bogdan koszel:a new opening? polish-german relations during the rule of the po-psl coalition...

7/28/2019 BOGDAN KOSZEL:A new opening? Polish-German relations during the rule of the PO-PSL coalition (2007-2009)

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PRZEGLD ZACHODNI

2009, No 4

BOGDAN KOsZEL

Pozna

A new opening? polish-germAn relAtions

during the rule of the po-psl coAlition (2007-2009)

polish-germAnrelAtionsduring the rule ofthe po-pslcoAlition(2007-2009)

REstORAtION Of tRust

Poland acceion o he Eropean union in 2004 wa ppoed o give rie o

rher cooperaion beween Poland and Germany in many area and on a qalia-

ively higher level. soon however, one cold alk abo diappoinmen a he mal

ineracion wa hgely aeced by he coneqence o he parliamenary elecion in

he federal Repblic o Germany, a well a by he parliamenary and preidenial

elecion in Poland in he amn o 2005. Aer he change o governmen in boh

conrie here oon appeared minderanding, conroverie and dir. Word

abo a crii, regreion and kich o Polih-German reconciliaion were ered

by poliician and jornali. the Law and Jice pary (Pis) came o power byanning he ame o ani-German reenmen ill preen in a banial par o he

Polih ociey. Advocae o a dialoge and mal nderanding wih Germany

were called raior or nave peron. Conervaive ideologi denied ha here i

any Polih-German commniy o inere, no even in he Eu or in NAtO, and in-

ead hey gave prioriy o he commniy o conic. I wa no dicl o noice

ha hi aggreive propaganda weighed down he oppoiion inclding he Civic

Plaorm (PO) and alo he Democraic Le Alliance (sLD), and rarely any maer-

o-ac polemic wa raied.

the hared achievemen o he neighborhip earned wih banial dicl-

ie ince 1989 were more and more reqenly qeioned. the righ-wing o he

Polih poliical cene wa accing German o relaivizing he hiorical proce

and he crime o Naional socialim, and he major calling logan ed inclded

explion, Erika seinbach and he Prian tr. German, on he oher hand,

welcomed he new Polih governmen rn by Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz and laer by

Jaroaw Kaczyki wih clear relcance and diapproval and blamed i or exreme

naionalim, narrow-mindedne, qarrelome dipoiion, and egoiic reamen o-

ward no only heir German neighbor b oward he enire Eropean union.

the minoriy governmen, iniially nder Pis and laer on in coaliion wih he

Leage o Polih familie (LPR) and samoobrona, a a maer o ac did no worko any coheren concepion or conrcive cooperaion wih Germany. I conami-


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202 Bogdan Kozel

naed he amophere in bilaeral relaion and, wha wa wore i ried o diavow

he achievemen o i predeceor oward Polih-German mal nderanding

and reconciliaion. Ye, heir aemp o convince weern parner abo German

dominance in he Eropean union ing he langage o he cold war ell on deaear. the ani-German phobia demonraed on he oide by Pis and LPR polii-

cian were r o all erving he need o heir inernal propaganda and incean

mobilizaion o he elecorae arond he new alleged hrea o Polih overeigny

and independence coming rom Brel and Berlin1.

the rel o he parliamenary elecion in Ocober howed ha he viion o

he oreign policy and relaion wih Germany oered by he o-called governmen

o he 4h Repblic o Poland depie all he remendo eor ended p in ailre.

I i worh menioning ha dring he elecion campaign in 2007 relaion wih Ger-

many played an imporan role in he propaganda rheoric ed by Pis. PO wa ac -

ced o being dependan on Germany, o cooperaion wih he German Chriian

Democra in he Eropean Parliamen, and Donald tk, a Gdak reiden wa

criicized or he inellecal acinaion wih Germanhood ypical o he Gdak

commniy. Prime Minier J. Kaczyki alked abo hi ear ha he vicory o

tk pary will mean a deparre rom or hard oreign policy, epecially con-

cerning bilding parnerhip relaion wih Berlin2.

Aer he parliamenary elecion in Ocober 2007 which brogh a new govern-

menal coaliion PO-PsL Poland adoped a a aring poin or mal relaion he

objecive o rebild reciprocal r and o expand bilaeral cooperaion. thi wa

conidered o be a long-erm proce. I wa annonced ha he ormer foreign Min-ier, Wadyaw Barozewki wold be appoined a pecial repreenaive o he

governmen whoe ak wa o help in repairing relaion wih Germany3.

According o expecaion on 23 November 2007 here wa a new one in he

expos delivered by Prime Minier D. tk:

1 C. A. Holech, Verpasster Neuanfang. Deutschland, Polen und die EU, Bonn 2007; alo, Von

Kaczyski zu Tusk: eine deutsch-polnische Tragdie, Bonn 2008; B. Kozel, Polska i Niemcy w Unii

Europejskiej. Pola koniktw i paszczyzny wsppracy [Poland and Germany in the European Union.

Conict areas and platforms for cooperation], Pozna 2008.2 C. Z. Kranodbki, Niemcy popr kadego przeciw Kaczyskim [Germans will sup-

port anyone against the Kaczyskis], Rzeczpopolia rom 21.08.07; Premier Kaczyski: PO jest

uzaleniona od Niemcw [Prime Minister Kaczyski: PO is dependant on Germans] , Gazea Wybor-

cza rom 19.08.2007. German reacion: th. urban, Feindbild Deutschland, sddeche Zeing

rom 20.08.2007; Kaczyski auf Konfrontationskurs, ibidem; Das polnische Bild vom deutschen

Erbfeind,ibidem; Kaczyski: Liberale zu deutschfreundlich, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing rom

20.08.2007. C. K. schller, Der Furor der Tugend: von revolutionren Elan zu jakobinischem Su-

berungswahn; Polen unter der Regierung der Gebrder Kaczynski, Inernaionale Poliik No 62/2007,

p. 22-25.3 P. Wroki, Z Niemcami si dogadamy, z tarcz zobaczymy [We will reach agreement with the

Germans, with the shield we will see], Gazea Wyborcza rom 6.11.2007; Donald Tusk: PolnischerWahlsieger lobt deutsche Kanzlerin, Die Wel 5.11.2007.


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203Polih-German Relaion Dring he Rle o he PO-PsL Coaliion (2007-2009)

We wan o develop raegic relaion wih Germany wiho avoiding dicl ie. We all

in Poland know ha Polih-German relaion are crcial or he good poiion o boh conrie in

he Eropean union b hey a he ame ime reqire pecial care, lack o complexe, clear, ogh

when needed and riendly preenaion o mal problem and expecaion. I can garanee ha

hee relaion will bring aiacion o he whole Eropean union and o boh parner4.

On 5 December 2008 he Polih Minier o foreign Aair, R. sikorki re-

rned o he idea o revializing he Polih-German commniy o inere.

When paricipaing in he 13h Polih-German form in Berlin he no only made

reerence o he erm commniy o inere and vale b he wa alo en-

coraging o look or new and brave ormla o conolidae he Polih-German

parnerhip, which conie one o he more imporan elemen o he Eropean

landcape5.

undobedly, a good example and a ymbol o ccelly developing Polih-German cooperaion, epecially wihin he Eropean union wa he elecion o

Jerzy Bzek a he Preiden o he Eropean Parliamen wih a banial major-

iy voe on 14 Jly 2009. thi wa poible hank o ppor rom German Chri-

ian Democra, who are he mo inenial grop in he Eropean People Pary

o Eropean Democra, a well a hank o he kind aide o sPD rom he

Pary o Eropean sociali. the candidacy a well a he elecion caed many

poiive commen in he pre and among he general pblic in Germany6.

IN tHE sHADOW Of VIsIBLE sIGN

In view o he ac ha he governmen nder J. Kaczyki rongly highlighed

hiorical ie in Polih-German relaion, tk governmen wa r o all com-

pelled o calm down he emoion and mood in hi pariclar area. On 21 November

2007 W. Barozewki, who wa very mch repeced a an ahoriy in he federal

Repblic o Germany, amed hi die a he secreary o sae or Inernaional

Dialoge in he Oce o he Prime Minier.

4 tex o expo o Prime Minier Donald tk ee Rzeczpopolia rom 23.11.2007.5 13h Polih-German form. Polih Embay in Berlin: hp://www.berlin.polemb. ne/index.php?

docmen=1479; A. Krzemiki,Polska i Niemcy. Pomys na przeom [Poland and Germany. Idea for

a breakthrough], Gazea Wyborcza rom 10.-11.01.2009.6 G. Gnack, Jerzy Buzek: Ein Pole wird Europas wichtigster Parlamentarier, Die Wel rom

9.09.2009;EU-Parlament - Buzek ist neuer Prsident, sddeche Zeing rom 19.07.2009;

N. Be, EU-Parlamentsprsident: Pole Buzek mit groer Mehrheit gewhlt, frankrer Allgemeine

Zeing rom 14.07.2009;Pole Buzek ist Prsident des EU-Parlaments, Der tagepiegel rom 15.07

2009;Jerzy Buzek: Zeuge des Wandels, frankrer Rndcha rom 9.09.2009; Erstmals Pole Prsi-

dent des EU-Parlaments, ibidem. C.Lammert: Buzek ma niemieckie gosy [Buzek has German votes],Rzeczpopolia rom 17.06.2009.


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204 Bogdan Kozel

Polih declaraion o rebilding riendly relaion wih Germany received

a riendly repone in Berlin. Qickly a dicree r vii o W. Barozewki o

Berlin wa organized and i prepared he grond or he vii o Prime Minier

D. tk o he federal Repblic o Germany j beore he Eropean Concil m-mi in Libon.

the head o he Polih governmen arrived in Berlin on 11 December 2007

and hi meeing wih A. Merkel wa raher a ymbol o a new chaper opening in

he relaion wih Germany han i wa mean o bring olion o pecic prob-

lem. However, i canno be rled o ha he Polih ide coned on ome gere

rom he German governmen concerning he bilding o Viible sign he cenre

commemoraing explion aer World War II7. Poland ggeed inclding he

ie o explion in he exhibiion propoed by tk and he foreign Minier

R. sikorki. Alo a dieren approach wa expeced concerning he conrcion o

he norhern ga pipe-line, and cloing he ie o claim or compenaion o he

expellee by he German governmen aming nancial liabiliy i cor ond

ch claim legiimae. Alhogh hee maer were no diced he climae o he

meeing wa imporan a well a join agreemen abo he coninaion o alk

on he line beween Mocow-Waraw-Berlin concerning he ga pipe-line, reani-

maing he Weimar triangle, more nding or he Polih-German yoh exchange

programme and he eablihmen o he Polih-German science fondaion. the

Chancellor warmly welcomed he Polih iniiaive o bilding a mem o World

War II in Gdak and promied her help in creaing he mem. she again rejeced

any claim or compenaion rom Poland or lo propery led by he federaiono Expellee8.

