and that a change of power was necessary to obtain reparations. “This will only be possible when this government changes, because Jarosław Kaczyński will not get anything done abroad,” said the former head of Civic Platform.
After October 15, 2023, however, the enthusiasm of Civic Coalition politicians cooled, and Donald Tusk officially withdrew from earlier declarations, recognizing the German government’s position as binding. Interestingly, during the earlier wave of agreement on reparations, several cities, among them Lublin and Sochaczew, had also adopted their own resolutions. This all took place before the most recent parliamentary elections.
A Strong Signal
Now the issue is being revived by the “Gazeta Polska” Club in Gliwice. The club prepared the text of the resolution and organized a successful signature-gathering campaign. Around the turn of the year, 850 signatures were collected, several times more than required. The text of the resolution is unequivocal.
“The City Council of Gliwice firmly calls for the immediate undertaking of decisive, consistent, and effective actions aimed at obtaining for the Republic of Poland the war reparations owed by the Federal Republic of Germany for the losses suffered by our state and its citizens during World War II. Between 1939 and 1945, Poland suffered enormous human, material, cultural, and economic losses. The destruction of infrastructure, the plunder of national property, the mass extermination of civilians, and the devastation of the achievements of many generations are facts that have permanently marked our history and development. Despite more than 80 years having passed since the end of World War II, Poland has still not received full and just compensation, which remains a glaring and unresolved moral, historical, and legal issue,” the applicants write in the draft.
They also emphasize that for the residents of Gliwice, this appeal has a particularly significant dimension.
“Among us live numerous families who suffered enormous losses as a result of the tragedy of World War II, one that Poland did not provoke. Franciszek Honiok, a resident of the Gliwice region, was murdered in Gliwice by the Gestapo as part of the Gleiwitz provocation on August 31, 1939, before the outbreak of hostilities, most likely becoming the first victim of the war. Our city stands in solidarity with the nationwide expectation of justice and due compensation, though not limited solely to the few still-living victims of German crimes. The people of Gliwice, as citizens of the Republic of Poland, fully share the conviction that Poland has both the right and the obligation to seek redress for wrongs that remain unaddressed to this day,”
the resolution states.
The authors of the proposal call on the government to take all necessary steps to obtain the compensation due.
“It seems that this issue should unite everyone who wishes Poland well. The entire initiative is cross-party. We hope it will gain support from people representing different political groups,”
Marta Święcicka, chairwoman of the “Gazeta Polska” Club in Gliwice, told GPC.
Civic Coalition Opposes the Resolution
In the city council, out of 25 councilors, 10 belong to the Civic Coalition, seven to Law and Justice, six to the Coalition for Gliwice of Z. Frankiewicz, and two to the New Town Hall group. Achieving cross-party agreement will likely be difficult. Nina Drzewiecka, chairwoman of the Civic Coalition council club, presented her position. Criticizing the proposal, she argued that it originated from the Law and Justice party. However, this does not reflect reality, as the initiative has been overseen by a non-partisan committee. According to the Civic Coalition councilor, local government should essentially focus on roads, schools, the budget, and housing.
“No one has the slightest doubt about the scale of the losses Poland suffered during World War II. But respect for history is one thing, and the instrumental use of history for current political purposes is another. I hope councilors will not allow themselves to be drawn into a political intrigue whose sole purpose is to create divisions. I believe that above partisan emotions, common sense and a sense of responsibility for local government will prevail, and that the city council will remain a place for solving the real problems of residents, rather than a forum for adopting symbolic appeals that fit into the current political struggle,”
the Civic Coalition councilor wrote.
So far, this appears to be an isolated voice. Social activists intend to persuade local politicians to take a broader view of local government matters. According to Marta Święcicka, “Gazeta Polska” Clubs across the country, acting within their local governments, could exert pressure on the national government through similar resolutions.
“We will continue to act consistently in Gliwice, regardless of the outcome of the vote,” Święcicka told GPC.