Polish flags remain hanging on a border bridge despite authorities’ efforts to remove them, creating a symbolic dispute between Poland and Germany.
Unauthorized Flags on the Bridge
For months, Polish flags have been hanging on the border bridge between Frankfurt an der Oder and Słubice, placed by a far-right group called “Ruch Obrony Granic” which conducted patrols to track immigrants.
According to “Der Spiegel,” the flags were hung without permission and against the will of the Frankfurt and Słubice authorities, yet no one has removed them.
Frankfurt’s Response with EU Flags
Frankfurt responded symbolically by hanging EU flags on the bridge to counter the Polish flags, but these were removed after a month when their permit expired.
Søren Bollmann, head of the Slubicko-Frankfurt Cooperation Center, stated that the bridge should be seen as a connector between the two cities, not as a symbol of conflict.
Conflict Atmosphere
The city of Słubice opposed the far-right group’s actions from the beginning, stating such actions create a conflict atmosphere and contradict the ideals the bridge represents.
Despite objections, Słubice didn’t intervene, citing a desire to avoid escalation and lack of formal authority to remove the flags, believing the German side should manage the bridge.
Temporary Removal and Return
The General Directorate of National Roads and Motorways in Warsaw stated that police would remove all flags from the border bridge.
However, the Polish flags were gone for only two days before new ones reappeared, according to “Der Spiegel.”