Beore he meeing in Berlin on 10 December 2007 he German governmen

annonced ha, irrepecive o Polih inenion, he Cenre commemoraing expl-

ion wold be creaed in Berlin becae hi had been decided pon in he coaliion

agreemen wih he social Democra in 2005. According o he plan he cenre

wold have he orm o a ondaion bordinae o he preigio German Hiori-

cal Mem in Berlin, and i wold be nanced rom he cenral bdge. for 2008

1.2 million Ero were reerved or ha prpoe. the expoiion wold ake a i

bai he exhibiion which wa prepared wo year earlier in Bonn eniled, fligh,explion, inegraion. foreign hiorian wold have he ak o giving he expoi-

7 for a wider accon ee Z. Mazr, Centrum przeciwko Wypdzeniom (1999-2005) [Centre against

expulsions (1999-2005)],Pozna 2006.8 Tusks Antrittsbesuch: Merkel: Erinnerung an Vertreibungen bleibt in Berlin, frankrer Allge-

meine Zeing rom 12.12.2007; Merkel und Tusk auf Schnupperkurs, Der tagepiegel, rom

11.12.2007; P. flckiger, Tusks Zusammenprall mit Eisberg Merkel, Die Wel rom 12.12.2007;

C. Gmyz, P. Jendrozczyk, Warszawa Berlin: zblienie, ale bez przeomu [Warsaw - Berlin:coming

close but without a breakthrough], Rzeczpopolia rom 12.12.2007; B. t. Wieliki, Cieplej w Ber-linie [Warmer in Berlin], Gazea Wyborcza rom 13.12.2007.


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ion a more Eropean characer. thi olion wa acceped by sPD in he coaliion

governmen nder he condiion ha eablihing ch a cenre canno be provoca-

ion oward Poland and ha E. seinbach wold no paricipae in he projec9 .

When maer conneced wih bilding Viible sign ared o ake a more realhape on 5 febrary 2008 alk were held in Waraw and were kep in ecrecy be-

ween Minier Barozewki and he German secreary o sae in he Chancellor

Oce, Bernd Nemann, he governmen repreenaive or clre and he media.

the ocial commniq rom he meeing alked abo he imporance o an open

hiorical dialoge or Polih-German relaion and he need o nd ch orm

or i which wold avor hiorical rh and preven minderanding. I wa

decided ha on boh ide people rom governmenal poiion and rom onda-

ion who oppoe or aboage Polih-German cooperaion and reconciliaion wold

be removed rom heir poiion10. In he mo imporan qeion o bilding Vi-

ible sign Poland decided o mainain well-wihing neraliy. thi wa decided

aer rearance rom he German ide abo preening a air hiorical conex o

explion. Alhogh Poland did no inend any ormal paricipaion in he projec,

he paricipaion by Polih hiorian wa no exclded. Barozewki and Nemann

agreed o acivae cooperaion wihin he Eropean Nework Memory and solidar-

iy. An agreemen wa alo reached concerning he preparaion o a projec o bild

he Mem o War and Peace in he 20h cenry in Gdak, and concerning Ger-

man paricipaion in he renovaion o he commemoraive ie a Weerplae11.

A erie o riendly gere wa conined dring Angela Merkel hor vii

o Gdak on 16 Jne 2008. Prime Minier tk and Chancellor Merkel reachedagreemen wih regard o German ppor or he Eaern Parnerhip and decided

ha a qick raicaion o he treay o Libon wa neceary. the Polih ide came

in wih a propoal o bild he o-called Polih-German meeing cenre in Berlin.

I cold be bil on he ndeveloped ie in Berlin where he Polih embay wa

locaed beore WW II and which belong o Poland. the vale o he land wa e -

imaed a 6 million Ero and hi wold conie he Polih conribion o hi

nderaking. Alo he deciion abo Poland no paricipaing in he bilding projec

9 A. Kazimierczk, M. Mackiewicz, SPD: Upamitnienie wypdzonych nie moe by

prowokacj [Commemorating expellees cannot be a provocation], Gazea Wyborcza rom

5.11.2007; Gedenken an Vertreibungen. Scharfe Attacke, sddeche Zeing rom 21.8.2008.10 see inerview: W. BarozewkiPolacy i Niemcy. Starzy przyjaciele i modzi awanturnicy [Poles

and Germans. Old friends and young rebels], Gazea Wyborcza rom 13.08.2009.11 Polih-German alk concerning hiorical problem chaired by he secreary o sae, Pro. W.

Barozewki and he secreary o sae in he German Chancellor Oce Mr. Nemann, Waraw,

6.02.2008, Polih Embay in Berlin, hp://www.berlin .polemb. ne/ index. php? docmen=1029. C.

s, AKu, Wizyta Neumanna w Polsce. W tajemnicy o widocznym znaku [Neumanns visit to Po-

land. In secret about Visible Sign, Naz Dziennik 6.02.2008; Bartoszewski: Niemcy gotowi na

ustpstwa [Germans ready for concessions], Gazea Wyborcza rom 4.02.2008; P. semka, Utracona

cze Wadysawa B. [Lost esteem of Wadysaw B.]. Rzeczpopolia, rom 27.03.2009; Geschichte:Polen bleibt beim Nein zum Vertriebenenzentrum, Der spiegel rom 5.02.2008.


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206 Bogdan Kozel

o Viible sign wa pheld. Wih reerence o ha he head o he Polih govern -

men expreed hi hope ha Chancellor Merkel wold nd a good olion o op

E. seinbach paricipaion in he Viible sign projec and her deerminaion o

become a member o he execive board o he planned ondaion12

.On 3 sepember 2008 he German governmen adoped he projec o a reo-

lion which eablihed he ondaion called fligh, Explion, Reconciliaion

which wold govern he Viible sign mem bordinae o he Hiorical Me-

m in Berlin13. On 24 sepember, beore he projec wa paed on o he Bndeag

Chancellor Merkel arrived in Wrocaw where he received an honorary docorae

rom Wrocaw Polyechnic. On 9 Ocober Prime Minier tk paid a hor vii o

Berlin concerning Eu maer and a he beginning o December Minier sikorki

arrived or alk in he German capial14.

On 4 December 2008 beore he Polih Minier arrival he Bndeag wih

a mall nmber o MP had adoped he reolion eablihing he ondaion. the

projec wa paed mainly hank o he voe o he CDu/Csu acion and ome

liberal. An ocial objecion o he projec wa expreed by Lkrezia Jochimen on

behal o he Die Linke Pary and Karin Gring-Eckhard ahorized by he Green

Pary15.

the Execive Concil o he fondaion wa planned o coni o 13 member.

the member ex ofcio inclded he Preiden o he German Hiorical Mem

fondaion and he Preiden o he fondaion Hoe o he Hiory o he fed -

eral Repblic o Germany in Bonn. two member were he repreenaive o he

Bndeag wherea he foreign Oce, he Miniry o he Inerior and he govern-men repreenaive or clre and he media were o be repreened by one member

12 t h. urban,Merkel in Danzig, sddeche Zeing rom 16.06.2008; B.t. Wieliki,Merkel

u Tuska, czyli przyja w rozkwicie [Merkel visits Tusk, or friendship in full bloom], Gazea Wyborcza

rom 14.06.2008; by he ame ahor, Pielgnujmy normalno w stosunkach z Niemcami [Lets cherish

normality in relations with Germans], ibidem 17.06.2008.13 Regierngpreekonerenz vom 3. sepember 2008. Die Bnderegierng, hp://

www.bnderegierng. de/Conen/DE/Michri/Preekonerenzen/2008/09/2008-09-03-

regpk,layoVarian=Drckanich.hml; Bar, Widoczny znak do Bundestagu [Visible Sign

goes to the Bundestag], Gazea Wyborcza rom 4.08.2008; Beschluss fr Erinnerungssttte

Sichtbares Zeichen gegen die Vertreibung, sddeche Zeing rom 21.08.2008; Vertrie-

benenzentrum - Lob und freie Hand fr Steinbach, ibidem.14 P. Wroki, B. t. Wieliki, Stosunki z Niemcami do muzeum [Relations with Germans to mu-

seum], Gazea Wyborcza rom 6.12.2007.15 tex o he reolion in: R. formzewicz, Przyszy status prawny Widocznego Znaku. Rzdowy

projekt ustawy o utworzeniu Fundacji Niemieckie Muzeum Historyczne[Future legal status of the Vis-

ible Sign. The governmental project of the resolution about establishing the Foundation of the German

Historical Museum], Bileyn Iny Zachodniego, nr 3/2008, hp://www.iz.poznan.pl/new/56_

Bileyn%20IZ%20nr%203.%20Widoczny%20znak.1.pdf; singDeche Hioriche Mem.

04.12.2008. Bndni 90/Die Grnen. Bndeagrakion hp://doc.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache

:da9ox0cXQJ:www.grene-bndeag.de/cm/ bndeagreden/dok/261/261137.ing_deche_hioriche_mem.pd+ichbare+zeichen+in+Bndeag&hl=pl&gl=pl.


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each. the federaion o Expellee and he religio denominaion (he Evangeli-

cal chrch, he Caholic chrch and he Cenral Concil o Jew in Germany) were

o be repreened by 3 member each. A scienic Concil wa o be eablihed

coniing o 9 member and i wold inclde invied hiorian rom Germany,Poland, he Czech Repblic and Hngary. the co o bilding he mem wa

eimaed a ca. 29 million Ero and i annal mainenance wa eimaed a 2.4

million Ero.

Beyond dob he increaed aciviy o Polih diplomacy demonraed in he

econd hal o 2008 aimed a creaing a riendly climae beore he debae in he

Bndeag concerning he Viible ign projec a well a a providing ppor or

Chancellor Merkel in her eor o preven E. seinbach rom having inence on

he hape o he projec. Alhogh wo week aer he reolion wa paed in he

Bndeag seinbach herel applied o be a member o he execive managemen

o he ondaion, German ing condenial channel aked Waraw or rerain

and implied ha hey will keep o he prior arrangemen.

the qeion o he people who were o repreen he federaion o Expel-

lee in he Execive Concil o he fligh, Explion, Reconciliaion fonda-

ion caed a erio pheaval in 2009 on he Waraw-Berlin line. A early a in

April 2008 he federaion o Expellee (BdV) decided ha i will be repreened by

E. seinbach in he Execive Concil o he re ondaion, and in early 2009

he Preiding Board oBdVnanimoly nominaed hree candidae o he re

Concil o he ondaion. Apar rom E. seinbach he li inclded wo depy

preiden oBdV: Chriian Knaer, a poliician rom he Bavarian Csu and Al-brech schlaeger, a poliician rom he Bavarian sPD. their and-in replacemen

repreenaive were alo nominaed. the propec o E. seinbach nominaion

and breaking he genlemen agreemen wih B. Nemann wa regarded by Min-

ier W. Barozewki a erio indecency a i wold be comparable o he

Vaican nominaing he Leebvre bihop Richard Williamon, a Holoca denier,

o be i repreenaive or mainaining relaion wih Irael. the Minier warned

ha he poenial nominaion or E. seinbach o he Execive Concil o he on-

daion devoed o explion wold have a derimenal eec on Polih-German

relaion and wold redce he nmber o 20 join projec planned or hi year.

Oher Polih orce ing diplomaic channel were ppoed o inorm Berlin

ha i he nominaion did happen W. Barozewki cold reign rom hi oce

a he secreary o sae in he Prime Minier Oce reponible or relaion

wih Germany, and hi wold have wide repercion in he federal Repblic o

Germany and in Erope16.

