Germany will not pay compensation to Polish victims of the occupation this year.
The number of living victims of German war crimes from World War II is rapidly dwindling, and with it, the hope for meaningful financial support from Germany. The shocking actions of the German state are described in "Gazeta Wyborcza".
When Poland and Germany established the Polish-German Reconciliation Foundation in 1991, approximately 900,000 people in Poland had been victims of the German occupation. According to the Foundation's data, in November 2025, this number had decreased to just over 50,000. During government consultations in Berlin on December 1, 2025, Prime Minister Donald Tusk appealed to the German authorities to expedite a decision. He also announced that, in the absence of action, Poland might consider providing assistance from its own resources. In practice, the issue of compensation – described by the German side as a "humanitarian gesture" – is being avoided.
Those persecuted by the Germans are increasingly expressing the belief that, as they themselves say, the Germans are "waiting for us to die."
Although unofficial reports suggest relatively small amounts – from 2,500 to 3,000 euros per person annually, paid in monthly installments – even this option remains undecided for now. Earlier, in 2024, Olaf Scholz's government proposed a one-time payment of approximately 200 million euros, which Poland rejected, advocating instead for a system of regular payments.
Unofficial information from both the Polish and German sides clearly indicates today that there will be no payments this year. The German government is not planning a budget amendment, which effectively closes the door to the release of funds. "Germany will not pay this money this year," sources from the Polish diplomatic service told "Gazeta Wyborcza". Similar signals are coming from Berlin, where it is indicated that budget changes could trigger pressure from other groups of victims.
PN: It pays to wait.
- Based on reporting by Dorzeczy and Gazeta Wyborcza.
