On 3 November, former Polish prime minister Donald Tusk posted a video on his social‑media profile, quoting a Swiss newspaper that praises Poland’s rise and claims Germans are pursuing its momentum.
Donald Tusk on article in Swiss newspaper
On Monday 3 November, Tusk uploaded a video in which he quoted the German‑language Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung. The paper reported that Germans say they need “more Warsaw in Berlin” and that the German economy has found a new model of subordination in Poland. Tusk highlighted that the article notes German envy of Poland’s growth, courage, digitalisation and deregulation, ending the clip with the remark: “We’re chasing Germans!”
What did the Swiss newspaper write?
The article, written by Thomas Fuster, argues that for years Germans viewed Poland as a protective pillar of European growth and a post‑communist niche. By contrast, the German image had focused on this dichotomy, largely ignoring Poland’s rebirth. Fuster claims Poland now possesses many qualities lacking in Germany, a fact that should undermine the German image. He also observes that a growing number of Poles are returning from Germany, indicating increased confidence in inter‑country relations; the reparations case is cited as an example of this trend.
Poles returning from Germany to the country
For several months a trend has emerged in which Poles living in Germany increasingly decide to return home. In 2023, for the first time in 25 years, more Poles left Germany than arrived: 90,807 left versus 82,082 arriving in 2024. According to Jan Eberle of the Federal Statistical Office, migration from Poland to Germany has been gradually declining, and the last‑year net migration was negative, reaching the lowest level in 25 years. Kamila Schoell‑Mazurek of Viadrina University in Frankfurt highlights that many older, educated Poles are returning, citing better wages in Poland, the desire to live abroad again, and retirement age as motivations.