16 J. Bielecki,Bartoszewski: Albo ja, albo Steinbach [Bartoszewski: its either me or Steinbach],

Dziennik 16.02.2009; P. Jendrozczyk, Bartoszewski ostrzega Berlin [Bartoszewski warns Berlin],

Rzeczpopolia rom 15.02.2009;BdV: Polska szantauje rzd federalny [BdV: Poland blackmails theFederal government], ibidem rom 17.02.2009; P. semka,Nominacja Steinbach obrazi Polakw [Nomi-


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208 Bogdan Kozel

the reacion on he Polih ide wa deciive and harp wih W. Barozewki

ping all hi ahoriy o ip he cale. unornaely, he climax o he aair in-

volving E. seinbach happened on 13 febrary 2009 when Minier R. sikorki

delivered in he sejm (lower hoe o he Polih Parliamen) hi expos, in which hedevoed a lo o aenion o reinaed good neighborly relaion wih Germany.

He reed many ime ha Germany i or key ally and parner in he Eu and in

NAtO who appreciae he Polih conribion oward renghening he piri o

inegraion and bilding a commniy o he weern world. the Minier did no

hide he ac ha here are ill many dipable problem; Neverhele he join

Polih and German ene o reponibiliy or he re o he Eropean union i

more imporan. the cooperaion beween Poland and Germany conrm ha we

hold remember abo he pa b we hold co-conrc he re bearing in

mind or naional and commniy inere17.

When on 16 febrary 2009 Minier W. Barozewki ravelled o Berlin o con-

vince Chancellor Merkel o rejec E. seinbach candidacy, he Preiding Board o

BdVoraged by he Polih reacion pblihed heir nominaion planning in hi

way o p prere on he Chancellor, who wa allegedly going o be blackmailed

by he governmen in Waraw18. Beore W. Barozewki vii E. seinbach me

Chancellor A. Merkel and Preiden H. Khler wihin pary conlaion and he

ocially inormed hem abo he deciion made by he federaion o Expellee.

Chancellor Merkel ollowing alk wih he Polih repreenaive ond herel in

a very awkward iaion and decided o popone he deciion concerning eablih-

ing he concil o he ondaion fligh, Explion, Reconciliaion nil 2010 oreven 2011, o ha he ie wold no become a opic o he campaign beore he

parliamenary elecion in sepember. W. Barozewki wa appeaed when he le

aer he meeing19.

In he ace o he oncoming elecion o he Bndeag he qeion o nomi-

naion or E. seinbach divided poliical commniie and German pblic opinion.

A i wa o be expeced ppor or her came rom he commniy o he Ex-

pellee, Csu, par o he righ-wing o CDu and he opinion-orming oh-Ger-

man newpaper sddeche Zeing. Opinion were voiced ha he Chancellor

hold no ccmb o he Polih aemp a blackmail. theBdVhreaened wih

nation for Steibach will offend Poles], Rzeczpopolia rom 15.02.2009; Bar, Steinbach w widocz-

nym znaku? [Steinbach in Visible Sign?], Gazea Wyborcza 2.01.2009.17 Inormaion rom he Minier o foreign Aair Mr Radoaw sikorki concerning ak or

Polih oreign policy in 2009, hp://www.mz. gov.pl/ Inormacja, Minira,spraw,Zagranicznych,25

358.hml18 Umstrittene Entscheidung. Vertriebene nominieren Steinbach fr Stiftungsrat, Die Wel rom

17.02.2009; G. Gnack nd A. Grain, Vertriebenen-Stiftung:Deutsch-polnische Spannungen wegen

Steinbach, ibidem19Kanclerz Niemiec ustpia Bartoszewskiemu? [German Chancellor gave way to Bartoszewski?],

Dziennik rom 16.02.2009; P. Jendrozczyk, Steinbach bdzie musiaa poczeka na nominacj [Stein-bach will have to wait for nomination], Rzeczpopolia rom 17.02.2009.


9/28


boycoing he enire projec and he arge o i harp aack oced on he sPD

and f.-W. seinmeier20. the Preiden o he Bndeag, Norber Lamber poke o

demonizing E. seinbach by Polih pblic opinion. Jrg schnbohm, he Mini-

er o he Inerior o Brandenbrg expeced ha he Chancellor wold deend Mseinbach, Ronald Poalla, he secreary General o he CDu ared ll olidariy

o he CDu wih he head o heBdVand conidered ha grea harm wa being

done o her. On he oher hand, Chriian Wl , Prime Minier o Lower saxony

wa araid ha he lack o nominaion or E. seinbach will only renghen he radi-

cal Righ in Germany. Many ahoriie became engaged in deending her inclding

a well known German wrier o Jewih origin, Ralph Giordano and he Preiden o

he German Bihop Conerence, Archbihop Rober Zollich, whoe liking or he

radical romBdVwa dicl o conceive o21. Berhold Kohler wroe in hi edio-

rial commenary o he daily frankrer Allgemeine Zeing criicizing he Polih

exaggeraed reacion,

Poland, or highly appreciaed parner made he cae o E. seinbach, an inignican ym-

bolic characer o be a lim paper or he ae o reconciliaion and a ochone or remli-aceed relaion. Waraw preened Berlin wih an alernaive which m have onded

ridiclo, b which wa reaed by Poland wih exreme erione. I wa: Erika seinbach or

() he old Polih phobia again aw he dayligh. the German wih heir projec are rying o

change rom he role o clpri ino he role o vicim, and o make Pole naware o he gil he

only criminal. Wha i being aid abo M seinbach in Poland and abo wha ha never been

qeioned in Berlin i pre nonene.

Neverhele, anoher jornali, Angar Graw rom Die Wel, righly ob-

erved ha he dipe abo he Cenre i no only abo peronal deail. I i

abo he validiy o he concepion and abo he qeion wheher i i poible o

h o rom he enire hmaniarian caarophe only i one par22.

On 27 febrary 2009, ha i wo day beore he planned Eu mmi in Brel

he leader o boh conrie me in Hambrg. the main opic inclded economic

ie and combaing he crii. Conrary o he expecaion he irriable qeion

20 Steinbach attackiert Auenminister Steinmeier, Die Wel rom 24.02.2009; SPD fnde Stein-

bach im Stiftungsrat inakzeptabel,ibidem; Rozalona Steinbach krytykuje Steinmeiera [Embit-

tered Steinbach criticizes Steinmeier, Rzeczpopolia rom 24.02.2009; P. Jendrozczyk, Steinbach

atakuje szefa niemieckiej dyplomacji [Steinbach attacks the head of German diplomacy], ibidem rom

25.02.2009; M. Kamann, Drohung der Sudetendeutschen. Entweder mit Steinbach oder gar nicht,

Die Wel rom 23.02.2009; Steinbach SPD hat Polen gegen mich aufgehetzt, ibidem rom

25.02.2009.21 M. La , CDU stellt sich hinter Erika Steinbach, Die Wel rom 3.03.2009; K. schler, Streit

mit Polen: CDU verteidigt Steinbach, Die Zei rom 3.03.2009; Vertriebene: Lammert kritisiert D-

monisierung Erika Steinbachs, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing rom 1.03.2009.22 B. Kohler, Causa Steinbach. Die alte polnische Phobie, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing rom

2.03.2009; A. Grain, Streit um Vertriebenenzentrum: Fr Polen geht es um mehr als nur um Steinbach,Die Wel rom 26.02.2009;


10/28

210 Bogdan Kozel

o E. seinbach nominaion o he Concil o he re ondaion wa no raied.

A day beore he meeing Chancellor Merkel dring a meeing wih oreign corre-

ponden in Berlin inormed ha he inended o wai beore he make he deciion

concerning he eablihmen o he ondaion nil he righ momen and hahe waned o nd an amicable olion o he problem. Dring a ormal banqe

in Hambrg ciy hall A. Merkel added ha he Polih-German relaion are cloe

o her hear and he criical ie which we have o olve will no have any im-

pac on her aide. the Polih Prime Minier made a aemen in a imilar one

beore hi deparre, and he aid ha he wa no going o raie he German inernal

maer and ared ha on hi par here wold be no expecaion concerning he

ie. However, in an inerview given o he daily financial time Dechland

he openly admied ha he cold no imagine a olion according o he BdV con-

cepion, which wold brden he good bilaeral relaion in which he had inveed

hi enire ahoriy23.

On 3 March 2009 alk were held beween Chancellor A. Merkel and he vice-

chancellor and he minier o foreign Aair, f.-W. seinmeier concerning he ie

o he appoinmen o peronnel or he ondaion. the sPD poliician inied on

making a qick deciion and ha wa wha happened. On he ame day he Chan-

cellor Oce releaed inormaion abo he reignaion o E. seinbach rom he

poiion o he ondaion Execive Concil member. two day laer a aemen

by he federaion o Expellee wa releaed inorming abo he emporary reig-

naion o E. seibach which wa made o exclde he poibiliy o he enire projec

being blocked, and in coneqence no o give he opponen o he projec a reaonor needle aiacion. One o he place in he Concil o he ondaion mean

or heBdVwa o remain vacan24.

the ormal conclion o he Polih-German dipe wih E. seinbach in he

main par caed a lo o conrovery in Germany, and in Poland i wa received

wih moderae aiacion. the pokeperon or Chancellor Merkel annonced ha

he acceped he deciion o he federaion wih repec and recogniion, hogh

cerainly he harp diviion in he CDu beore he elecion campaign o he Bn-

deag did no i her in he lea. Alo he head o he German foreign Oce

f.-W. seinmeier amed a imilar poiion aing ha he commemoraion o ex-

plion m be realized in he piri o reconciliaion and nderanding wih Po-

23 f. Kellermann, N. fichner, Tusk fordert Rckzug Steinbachs, financial time Dechland

rom 27.02.2009; Treffen Merkel/Tusk Eine wirkliche Herzensangelegenheit, sddeche Zeing

rom 27 .02. 2009; Treffen in Hamburg. Merkel und Tusk schweigen zu Streit um Steinbach , Die Wel

rom 27.02.2009; Streit um Vertriebenenzentrum: Polens Premier fordert indirekt Rckzug Steinbachs,

Der spiegel rom 1.3.2009; P. Jendrozczyk, O Steinbach krtko [About Steinbach in brief], Rzecz-

popolia rom 28.02.2009; B. t. Wieliki, Tusk z Merkel na wieczerzy w. Macieja [Tusk with Merkel

at the supper of St. Mathew], Gazea Wyborcza rom 28.02. 2009. C. s. Dierich, Erika Steinbach:

Polnisches Feindbild, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing rom 1.03.2009; Vertriebenenzentrum: Merkel

vertrstet Polen in Steinbach-Konikt, Der spiegel 27.02.2009.24 tex:Die Erklrung des BdV, Die Wel rom 5.03.2009;


11/28


land a an imporan parner, and he ep aken by heBdVopen he way oward

i. the deciion wa no acceped by he Csu whoe leader, Hor seehoer awarded

E. seinbach wih he Bavarian Cro o Meri or her brave aide. the sdeen

German Landmanncha gave he Chancellor ime nil he end o he year o llhe vacancy in he ondaion Concil wih M seinbach, or oherwie i hreaened

wih reigning rom he cooperaion in he execion o he projec commemoraing

explion. the head o he federaion o Expellee herel wa making i clear

ha her reignaion wa emporary25.

