Germany has rebuffed the latest push by Poland’s nationalist government for vast reparations over the second world war, saying in response to a diplomatic note that the issue was closed, according to the foreign ministry in Warsaw.
Poland estimates its losses in the second world war caused by Germany at 6.2tn złotys (£1.2tn) and has demanded reparations, but Berlin has repeatedly said all financial claims related to the war have been settled.
“According to the German government, the matter of reparations and compensation for war losses remains closed, and the German government does not intend to enter into negotiations on this matter,” Poland’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The government of the Republic of Poland will continue its efforts to settle debts resulting from German aggression and occupation in the years 1939-1945.”
Six million Poles, including 3 million Polish Jews, were killed during the war and Warsaw was razed to the ground after a 1944 uprising in which about 200,000 civilians died.
In 1953, Poland’s then communist rulers relinquished all claims to war reparations under pressure from the Soviet Union, which wanted to free East Germany, also a Soviet satellite, from any liabilities.
Poland’s ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party says that agreement is invalid because Poland was unable to negotiate fair compensation. It has revived calls for compensation since it took power in 2015 and has made the promotion of Poland’s wartime victimhood a central plank of its appeal to nationalism.
The combative stance towards Germany, often used by PiS to mobilise its constituency, has strained relations with Berlin.
During a visit to Warsaw in October, Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, had rejected the demand, saying the issue was for Berlin a closed chapter.
Also on Tuesday, Warsaw said it had called on the UN for support in its efforts to receive war reparations.
There was no immediate confirmation of the diplomatic exchange by Germany.
