In Wieluń, the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, took part in ceremonies commemorating the outbreak of World War II. This year marks the 85th anniversary of the attack on Poland by Nazi Germany.
Wieluń, the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda took part in the ceremonies commemorating the outbreak of World War II, photo: KPRP
Wieluń was not at fault, nor were Westerplatte or the Polish soldiers present there, although both of these places were attacked in the morning, in the darkness of September 1, 1939 - emphasized the President.
- The world has always known that war is fought by soldiers. But a brutal, massive attack on sleeping, unarmed people, on women and children, on an undefended and undefended city has always been considered an act of absolute barbarity in history - said Andrzej Duda about the attack on Wieluń.
As he added, it seemed that the world had become civilized, that we had reached the 20th century then, that not so long ago the world had experienced the terrible World War I. - And yet the Germans started by deciding to brutally crush the Poles by attacking women and children. That was the purpose of this attack. They knew perfectly well that they were bombing the city - he pointed out.
– In the first hours, days of the war, in September 1939, 160 Polish cities were bombed – places where people simply lived, did not serve in the army, led their normal lives. They were bombed to destroy this life, to kill them, annihilate them, intimidate them, crush them, to be able to rule them and enslave them – said Andrzej Duda.
Poland stood, opposed and fought from the first day of the war. Today we look at this history and remember it with great pain – he emphasized.
The president pointed out that if Poland had been ready and secured at that time, the attack would probably not have taken place, because “the Germans would not have dared to attack it, if they had known that the squadrons could rise up and turn a large part of their capital into ruins, just as they destroyed Wieluń, in one day”.
We draw an important lesson from World War II: we can never again afford to be defenseless when imperialism is born or reborn next to us - he emphasized.
He pointed out that at that time the Second Polish Republic was unable to create conditions in time to ensure the security of its citizens; it did not have sufficiently equipped armed forces; only the Polish soldier never lacked heroism.
- We must draw conclusions from this and we do. And we expect the same today from our Western allies, who at that time, although in accordance with the international agreements concluded with us, declared war on Germany, did not come to our aid. And we needed it - emphasized Andrzej Duda.
– They ask us whether Poles have forgiven the Germans. We are a Christian nation, it is our duty to forgive. In fact, we have forgiven, although we remember. There is pain. There are still tens of thousands of those who were personally wronged by the Germans – said Andrzej Duda.
He added that guilt has been admitted, and many times the representatives of the Federal Republic of Germany, led by the President of Germany, have bowed their heads to the victims of German totalitarianism and German murders in Poland and asked for forgiveness.
But forgiveness and recognition of guilt are one thing, and compensation for damages is another. And this matter is still not settled. And it has never been settled – he emphasized.
He pointed out that Polish losses are estimated at over PLN 6.2 trillion. – Most of this amount is a loss of achievements that would have been provided to the Republic of Poland by over 5 million people murdered – he assessed.
– For these calculable losses that we have suffered as a result of the war and the attack, compensation is not only possible, but it is due. And we, Poles, expect it – he argued. – This is the expectation of Polish society, and the responsibility lies with the Polish authorities. And the Polish authorities should demand it. And I believe that the Polish authorities will demand it until it is successful. I also count on the honest support of the international community in this regard – he said.
The President emphasized that compensation is due to Poles.
We have always been on the right side, on the side of the free world. We were and we are today. We have never sided with the aggressor, we have never collaborated with those who take away the freedom of others. We have always stood on the side of freedom and we are today – he emphasized.
The subject of reparations for losses suffered by Poland due to the unlawful and unprovoked German attack and the subsequent German occupation was also discussed with the President, at an away meeting in Wieluń, by the Council for Territorial Self-Government of the National Development Council.
The President also pointed out that today there is also a war going on – right behind our border. – Imperialism – this time Russian imperialism has risen again. It takes away freedom, life, land and destroys. It must be stopped and must pay for it – he said.
– We speak with satisfaction about the fact that the world reacted to the Russian attack on Ukraine – indicated Andrzej Duda, adding that also thanks to Polish support our neighbours were able to stop the Russian onslaught. He also emphasised that Russia must pay for the losses caused.
At 4:40 a.m., air raid sirens sounded in Wieluń to commemorate the victims of the bombing of the city, which is called the “Polish Guernica”.
Then the bell donated to the city by the President of the Republic of Poland in 2019 rang. It rang 12 times, symbolically commemorating the 1,200 victims of the German air raid.
Together with witnesses of those events, the President laid wreaths in front of the monument commemorating the victims of the German bombing, as well as in front of the monuments commemorating the bombed synagogue and commemorating the bombing of the Wieluń hospital of All Saints on September 1, 1939.
During the ceremony, the President was accompanied by the Deputy Head of the KPRP Piotr Ćwik and Minister Wojciech Kolarski. Wieluń was one of the first Polish cities bombed on September 1, 1939. Early in the morning, the Germans carried out an air attack on Wieluń. 380 bombs with a total weight of 46 tons fell on the city. Wieluń was almost completely destroyed. According to estimates, about 1,200 people died.
source – KPRP
Comments