In Poland Prime Minier D. tk conclded ha good and compoed work

done by Wadyaw Barozewki ha brogh eec. the deciion wa acceped

in a poiive way by he oppoiion Pis. the Pis leader, J. Kaczyki wa happy wih

he new ha E. seinbach wold no i in he Concil o Viible sign b he wa

concerned ha he mem wold be a all creaed. from he Polih poin o view i

wa ppoed o be naccepable a i wold qeion he moral righ o Pole o he

weern and norhern area26.

Wiho going ino deail i i poible o ay ha rom a wider perpecive he

ie o he dipe, very mch pblicized in he media o boh conrie, concerning

he nominaion o E. seinbach wa only a acical cce b a raegic ailre or

Poland. Waraw de facto reored o blackmail (eiher or seinbach) and he heavi-

e cannon were wheeled o ogeher wih a hrea o reezing he bilaeral coopera-

ion, and all hi happened in he year o commemoraing 70 year ince he obreak

o World War II, and 20 year ince he collape o commnim in Erope. the im-

age o W. Barozewki in Germany wa compromied and now he ared o be per-ceived a an ncompromiing poliician, eaily giving in o emoion, who oended

E. seinbach wih word ch a ani-Pole, or blond bea, and who called her

deender ool27. the crii gave E. seinbach op poplariy in Germany. Jor-

nali were compeing or inerview wih her, he wa a reqen ge on elevi-

ion alk how. the Chriian Democra poliician poke o he grea and repec -

25 Seehofer will Steinbachs Rckzug nicht hinnehmen, Die Wel rom 5.03.2009; Streit um Stein-

bach. Sudetendeutsche drohen mit Konsequenzen, sddeche Zeing rom 1.03.2009; Freude in

Polen, Bedauern bei der CSU. Steinbach zieht zurck, ibidem rom 4.03.2009; Zentrum gegen Ver-

treibungen. Sudetendeutsche drohen mit Ausstieg, Die Wel rom 5.03.2009; Steinbach-Eklat: Sude-

tendeutsche setzen Regierung Frist, frankrer Rndcha, rom 5.03.2009; B. t. Wieliki, Erika

Steinbach kontratakuje [Erika Steinbach in counterattack], Gazea Wyborcza rom 9.03.2009.26 K. Kolenda-Zaleka, Wielki szacunek dla pani kanclerz [Huge respect for Lady Chancellor],

Gazea Wyborcza rom 11.03.2009; B. t. Wieliki, Steinbach dzikujemy [No, thank you to Stein-

bach], ibidem rom 5.03.2009. C. K. Krohn, Warschau quittiert Steinbach-Rckzug mit Erleichterung,

frankrer Rndcha rom 5.03.2009.27 K. schller, Neue Tne zu Frau Steinbach: Nebenwirkungen einer Erpressung, frankrer

Allgemeine Zeing rom 6.03.2009; Steinbach verzichtet: Bedauerliche Folge eines Kesseltreibens,

ibidem rom 10.03. 2009; Vertriebenenstreit. Was zwischen Deutschen und Polen schief luft, Die

Wel 6.03.2009; Bartoszewski: Steinbach dla Polski jest jak antysemita dla Izraela [Bartoszewski:Steinbach for Poland is like anti-Semite for Israel], Gazea Wyborcza rom 5.03.2009.


12/28

212 Bogdan Kozel

l deed o M seinbach, namely her emporary reignaion rom aking a poiion

in he Execive Concil o he ondaion. Aer he reignaion her poiion wa

improved in heBdVcommniy and in her own pary. In he eimaion o German

commenaor he wa in a cla o her own by reigning rom her lie work inhe name o reconciliaion and good relaion wih he eaern neighbor28.

there i no dob ha he dipe wa o a large exen abo preige a well a

a rel o a remendo prere rom he oppoiion Pis exered on he governmen

o D. tk. the oppoiion made he ie o Polih-German relaion he leading

heme o heir propaganda campaign, and in he year 2005-2007 he ani-German

mood wa in ll wing. In realiy, he rcre o he ondaion fligh, Explion,

Reconciliaion, i legal anding and he manner o appoining member o he Ex-

ecive Concil garaneed ha i ncioning will no have a reviioni characer.

Beide, the federaion o Expellee had only 3 voe in he ondaion Execive

Concil o 13 member, and h i cold be eaily ovoed.

Conrary o he expecaion he reignaion o E. seinbach did no calm down

he mood. On 8 March an open leer rom N. Lammer, he Preiden o he Bn -

deag o W. Barozewki wa pblihed imlaneoly in wo paper, sdde-

che Zeing and Gazea Wyborcza. the leer acced he Polih media o crea-

ing a ale image o E. seinbach. she i cerainly no a air-haired bea. the leer

alked abo he high regard or her incere and credible engagemen or he cae o

remembrance and reconciliaion, epecially in he Polih-German relaion. the lan-

gage ed by Minier W. Barozewki oward E. seinbach and he people who

ppor her wa conidered naccepable in a democraic debae. the ahor akeda rheorical qeion wheher hey all inclding he Preiden o he Bndeag, and

he high-rank MP rom he Bndeag, Prime Minier o he Land, he CDu sec-

reary General, he Preiden o he German Epicopae are inane?29.

In he reply, which wa alo made pblic in he media, W. Barozewki ex-

preed hi aonihmen caed by boh he conen o he Preiden leer and he

orm in which i wa pblicized. the Minier expreed hi regre ha N. Lammer

aached o mch imporance o hi inerview and o word which were reqenly

aken o o conex, alhogh he did no deny ha hey were no alway in line wih

diplomaically balanced aemen. He qoed many example a evidence or he

ani-Polih aide o E. seinbach, who nderand reconciliaion beween or

Naion in a very pecliar way. He alo menioned hi role in he proce o Polih-

German reconciliaion. the leer nihed wih a rong noe ha only he rh can

lead o reponible, healhy and hone relaion beween or Naion. the rh m

be he ondaion o or relaion. thi i he condiion or condcing a incere dia-

28 A. Graw, Souverner Rckzug, Die Wel rom 5.03.2009; M. Wolohn,Erika Steinbach hat

Respekt und Dank verdient, ibidem; P. Caren, Steinbach Anerkennung durch Verzicht, frankrer

Agemeine Zeing rom 6.03.2009.

29 Przewodniczcy Bndeag Norber Lammer: Ceni Erik seinbach [President of the Bun-destag Norbert Lammert: I value Erika Steinbach], Gazea Wyborcza rom 8.03.2009.


13/28


loge. Wih mch regre I have o ay ha he recen even howed a lack o relevan

diance and hmiliy oward or hared hiory on he par o ome repreenaive

o he federal Repblic o Germany30.

A he beginning o April he Concil o he remembrance mem Viible signwa appoined and on 13 May i wa ormally conied and began i aciviy. the

iniion wa o be governed or he period o ve year by he concil coniing

o 12 member headed by Angelika schwall-Dren, an sPD MP and he Preiden o

he Polih-German sociey and, or he ake o balance, by Jochen-Konrad fromme,

a CDu MP criical oward Poland. the oher member o he Concil inclded,

among oher, B. Nemann (CDu), Minier or Clre and Gner Gloer (sPD),

he depy foreign Minier. the Evangelical Chrch wa o be repreened by Dr.

Pera Bahr, and he Caholic Chrch by Han-Jochen Jachke, he axiliary bihop

o Hambrg. the Jewih commniy wa o be repreened by Pro. salomon Korn,

Vice Preiden o he Cenral Concil o Jew, who i repeced in Germany and

whoe paren lived in Poland beore he war. According o he prior arrangemen

he federaion o Expellee wa repreened by Ch. Knaer and A. schlger. In early

Jly Pro. Manred Kiel, a proeional hiorian rom he Inie o Conempo-

rary Hiory in Mnich wa eleced Direcor. the scienic Concil conied o

even German cholar, wo hiorian rom he Czech Repblic and Hngary, and

Pro. tomaz szaroa rom he Polih Academy o science in Waraw31.

the conrovery arond Viible sign had a rong impac on he widely pb-

licized appeal ied by he CDu and Csu parie on 25 May beore he elecion

o he Eropean Parliamen. German Chriian Democra polaed ha explionhold be condemned on he inernaional level and ha he righ o reedom o

eling binding in Erope hold gran he expellee he righ o heir homeland er-

riorie. Alhogh i wa clearly viible ha he docmen wa an aemp o arac

he mo conervaive elecorae and a kind o graicaion or he conceion on he

par oBdVconcerning he nominaion o E. seinbach o he Concil o he fon-

daion fligh, Explion, Reconciliaion, i neverhele caed heaed debae in

Poland. the head o Pis, J. Kaczyki dring an elecion rally in szczecin in harh

word aed ha he ani-Polih and ani-Eropean manieo by he CDu/Csu

i an open appeal o review he border and make Poland ino a rbbih bin. In

a pecial leer o Prime Minier D. tk he ggeed ha PO hold ep o rom

30 Reply o Minier W. Barozewki o he leer by Preiden o he Bndeag Pro. N. Lammer,

Waraw, 10 March 2009. Oce o he Repreenaive o he Prime Minier or Inernaional Dialoge.

Prime Minier Oce, hp://www.bpdm.kprm.gov.pl/akalnoci.php?id=9&look=59.31Historiker fhrt Vertriebenen-Stiftung Die Stiftung Flucht, Vertreibung, Vershnung, Der ta-

gepiegel rom 3.07.2009; P. Jendrozczyk, Niemiecki historyk modej generacji Manfred Kittel zosta

dyrektorem tworzonego w Berlinie muzeum niemieckich wysiedlonych [German new generation histo-

rian, Manfred Kittel appointed director of the museum against expulsions created in Berlin], Rzeczpo-

polia rom 8.07.2009; B. t. Wieliki,Niemcy powoali rad Widocznego Znaku [Germans appointedthe Council of Visible Sign], Gazea Wyborcza rom 9.04.2009.


14/28

214 Bogdan Kozel

he Eropean People Pary (EPP) which gaher Eropean Chriian democraic

parie. Preiden L. Kaczyki Oce expeced rom he governmen a calm b

deciive reacion32.

undobedly, or D. tk and he rling coaliion he manieo o he GermanChriian Democra wa an npleaan rprie becae i inrodced a ri and

a dionance ino he Polih-German dialoge which wa being rebil wih di-

cly. Wih a lo o el-rerain he Prime Minier aed ha he aide o he

Polih governmen concerning explion aer WW II i well known: Polih people

condemn explion b i i he German ae which i o blame or hem. He ad -

mied ha in hi opinion he expreion coming oday () rom ome German

commniie can cae a eeling o diae. the Civic Plaorm amed ha on

he par o Pis he ie i ed o raie opinion poll raing howing ppor or he

pary a he price o creaing conic in inernaional relaion. I wa poined

o ha he whole aair ha o be reaed realiically a a par o a propaganda

campaign beore he elecion o he Eropean Parliamen33.

the ie o appoinmen or he concil o he fondaion fligh, Explion,

Reconciliaion revived again in he middle o 2009, and i wa conneced wih

he elecion campaign o he Bndeag. there were conroverial and ambigo

proviion in he ocial docmen, which wa he elecion plaorm o he union

parie a well a he projec o he work or he re governmen in he year

2009-2013. Namely, conrary o he earlier Polih-German arrangemen, i wa

clearly aed in he docmen ha he objecive o he fondaion fligh, Expl-

ion, Reconciliaion wa docmening he ae o exclively German expelleeand a he ame ime erving he rh, bilding bridge and promoing nderand-

ing among naion. the CDu and Csu poined o ha he aociaion o expel-

lee hold decide abo he paricipaion o heir repreenaive in he Concil o

he fondaion. In he opinion o he weekly Der spiegel hi wa encoraging

or E. seinbach and wa leaving he ie o her appoinmen or he concil o he

fondaion ill open34.

