German Chancellor Friedrich Merz draws criticism after suggesting WWII began in 1941, not 1939.
Chancellor’s Historical Comparison
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz commented that when looking back in five to ten years, people will better understand the current war in Ukraine, which has already lasted longer than World War II. This statement was made during a speech on Wednesday, the eve of the fourth anniversary of Ukraine’s war outbreak.
Polish Political Backlash
Polish MP Paweł Jabłoński reacted sharply to Merz’s remarks, criticizing what he saw as an erasure of Germany’s attack on Poland from history. Jabłoński suggested Merz was implying WWII began with the attack on the USSR in 1941, rather than Germany’s invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939.
Presidential spokesman Rafał Leśkiewicz accused Merz of consistently implementing Germany’s historical policy of downplaying Nazi aggression against Poland, stating that Merz “should at least know” that the war began in 1939.
Diplomatic Response
German Ambassador to Poland Miguel Berger responded to the critical comments on X, defending Merz by stating: “Let’s stick to the facts: The Chancellor spoke of Russia as a neighbor of Europe, not Germany. He didn’t erase anything from WWII, he simply confused the comparison of the war’s duration with the Soviet Union.”
According to Berger, the conflict between Germany and Russia began in 1941.
CDU Leadership Confirmation
Friedrich Merz remained leader of Germany’s largest party, the CDU, after being the only candidate in the recent leadership election. He received over 91% of the vote, slightly higher than the below 90% he received two years ago. His key colleagues retained or secured important positions within the party.
