The German Bundestag has approved the construction of a permanent monument to Polish victims of WWII in Berlin, replacing a temporary stone memorial unveiled last June.
Parliamentary Decision Calls for Planning Phase
In the resolution, MPs urged authorities to move promptly into the planning stage, including launching an architectural competition, to replace the temporary stone memorial at the former Kroll Opera House site in Berlin. The motion received widespread support from parliamentary groups, with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) largely abstaining.
Chancellor Merz Urges Prompt Tenders
During a Monday conference summarising Polish‑German intergovernmental consultations, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Germany must not avoid its past and must preserve painful memories. He called for fast action toward establishing a lasting monument to Polish citizens who were victims of WWII and Nazi tyranny (1939 – 45) and announced that the German side would soon begin appropriate tenders.
Controversy Over Temporary Stone Memorial
In June, a stone memorial commemorating Polish victims of German war crimes was unveiled near the Bundestag. Law and Justice politicians criticised the stone as a symbolic gesture that falls short of real compensation, describing it as unworthy considering the scale of Polish suffering.
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil‑Bartoszewski said that Germany, for the first time in many years, agreed that a memorial to Polish WWII victims was necessary, noting that Polish victims had previously been omitted. He added that the project had been pursued for years and that the stone, followed by a monument, would occupy an excellent location in Berlin, marking a milestone.