32Niemieccy chadecy chc potpienia wysiedle [German Christian Democrats want condemna-

tion of expulsions], Gazea Wyborcza rom 25.05.2009; Jak kampania, to PiS bije Niemca [When

campaigning PiS hits Germans], ibidem rom 28.05.2009; P. Wroki, Bar, PiS Niemca si chwyta

[PiS clutches at Germans], ibidem;Europa-Wahlen: Polens Nationalkonservative wettern gegen CDU

und CSU, Der spiegel rom 26.05.2009; K. schller,Angriff an der deutschen Flanke, frankrer

Allgemeine Zeing rom 28.05. 2009.33PO: Obkacza polityka Jarosawa Kaczyskiego [PO: The insane politics of J. Kaczyski],

Rzeczpopolia rom 28.05.2009;Borusewicz: Odezwa niemieckich partii chadeckich to cz kam-

panii przedwyborczej [Manifesto by the German Christian Democrats as a part of their election cam-

paign], Gazea Wyborcza rom 28.05.2009; P. Wroki, Co Kaczyscy by robili bez wypdzonych

[What would Kaczyskis do without the expellees], ibidem rom 27.05.2009.34 Wir haben Kra gemeinam r ner Land. Regierngprogramm2009-2013,Berlin 28.Jni

2009, p. 59, hp: //www .cd.de/doc/pdc/090628-bechl-regierngprogramm-cdc.pd; CSU frSteinbach, Der spiegel rom 25.05.2009


15/28


the elecion calendar inclded alo he paricipaion o Chancellor Merkel in

he annal Day o Homeland terriory organized by he federaion o Expellee

on 22 Ag 2009 in Berlin. the Chancellor in her hor addre o he parici-

pan promied o be eniive o he voice rom he neighboring conrie. shehanked E. seinbach and he German homeland aociaion or heir commimen

o cherih hiory and, a he ame ime, he added ha German do no endeavor

o dior hiory. she emphaized ha explion were a direc coneqence o

he crime o Naional socialim and World War II. We accep reponibiliy or

ha dark chaper o or pa. she highlighed ha he hiory o explion i

a par o he German naional ideniy and collecive memory. the leader oBdV

hanked A. Merkel or her eor oward creaing in Berlin he mem and doc-

menaion cenre, fligh, Explion, Reconciliaion b he le no dob ha

he horror o Naional sociali rle over Erope canno be overed o jiy

ma explion. she alo expreed her aiacion rom he ac ha he CDu

and Csu conrmed in heir elecion manieo ha he federaion o Expellee

ha he righ o ake an independen deciion concerning heir repreenaive o

he Concil o he fondaion devoed o explion. she wa appladed when he

added ha, i i no abo me b abo he reedom in hi conry and ing

one democraic righ. thi i wha we will no allow o be aken away rom

eiher a home or abroad. E. seinbach made i clear ha he expec ha aer he

sepember elecion and a change o he rling coaliion in Germany he wold be

able o ake her ea in he Concil o he fondaion35.

undobedly, Chancellor Merkel had o do poliical pli, a he German prewroe, o ha, on he one hand he conervaive elecorae conneced wih BdV

and eimaed a 2-4% o he oal nmber o voer wold be aied, and on he

oher hand, no o deeriorae relaion wih Poland, which he wa going o vii

on 1 sepember or he commemoraion even on 70 year ince he obreak o

World War II. she nderlined he conribion made by E. seinbach or he home-

land aociaion b he alo did no make any promie o changing her poiion

concerning he appoinmen or he Concil o he fondaion fligh, Explion,

Reconciliaion36.

35 R. Birnbam, Szenen einer Wiedervereinigung, Der tagepiegel rom 23.08.2009; Tag der

Heimat: Vertriebenen-Prsidentin Steinbach: Es geht nicht um mich, frankrer Allgemeine Zei-

ng rom 23.08.2009;36 Ph. Wirock, Merkel drckt sich um klares Bekenntnis zu Steinbach, Der spiegel rom

22.08.2009;Merkel: nie chcemy rozdrapywa ran [Merkel: We do not want to scratch wounds], Rzecz-

popolia rom 22.08.2009; Steinbach: Co czwarta niemiecka rodzina to wypdzeni. Merkel: Dzikuj

zwizkowi za prac[Steinbach: Every fourth German family are expellees. Merkel: I thank the Federa-

tion for their work], Gazea Wyborcza rom 22.08.2009; B. t. Wieliki, Wypdzeni bez kw [Expel-lees without fangs], ibidem rom 24.08.2009.


16/28

216 Bogdan Kozel

IN tHE EuROPEAN uNION

the parliamenary elecion in Poland in Ocober 2007 and he elecion o he

new governmen o D. tk coincided wih he period o nal age o work onhe treay o Libon and cloing he dicion abo he Charer o fndamenal

Righ. On 12 December he Charer wa ocially igned in Libon, and he day

aer he Reorm treay came ino eec which inrodced hge change in he

ncioning o he Eropean union and i iniion37.

In Poland Pis declared ha i wold no accep he reay in i preen orm

and negoiaion ared wih he Civic Plaorm (PO) concerning he condiion o

raicaion. the idea o having a reerendm wa rled o and i wa agreed wih J.

Kaczyki ha D. tk governmen wold accep he Reorm treay wih he Bri-

ih proocol (opt-out) which exclded he applicaion o he Charer o fndamenal

Righ in Poland. Addiionally, Pis demanded a garanee ha ome proviion ohe reay (mechanim rom Joanina, opt outwih reerence o he Charer o fnda-

menal Righ) cold only be lied wih he conen o he lower (sejm) and pper

hoe (senae) o he Polih parliamen. thee reervaion were wrien down in he

ex o he reolion adoped by he sejm on 1 April 2008 beore he raicaion o

he reay. Bringing he treay o Libon ino orce wa ppored by 384 MP wih

56 again, mainly rom he Pis clb. On 8 April he treay o Libon wa adoped

by he senae38.

On 24 April 2008 he treay o Libon wa raied by he Bndeag wih a deci-

ive majoriy o voe, and on 23 May he ame wa done in he Bndera. However,direcly aer he voing, Peer Gaweiler, a poliician rom he Bavarian Csu chal-

lenged he new reay and applied o he Coniional tribnal in Karlrhe o have

i rled nconiional claiming ha he docmen i ndemocraic and ndermine

he role o naional parliamen39.

Preiden H. Khler approved he conen o he treay o Libon b, according

o he earlier annoncemen, he abained rom igning he raicaion docmen n-

il he rling o he Coniional tribnal. the maer wa rher complicaed when

in Janary 2009 he tribnal received rher complain concerning he raicaion

37 Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on the European Union and the Treaty establishing the Eu-

ropean Community signed in Lisbon on 13 December 2007, Ocial Jornal o he Eropean union,C

306 , 17 December 2007 hp://er-lex.eropa.e/JOHml.do?ri=OJ:C:2007:306:sOM:PL:HtML.38 Sejm za ratykacj traktatu lizboskiego [Sejm for the ratication of the Treaty of Lisbon]

,Rzeczpopilia rom 2.04.2008; Sejm za ratykacj traktatu lizboskiego [Sejm for the ratication

of the Treaty of Lisbon] , Dziennik rom 1.04.2008; see Stenographic record from the 8th session of

the Senate of the Republic of Poland, 7th term 2 April 2008, hp://www.ena.gov.pl/k7/e/index.hm.

tex o he sejm reolion, Rzeczpopolia rom 2.04.2008; Polnisches Parlament ratiziert EU-

Reformvertrag, Die Wel rom 1.04.2008.39 J. fahrn, Bundesrat: Die rot-rote Koalition pokert um den EU-Vertrag, Die Wel rom

22.05.2009; Bundesrat za ratykacj Traktatu Lizboskieg [Bundesrat for ratication of the Treaty ofLisbon], Gazea Wyborcza rom 23.05.2008.


17/28


o he treay o Libon rom Dieer spehmann, he ormer head o he thyen AG

concern, rom franz Ldwig gra saenberg, ormer Csu Ero MP, rom Joachim

sarbay, economic exper, and rom Mark Kerber, Berlin proeor o law. they

acced he governmen ha by raiying he treay o Libon i will breach he con-iion by creaing a hrea o cal abiliy. they claimed ha in he Eu he sabil-

iy and Growh Pac i conanly breached, he Eropean commiion rangree

i compeencie and he diviion o power i no ranparen enogh40.

A erio crii in he Eropean union wa revealed on 12 Jne 2008 when

ollowing a reerendm in Ireland he reay wa rejeced (53.4% voe again and

46.7% or), and he Ero cepic Czech preiden, Vaclav Kla made a pblic ae-

men ha he wold no ign he raicaion docmen. In he above circmance

he aide o Preiden L. Kaczyki became more reerved, alhogh in he par-

liamenary debae over he raicaion he had made poiive commen abo he

reay in he conecive monh he conienly mainained ha he will o he Irih

hold be repeced and he did no ign he raicaion docmen. thi aide wa

received wih moderae criicim in Germany a German poliician were aware o

he awkwardne o he iaion reling rom he conroverie arond he treay

o Libon in heir own conry41.

On 30 Jne 2009 he federal Coniional tribnal in Karlrhe gave a rling

which aed ha he treay o Libon i compaible wih he German Coniion.

I alo added ha i i indipenable o renghen he role o he naional parlia-

men. According o he rling he Bndeag will have o give conen or making

he Eu legilaion eecive each ime on he erriory o Germany, epecially wihinhe cope o penal law and oreign miion o he Bndewehr. the jdge alo

expreed heir concern ha he developing proce o aking over compeencie by

Eu bodie wold limi he cope o German overeigny.

Chancellor Angela Merkel aid ha dring he nex Eu mmi he wold in-

orm oher member ae ha Germany i bond by he rling o he Coniional

tribnal concerning he new Eu reay42.

A he early age o he governmen nder D. tk preparaion were com-

pleed or Poland o ener he schengen zone. A nigh on 20-21 December 2007 he

40Bundesverfassungsgericht: Karlsruhe verhandelt zwei Tage ber Lissabon-Vertrag, frankrer

Allgemeine Zeing rom 17.01.2009; H. Weng, Lissabon-Vertrag: Verfassungsgericht lsst Skepsis

erkennen, Die Zei rom 10.02.2009.41 Rare excepion ee Polen: Kaczynski will sich auf Kosten Europas prolieren, Wel rom

19.07.2008.42Lissabon-Vertrag: Bundestag billigt EU-Begleitgesetze, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing

rom 9.09.2009;Ja zu Begleitgesetzen: Bundestag macht Weg fr EU-Vertrag frei, Der spiegel rom8.09.2009 ; W. Lorenz,Niemcy boj si konsekwencji traktatu lizboskiego [Germans are afraid of the

consequences of the Treaty of Lisbon], Rzeczpopolia rom 9.09.2009; Niemcy. Bundestag przyj

ustawy kompetencyjne [Bundestag adopted the resolution about competence] , Gazea Wyborcza rom

8.09.2009; bar.Niemcy zrobiy krok bliej Lizbony [Germany made a step towards Lisbon], ibidem rom9.09.2009.


18/28

218 Bogdan Kozel

border croing barrier were lied on Poland weern and ohern border, a

well a on he border wih Lihania. Prime Minier Donald tk and Chancellor

A. Merkel in he preence o he Czech Prime Minier, Mirek topolanek, he Prime

Minier o Porgal, Jo sokrae, he Preiden o he Eropean Commiion,Jo Manel Barroo, a well a he Minier o he Inerior o Poland, Czech Re -

pblic and Germany ymbolically opened he border on he Porajw-Zia-Hradek

croing. L. Kaczyki did he ame wih he Lihanian Preiden, Valda Adam-

k on he Bdziko-Kalvarija croing. the poliician reed ha i wa a hi-

oric breakhrogh dae. Prime Minier D. tk poke o a rimph o reedom,

and Lech Kaczyki evalaed he enry o Poland o he schengen zone a a grea

cce43.

Poland wa aware o he ac ha ogeher wih joining he schengen zone he

borderland cooperaion and hman ineracion wih he ukraine, which i neverhe-

le ppored in he Eropean union, wold be limied. small progre wa made

on 27 March 2008 by igning an agreemen abo local border rac beween Po-

land and he ukraine which came in orce on 19 May 200944.

the ac ha Poland joined he schengen zone wa iniially acceped in Germany

wih mixed eeling, b he poliical commniy reaed i a anoher age leading

o overcoming he ill exiing diviion in Erope45. A Wolgang schble, he

head o he German Miniry o he Inerior aed in Brel, the expanion o he

schengen area i a ymbol or he new member ae which are no longer behind he

iron crain. the aemen wa pblihed in he majoriy o German newpaper46.

However, ordinary German ciizen were araid o an inx o illegal worker romPoland, immigran rom Aia and he ormer ussR, proiion, car he, hopli-

ing, a well a he pread o organized crime. fairly oon i rned o ha hee ear

were njied. According o he repor by he Miniry o he Inerior in Branden-

brg dring 8 monh ince opening he border he crime rae in he borderland area

dropped by 6%. the ame endency wa oberved concerning car he 47.

43 Tusk: Dzisiejszy dzie jest triumfem wolnoci [Today is a triumph of freedom], Gazea

Wyborcza rom 21.12.2007;Dzi dwie uroczystoci z okazji wejcia do Schengen [Today two celebra-

tions of joining Schengen], ibidem; P. Jendrozczyk, Otwarta granica do Europy [Open frontiers to

Europe], Rzeczpopolia rom 21.12.2007.44 Umowa o maym ruchu przygranicznym podpisana [Agreement on local border trafc signed] ,

Rzeczpopolia rom 28.03.2008;Ruszy may ruch przygraniczny pomidzy Polsk a Ukrain [Local

borderland trafc started], Gazea Wyborcza rom 22.07.2009.45EU ffnet interne Grenzen, frankrer Rndcha rom 8.11.2007; Schengen-Raum Der

Segen der Sge, sddeche Zeing rom 22.12.2009;Neue EU-Auengrenzen Grenz-Erfahrungen,

ibidem. Por.Bericht von einer Grenze, die verschwindet, Die Wel rom 18.11.2007.46 Ohne Passkontrollen nach Polen und Tschechien, Die Wel rom 8.11. 2007;Bez kontroli na

granicy wewntrznej, wicej kontroli na granicy zewntrznej [No control on the inner borders, more

control on the outer borders], Gazea Wyborcza rom 8.11.2007.

47 Grenzenlos nach Polen: Kontrollen zu neuen EU-Staaten entfallen, Die tagezeing rom8.11.2007.


19/28


the com ervice and border gard were ahorized o inpec vehicle on

he borderland erriory. German ared o appreciae he ac ha hey did no have

o apply or Polih via. Kilomere-long qee o lorrie waiing beore he border

croing and polling he environmen diappeared. the beay o Polih beacheand holiday reor on he Balic coa ared o be appreciaed. Polih inveor

appeared on he oher ide o he Oder river, a well a people willing o ele in

abandoned village and eae48.

Joining he schengen zone by Poland did no rel in aciliaing he ow o

a Polih workorce o Germany. According o he acceion reay rom 16 April

2003 he opening o he job marke in he Eropean union wa o ake place aer

a 7-year raniion period. In conra o oher Eu conrie, which lied he exiing

barrier mch aer, Germany and Aria decided o keep o he nal dae o 2011.

In conra wih he governmen nder J. Kaczyki, who ed he ie o limi-

aion on he German job marke or Pole in hi propaganda campaign, D. tk

governmen did no aach mch imporance o hi ie. Alhogh in early 2008

here wa a chance ha in line wih he 2+3+2 procedre he ban on employmen

o ciizen rom he new Eu member ae cold be lied in 2009, Waraw did no

how mch iniiaive in hi maer. the emigraion impe o Pole r direced

iel o he Briih Ile, scandinavian conrie and ome conrie in Weern E-

rope. frhermore, Poland ared o be hor o a workorce in ch ecor a he

conrcion indry, agriclre and ervice, and hoe who had emigraed were

being alked ino rerning o Poland. On he oher hand, however, i wa nderood

ha reeing he German job marke or Pole in 2009 wold in a way aomaicallyene aciliaion in he reedom or German o by land in Poland, and hi wa

reaed by Pis a a naional hrea49.

the ampion o power by Angela Merkel cleaned he amophere arond he

ran-Alanic parnerhip and arond he Eropean deence ideniy bil wihin he

Common foreign and secriy Policy (CfsP) and he Eropean secriy and De-

ence Policy (EsDP). Merkel viied he unied sae in 2001 and 2003 hen a

he leader o he oppoiion and he won repec a an experienced and reponible

poliician who nderand he need o mainain cloe ran-Alanic relaion. the

rern o Germany o he role o a radiional mediaor beween Pari and Wah -

ingon and ncioning a an elemen o balance beween he Eu and NAtO made

hing eaier or Poland, which conienly graned prioriy o he hard garanee

o ecriy rom NAtO over he o one rom he Eropean union. the German

Chancellor wa aware o he rengh o Polih argmen which were in avor o

mainaining he poiion o NAtO in Erope and he alliance wih he usA. How-

ever, a lo o conion wa brogh ino Polih-German relaion wihin he EsDP

48 s. Dierich, Europa: Nach Polen hinberschlendern, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing rom

3.01.2009.

49 K. Bachmann,Ziemia dla Niemcw, praca dla Polakw [Land for Germans, work for Poles],Gazea Wyborcza rom 12.02.2009.


20/28

220 Bogdan Kozel

by he American oer o bilding an ani-miile hield. Germany abained rom

aking a poiion nil he concepion wa ill in he early age o Polih-American

conlaion. In March 2007, beore he vii o Poland A. Merkel or he r ime

made a aemen concerning he bilding o he ani-miile hield in an inerviewor he German tV channel ZDf. she ggeed ha he wold perade he Polih

leader o bild ch a proecive hield nder he apice o NAtO. the head o

he German diplomacy, f.-W. seinmeier called he usA o lanch alk concerning

he bilding o he hield wih all parner, and primarily wih Mocow. sharp word

again bilding he hield were poken by Kr Beck, he leader o he rling coali-

ion pary sPD and Gido Weerwelle, he head o he oppoiion liberal pary. the

laer poliician demanded ha he Rian reervaion concerning he nderaking

hold be aken erioly50.

D. tk governmen annonced ha here wa no rigid docrine concerning

he ie o bilding he ani-miile hield, and ha he wold remain open o arg-

men or and again. Ye, on 20 Ag 2008 in he ace o he Georgian crii an

agreemen wih he usA wa igned in Waraw concerning he bilding o ome ele-

men o he ani-miile hield in Poland. thi new wa acknowledged in Germany

b a he ame ime he objecion o he Rian governmen wa eagerly high-

lighed and vario negaive coneqence o hi move or Eropean ecriy were

analyzed51. Neverhele, in Janary 2009 he ampion o power in he unied

sae by Barack Obama, who repreened a dieren philoophy o hinking abo

ecriy han G. W. Bh, and who wa inereed in reeing relaion wih R-

ia poponed he implemenaion o he projec nil an npecied re52

.the war beween Georgia and Ria in Ag 2008 wa a e or Eu ec-

riy and deence policy becae i, among oher, inrodced a kind o dionance

beween Poland and france and Germany. When Chancellor Merkel wa appealing

or rerain and he preiden o france wa on behal o he Eu enred wih he

dicl miion o reoring peace, Preiden L. Kaczyki ew o tbilii. Irrepec-

50 Steinmeier warnt vor neuem Wettrsten, Die Wel rom 18.03.2007; O. thrner,Bentigt

Europa eine Raketenabwehr?,ibidem rom 21.03.2007; J. L eiher, Streit ber Raketenschild. Merkel

kritisiert amerikanische Raketenabwehr, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing rom 19.03.2007; Merkel

za otwart dyskusj z Rosj w sprawie Tarczy [Merkel for open discussion with Russia about the shield],

Gazea Wyborcza rom 12.03.2007; B. t. Wieliki, Angela Merkel: budujmy tarcz w NATO [Lets

build the shield in NATO], ibidem rom 13.03.2007.51Polen und Ameryka besiegeln den Raketenschild, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing rom

21.08.2008; Russland droht Polen wegen Einigung ber Raketenschild, ibidem rom 16.08.2008

G. Leer, USA bauen Raketenabwehr in Polen auf, Die tagezeing rom 20.08.2008; Anti-Raket-

enschild: Zndende Abwehr, frankrer Rndcha rom 21.08.2008; Tarcza obroni Polsk [Shield

will defend Poland], Rzeczpopolia rom 21.08.2008. C. P. Wroki, Z Niemcami si dogadamy,

z tarcz zobaczymy [ We will reach agreement with the Germans, with the shield we will see], Gazea

Wyborcza rom 7.11.2007.52 C. J. Kiwerka,PodrBaracka Obamy po Europie [Barack Obamas trip to Europe], Bileyn

Iny Zachodniego nr 14/2009,hp://www.iz.poznan.pl/new/76_nr%2013.%20Obama%20w%20Eropie.pd


21/28


ive o he criical opinion o Prime Minier D. tk and Minier R. sikorki, and

ogeher wih he leader o he ukraine, Lihania, Lavia and Eonia he expreed

rong ppor or he Preiden o Georgia, Micheil saakazwilli, regardle o he

poibiliy o breaking he ragile rce. He condemned Ria ing rong wordand hreaened wih aking p ghing53.

the aemp o inrodce ancion again Ria propoed by france and Po-

land were rejeced by Germany a n ndeirable aemp o iolae Ria in he

inernaional arena54. On 1 sepember 2008 aer he Eu mmi in Brel anoher

olion wa adoped. Aer he armiice he Eu en o Georgia a miion o 300

oberver who were o pervie he implemenaion o N. sarkozy plan. the mi-

ion inclded 44 German police ocer and exper, 10 Polih police ocer (wih

peronnel alogeher 31 people) and he whole miion wa governed by an experi-

enced German diploma, Hanjrg Haber55.

I wa no dicl o noice ha he negaive rel or he relaion beween he

usA-Eu-Ria proved hor-laing. Alhogh he pro-Rian aide in Weern

Erope wa omehow weakened, Ria in he conex o he mo imporan hrea

o inernaional ecriy remained he mo ignican parner or he Norh Alanic

Pac member ae. In coneqence boycoing cooperaion wih Mocow wa in he

long-rn advere or boh ide. I i no rpriing hen ha in December 2008 he

nocial dialoge beween Brel and Mocow wa remed while in he begin-

ning o March he work o he NAtO-Ria Concil wa ocially remed.

Aer he experience conneced wih he Cacaian crii i wa decided dr-

ing he Eropean Concil meeing in Brel on 11-12 December 2008 ha a newiml needed o be given o Eropean ecriy and deence policy. I wa decided

ha new objecive or he EsDP hold be mapped o o renghen and opimize

Eropean capabiliie in he neare re and i wa nderlined ha he Eu i

ready o ake acion oward inernaional peace and ecriy and provide acal

ecriy o i ciizen. D. tk governmen ppored hee olion wiho

reervaion56.

53Lech Kaczyski w Tbilisi: Jestemy po to, eby podj walk [Lech Kaczyski in Tbilisi: We are

here to take up ghting], Gazea Wyborcza rom 12.07. 2008; P. Kociki,Lech Kaczyski w Tbilisi:

Caa Europa musi by tutaj [Lech Kaczyski in Tbilisi: The whole of Europe should be here], ibidem

rom 13.08. 2008. C. K. schller nd s. thielbeer ,Fnf solidarische Prsidenten in Tyis, frank-

rer Allgemeine Zeing rom 13.08.2008.54 Steinmeier: EU darf Russland nicht isolieren, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing rom

1.09.2008.55Europische Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik, Awrige Am. Bndeminierim

der Vereidigng, hp://www.awaerige-am.de/diplo/de/Inoervice/Brocheren/EsVP.pdf., Do

Gruzji przyjechali unijni obserwatorzy [EU observers arrive in Georgia], Gazea Wyborcza rom

30.09.2008.56 Session of the European Council in Brussels 11 and 12 December 2008. Conclusions from the

presidency, Rocznik Inegracji Eropejkiej nr 2/2008, doc. 3, p. 374. C. M. Krakiewicz, P. Bra, DieAuen- und Sicherheitspolitik Polens unter der Regierung Tusk, sWP-Akell nr 40, Mai 2008.


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222 Bogdan Kozel

2009: INtENsIfICAtION Of CONtACts AND COOPERAtION

In line wih he earlier declaraion o he Polih and German poliician cloer

cooperaion and cienic and clral exchange ook place in he year o celebra-ing anniverarie imporan or boh conrie. On 27-28 April 2009 he speaker o

he senae, Bogdan Borewicz came wih a vii o Berlin where he opened one o

many exhibiion planned or 2009 eniled In he enemy camera len. German

phoo reporer in occpied Waraw 1939-1945. the even wa preceded by he

opening o oher exhibiion. On 19 March in Ephraim-Palai and he Mrkiche

Mem an exhibiion eniled u, Berliner!/Wir, Berliner! wa inagraed. I

wa he large exhibiion o ar devoed o he hree hndred year o hiory o he

Polih-Berlin. I howed Polih people in he clral, religio, ocial and economic

pblic pace o he ciy, and in hi way i demonraed heir conribion o he de-

velopmen o Berlin in he pa and a preen. the exhibiion demonraed, on heone hand how Pole perceived he German capial, and on he oher hand how he

Berliner reaced o he Polih preence in he ciy. the exhibiion wa prepared by

he Cenre or Hiorical Reearch o he Polih Academy o science in Berlin.

the celebraion o he anniverary o he Jne 1989 elecion in Poland were

commemoraed in Berlin Pal-Lbe-Ha wih an inereing exhibiion (Peace-

l revolion a road o reedom. 20 h anniverary o poliical change in Poland

which wa opened by N. Lammer and B. Komorowki on 26 May. I howed in

he orm o a ggeive mlimedia preenaion he proce in which Poland reed

iel rom commni dicaorhip, and solidariy conribion o iniiaing demo-craic breakhrogh in Cenral-Eaern Erope57.

the climax o he join Polih-German celebraion o 20 year ince he vicory

o democraic orce in Poland wa he vii o Chancellor A. Merkel o Krakw on 4

Jne, and he nveiling o he ymbolic monmen o solidarno (solidariy) near

he Bndeag bilding in Berlin. Dring her hor ay in Poland in a peech deliv-

ered in he Wawel Cahedral he head o he German governmen hanked he Polih

people or he peacel breakhrogh o 1989. she reed ha he elecion rom

4 Jne 1989 brogh a deciive vicory or democracy in Poland, and evenally

or he whole o Erope, and we, German are obliged o deep graide oward or

riend in Poland, in Hngary, and in he ormer Czecholovakia. they helped oachieve hi pricele happine which wa he renicaion o Germany58.

On 17 Jne in he preence o he German head o ae, Preiden H. Khler,

N. Lammer and B. Komorowki a ragmen o he wall rom he Gdak hipyard

57 Opening of an exhibition Peaceful revolution Road to freedom. 20th anniversary of the politi-

cal transformations in Poland, hp://www.berlin.polemb.ne/index.php?docmen=1682.58Angela Merkels visit to Krakw on the occasion of celebrations commemorating breakthrough

events from 1989. Conlae General o he federal Repblic o Germany in Krakw, hp://www.

kraka.diplo .de/ Verreng/ kraka/pl/teaer_20pl/BK__in__Kraka.hml; Polen: Wem gehrt derSieg ber den Kommunismus?, frankrer Allgemeine Zeing rom 5.09.2009.


23/28


wa nveiled near he ormer Reichag. I commemoraed he conribion o soli-

dariy o he all o commnim. A plaqe wa placed wih an incripion in Polih

and German, to commemorae he gh o solidariy or reedom and democracy

and Poland conribion o he renicaion o Germany and he poliical niy oErope59.

Anoher poiive even which can be added o he poliical and hiorical me-

age incribed in he celebraion o imporan anniverarie wa he r oreign

vii o Waraw o Preiden H. Khler on 13 Jly dring hi econd erm o oce.

Dring alk wih Preiden L. Kaczyki and oher Polih poliician a lo o aen -

ion wa paid o he problem o hiorical memory and he rging need o raiy he

treay o Libon abo which Preiden H. Khler wa rying o convince he Polih

preiden60.

A leer by German inellecal pblihed in he Polih pre and in he German

weekly Die Zei he day beore he celebraion o 70 year ince he obreak o

World War II wa o ymbolic ignicance, a i emphaized he criminal nare o

he Moloov-Ribbenrop Pac. the ahor o he leer inclded, among oher, he

Preiden o he Bndeag Ria smh, he r Commiioner or he sai Ar-

chive, Joachim Gack and hi cceor Marianne Birhler, a well a well known

proeor Dieer Bingen and Arnl Baring61.

A imilar one wa mainained in he aemen o he Preiden o he Polih

and German Epicopae made on 25 Ag on he anniverary o he obreak o

World War II. the aemen had been prepared by a Conac Grop o boh epico-

pae working ince May and he idea o preparing he saemen wa p orwardby bihop Jze skworc. the docmen igned by boh Preiden o he Epico-

pae: archbihop Jze Michalik and Rober Zollich wa read imlaneoly a

he Monaery o Jana Gra and in Bonn. Boh hierarch o he Caholic Chrch

peraded ha oday primary care hold be p ino making re ha he new

generaion can acqire and preerve he righ nderanding o World War II. I i

no only honey in reckoning wih he arociie o he pa ha i needed b alo

abandoning he ereoype, which make i dicl o rly nderand hoe ime

and which can compromie he r beween Pole and German ha ha been bil

wih dicly. In heir opinion alo a lo o German ered no only by he end

59 Unveiling of the monument commemorating the contribution of Solidarity to the restora-

tion of freedom and unity in Europe, Polih Embay in Berlin, hp://www.berlin.polemb.ne/index.

php?docmen=142; P. Jendrozczyk, Bundestag dzikuje Polsce [The Bundestag thanks Poland],

Rzeczpopolia rom 16.06.2009.60 A. Rybika,Prezydent Niemiec: Polska ley mi na sercu [The President of Germany: Poland is

close to my heart], Rzeczpopolia rom 14.07.200961 Statement on the occasion of 70 years since the Hitler-Stalin Pact. Polih Embay in Berlin,

hp://www.berlin.polemb.ne/index.php?docmen=1764; Niemieccy intelektualici o 70. rocznicy

wybuchu wojny [German intellectuals about the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of war] , Gazea

Wyborcza rom 20.08.2009; bar,Przepraszamy za 1939, dzikujemy za 1989 [We apologize for1939and thank for1989], ibidem rom 21.08.2009.


24/28

224 Bogdan Kozel

o he war b laer when hey experienced he ae o hoe who had o ee and who

ered explion. While condemning he war crime hey agreed in condemning

explion wiho orgeing abo he inernal dependencie and repercion.

In hi conex hey appealed or he rh which doe no pa anyhing in ilenceand doe no demand making p or he wrong done. By making reerence o he

leer rom he Polih Epicopae rom November 1965 hey menioned he dicl

roe o reconciliaion and cooperaion no wiho minderanding or brden.

In conclion i wa reed and warned ha in ome ocial and poliical enden-

cie here ha been a empaion o e or he prpoe o propaganda he hr, which

once wa done in hiory, and o imlae reenmen reling rom biaed hiorical

inerpreaion. the chrch will coninoly and rmly ac again ch a deparre

rom hiorical rh. We rongly encorage an inenive dialoge which i alway

combined wih he readine o lien o he oher ide62.

the la even in he commemoraion o 70 year ince he obreak o World

War II wa a meeing o repreenaive o 20 conrie inclding he head o gov -

ernmen o Poland, Germany and Ria organized a Weerplae on 1 sepember.

the meeing wa preceded by a join pecial aemen o he foreign Minier o

Germany, f.-W. seinmeier and o Poland, R. sikorki. Ye again here were word

abo he ragic war pa and eor made in he 1960 and 1970 o eablih

a Polih-German dialoge, when depie he painl pa boh naion ared o

rive or mal nderanding, reconciliaion and eablihing riendly relaion.

An appeal wa made o mainain and renghen he riendhip beween Pole and

German, member o he Eropean union and allie in NAtO, who are nied bycommon inere and objecive and who are brogh ogeher by common hrea

and challenge63. the Polih Prime Minier in hi peech delivered in Gdak aed

ha i hold be remembered who wa he execioner and who wa he vicim. Mo

criical commen, epecially hoe rom Preiden L. Kaczyki were addreed o

Prime Minier V. Pin who did no condemn in a raighorward way he ussR

aack on Poland in sepember 1939 and he crime again hmaniy ha ook place

in Kay. He only promied, nder he condiion o maliy, o open he Rian

archive64.

62 Statement of the President of the Polish Episcopate Conference, Archbishop Dr. Jzef Michalik

and the President of the German Episcopate Conference, Archbishop Dr. Robert Zollitsch on the occa-

sion of the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, Gazea Wyborcza

rom 26.08.2009;Episcopates of Poland and Germany on the anniversary of WW II, ibidem;Jest wspl-

na deklaracja [There is a joint declaration], Rzeczpopolia rom 26.08.2009;Biskupi o krzywdach

Polakw i Niemcw [Bishops about the wrongdoings of Poles and Germans], ibidem; Episcopates of

Poland and Germany: let our nations go the way of truth and love], ibidem rom 25.08.2009.63Aby nigdy wicej - wsplne owiadczenie Sikorskiego i Steinmeiera [Never again joint state-

ment by Sikorski and Steinmeier], Gazea Wyborcza rom 1.09.2009.

64 W. Lorenz, Rozmowy w cieniu przeszoci [Talks in the shadow of the past], Rzeczpopoliarom 2.09.2009; K. Many, O prawdzie na Westerplatte [About the truth at Westerplatte], ibidem.


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the German Chancellor did no go ino he Polih-Rian dipe. In a well-

balanced peech he once more drew aenion o he reponibiliy o he Naional

sociali Germany or aring World War II, and or he hecaomb o Polih vicim.

However, i wa he Prime Minier o Ria who drew he aenion o Germanpblic opinion and hi aemen dominaed he commenarie rom Gdak65.

Iniiaive which ppored he proce o bilding Polih-German mal

nderanding are alo worh noicing in he year 2009 which wa abndan wih

even. On 7 May a celebraion wa held in he Magdebrg cahedral dring which

W. Barozewki wa preened wih he Emperor Oo Award in recogniion o hi

engagemen in he policy o mal nderanding beween naion and in he proc-

e o Eropean inegraion, a well a or hi peronal and poliical commimen

oward he improvemen o Polih-German relaion and Poland inegraion. sev-

eral monh laer on 29 Ag in he Weimar ciy hall he Adam Mickiewicz Award

wa preened o people acively engaged in he rilaeral Polih-french-German co-

operaion wihin he Weimar triangle. the li o lareae inclded cone freya

von Molke, he honorary Preiden o he fondaion or Eropean underand-

ing in Krzyowa, sphene Heel, a member o he Commiee Concil pporing

french-German-Polih cooperaion and Pro. Zdziaw Najder, ormer Direcor o

he Polih ecion in he Radio free Erope66.

Good progre wa achieved in ediing a complee join exbook or eaching

hiory in Poland and in he federal Repblic o Germany, a projec which wa

o preigio ignicance in boh conrie. the iniiaor o he projec wa f.-W.

seinmeier, who menioned i or he r ime dring he inagraion o he aca-demic year a he Viadrina Eropean univeriy in Ocober 2006, and in Janary

2008 he ied a ormal propoal67. the exbook ollowed he example o he join

french-German exbook which wa well-received, and he projec received p-

por rom Minier R. sikorki and Edcaion Minier Kaarzyna Hall. the work

on he projec wa ocially inagraed in Berlin in May 2008. the work on he

projec wa enred o co-Preiden o he Polih-German texbook Commiion,

Michael Mller rom he Halle-Wienberg univeriy and Rober traba rom he

65 Gedenken an Zweiten Weltkrieg: Debatte am Heldengedenktag, frankrer Allgemeine Zei-

ng rom 1.09.2009;Jahrestag des Kriegsbeginns: Geschichtsstreit berschattet Gedenkfeier in Polen,

Der spiegel rom 1.09.2009;Gedenken an Zweiten Weltkrieg: Kaczynski wirft Sowjetunion Mes-

serstich in den Rcken vor,ibidem; Gedenktag: Putin fordert neuen Pragmatismus mit Polen, Die

Wel rom 1.09.2009; Polen loben Merkel und ein bisschen sogar Putin, Der tagepiegel rom

l3.9.2009; K. K r o h n,Monumentaler Konikt, ibidem rom 2.09.2009. tex o he peech by A. Merkel

in German ee Gazea Wyborcza rom 1.09.2009.66 The event of presenting W. Bartoszewski with the Emperor Otto Award in Magdeburg; The Adam

Mickiewicz Award for the merits towards Reconciliation and European Cooperation 2009. Polish Em-

bassy in Berlin, hp://www.berlin.polemb.ne/index.php?docmen=1720.67Poland and Germany shaping Europe together. Speech by the Federal Foreign Minister,

Frank-Walter Steimeier on the occasion of inaugurating a new academic year at Viadrina University inFrankfurt on the Oder on 26.10.2006, (phoocopied maerial).


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226 Bogdan Kozel

Cenre or Hiorical Reearch o he Polih Academy o science in Berlin. the

exper working on he projec inclded, among oher, hiorian rom he Cenre

or Hiorical Reearch o he Polih Academy o science, rom he George Ecker

Inie or Inernaional texbook Reearch in Brnwick and rom he Polih In-ie in Darmad68.

***

Drawing p a balance hee o Polih-German relaion nder he PO-PsL coa-

liion governmen i i no dicl o oberve ha here are many more poiive

han negaive aemen mark. I wa poible o rebild r in he relaion wih

Berlin which i indipenable o achieve any kind o cce in oreign policy. Con-

ac beween governmen, economic cooperaion and cooperaion in he border-

land area have remained a a high level. Boh governmen how kind ppor or

cooperaion beween he yoh which wa negleced dring he governmen nder J.

Kaczyki and R. Gierych. On boh ide here are more iniiaive concerning cl-

re and reearch which wa ymbolized by eablihing in 2008 he Polih-German

fondaion or Reearch. However, here i ill deci in he area o concione,

hiorical memory and neighborhip percepion. In hi domain he governmen

o J. Kaczyki did make a negaive progre a in he econd hal o 2008 he

nmber o people in opinion poll who aeed Polih-German relaion in a nega-

ive way roe in comparion wih 200569.

undobedly, he hiorical policy o rongly diplayed in he year 2005-2007

will conine o have an eec on he enirey o Polih-German relaion or manyyear. In boh conrie he relaion are an imporan inrmen o he crren poli-

ic in he hand o he large parie. In Germany a new generaion ha grown

which deciively wan o c iel o rom he conan expiaion or he in o

heir predeceor and rom he policy o el-conrain in he inernaional arena.

thi iaion i killly aemped o be ed by Erika seinbach and he federaion

o Expellee o expand heir rank on he wave o new parioim. I eem ha we

hold be prepared and ake ino accon he ac ha more moral injncion and i-

e which even yeerday were aboo bjec will be breached in hiorical policy

and in reerring o he pa. the lm Der unergang doe no ll one wih horror

b evoke ympahy or he allen dicaor, he lm Anonyma. Eine fra in Berlin

by howing rape cene on German women by Red Army oldier bring eeling o

68Prace nad polsko-niemieckim podrcznikiem do historii [Work on the Polish-German history

textbook], Gazea Prawna 27.05.2009.69 L. Kolarka-Bobika, A. ada, ( ed.), POLSKA-NIEMCY. Wzajemny wizerunek i wizja Europy

[Poland-Germany. Mutual image and vision of Europe], Waraw 2009, p. 16-17. C.Die Destruktion des

Dialogs : zur innenpolitischen Instrumentalisierung negativer Fremd- und Feindbilder ; Polen, Tschech-

ien, Deutschland und die Niederlande im Vergleich, 1900-2005, hrg. von D. Bingen [.a.] Wiebaden

2007 b a r ,Mniej Polakw mwi dobrze o stosunkach z Niemcami [Fewer Poles speak well about rela-tions with Germans], Gazea Wyborcza rom 31.08.2009.


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hame and ympahy, a poplar erie Die flch i no only a dramaic decripion

o people orced o evacae b alo a noalgic jorney back o he pa ime o

Ea Pria and Pomerania.

the Eropean union remain he major plaorm or he developmen o Polih-German relaion. Even oday one can oberve he ar-reaching proce o he Ero-

peanizaion o bilaeral Polih-German relaion. Germany, alhogh weakened by

he world crii, ill belong o Eu leader, hey erioly conider heir Eropean

commimen and hey alo wan o be reaed accordingly in he Eropean union.

Poland, on he oher hand, all he ime i looking or he opporniy o hape i

poiion in he Eu and o renghen i. the qeion o how he federal Repblic

o Germany in he preen dicl period o ime will dene i inere in Cenral-

Eaern Erope, and how Pole and German will mally harmonize heir inere

in he Eropean union i in a long-erm perpecive very imporan or Eropean

inegraion.

German gradally are geing ed o he ac ha Pole are bringing o he Eu

a compleely dieren baggage o experience, radically dieren rom he conrie

which had joined he Commniy in previo year. they are aware ha any aemp

o orce heir own concepion concerning, e.g. eaern policy wiho obaining a

lea he neral poiion o Poland will be doomed o ailre, and h hey have o

make eor o win i avor. On he oher hand, he idea o he Eaern Parnerhip

promoed by Poland m ame a imilar riendline and collaboraion on he par

o Berlin.

taking ino accon he mlilayered challenges, hose in he bilaeral and Ero-pean realm, he srenghening o he Polish-German commniy o ineress and val-

es is very mch jsied. I has o receive a new simls and be poplarized in he

broad social sraa o Polish and German sociey. I is worh convincing poliicians o

nalize he idea and iniiae meeings, ollowing he paern o reglar, ree rom com-

mimens and mliaceed french-German conslaions in Blaesheim (Blaesheim-

Treffen). Pozna wold be an ideal place or his prpose70.

Aer he bad experiences here is more and more awareness boh in Berlin and

more and more so in Warsaw ha mal relaions reqire consan care. Boh con-

ries are neighbors b hey do no have o be parners. Wheher his neighborship

will have he characer o conronaional cooperaion or real parnership depends

on he goodwill o he governmens and he aide o boh socieies. Poland shold

approach cooperaion wih Germany, especially in he Eropean union, in a raional

manner wiho being driven by any immediae gain or resenmens b wih some as-

seriveness and consisency, wih respec or is own ineress and hose o is parner.

70 see J. frach,Dynamisierung deutsch polnischen Beziehungen. Vorschlag fr eine Vertiefung

der bilateralne Zusammenarbeit, sWP-Akell nr 34, Jli 2009. C. A. Krzemiki, Testfall fr Eu-ropa: deutsch-polnische Nachbarschaft muss gelingen, Hambrg 2008.


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bogdan koszel:a new opening? polish-german relations during the rule of the po-psl coalition...

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