Darmstadt, Krzyżowa, in January 2025.
Preamble
This manifesto is the voice of civil society, the voice of those numerous organizations and entities on both sides of the border that have contributed for many years to shaping the Polish-German neighborhood in a united Europe.
Close, mutually trusting and friendly Polish-German relations are crucial to the future of both our countries. Huge challenges are piling up before us: strengthening European security and defense policy in the face of Russia's war in Ukraine, rampant populism, the crisis of liberal democracies and the growing polarization of societies. Added to these are the crises of climate change and migration.
November 2024 marked the 35th anniversary of the historic reconciliation mass in Krzyżowa. As a result of the deliberations and discussions held there, we remind the governments in Berlin and Warsaw of the great importance of expanding and promoting Polish-German civil society cooperation. We consider the efforts made so far in this field to be insufficient. This manifesto takes into account the demands of the Copernicus Group and other actors involved in and supporting civil society contacts in Poland and Germany.
For more courage and determination
We welcome our governments' efforts to improve Polish-German relations on the political level. This is reflected, among other things, in the resumption of Polish-German intergovernmental consultations in 2024, including the publication of the Polish-German Action Plan.
What worries us, however, is that this new beginning after difficult years of political stagnation is gaining momentum too slowly. The roadmap developed by the governments lacks concrete, bold projects to strengthen and expand civil society cooperation. With this in mind, we call on policymakers in both countries to take stock of the 1991 Polish-German Good Neighborhood Treaty. A discussion is needed, as well as proposals for solutions to issues that have not yet been clarified. The culmination of such a process could be a new “Polish-German Treaty of Common Responsibility in Europe.”
Strengthen citizen cooperation
It was civil society, not politicians, that initiated the reconciliation process in the decades following the end of World War II. Non-governmental actors have created a whole network of organizations and institutions at all levels, which, despite political tensions, have made and continue to make important contributions to our relations. In this context, one must not forget the numerous city and municipal partnerships - for it is they that have created very concrete meeting spaces that are accessible to everyone. In its daily work, this network ensures the rapprochement of increasingly polarized societies in their own country as well as across borders. Good neighbor policy, therefore, cannot do without civil society as a space for resonance and action.
The Action Plan does not contain, despite some stated intentions, too many concrete offers. Among them is the wish to create “within the existing structures of Polish-German cooperation ... a Polish-German civil society parliament.” We envision this initiative, originally proposed by the Copernicus Group, as a regularly deliberating body, in which both delegated representatives and representatives of recognized Polish-German cooperation organizations would participate, as well as selected or drawn individuals. The results of the deliberations should be presented at the German-Polish Forum and among other circles, and by this means taken into account in the political decision-making process.
It is essential to provide tools for civic activism and create easily accessible opportunities for support. Even in times of tight budgets, it should be clear that supporting these valuable networks will lead to greater resilience in our societies in the face of the new political challenges facing all of Europe today.
Bet on the Future
Only the constant renewal of civic structures and moving with the times will ensure that they remain active, agile and future-oriented. Therefore, we need to create a space (easily accessible) where young people will meet, where they will be visible and find a listening ear while assuming cross-border co-responsibility for our neighborhood. Such interaction and commitment to a common cause is key to fostering a lasting interest in our neighboring country, breaking down old thought structures and prejudices, and thus enabling further rapprochement between our societies. It can also help us strengthen democratic culture and actively counter nationalist tendencies and the exclusion of individual groups in our societies.Język i edukacja są kluczem do porozumienia. Poznając język i historię kraju sąsiedniego poznajemy jednocześnie wnikliwiej jego tożsamość, sposób myślenia, system wartości i przekonań. Wzywamy rządy do wykazania większego zaangażowania a przede wszystkim determinacji we wspieraniu polskiej kultury i języka w Niemczech oraz niemieckiej kultury i języka w Polsce. Nie traćmy zaciekawienia sobą nawzajem!
We are glad that the governments are aware of this and declare their willingness to “continue to strive for the development of Polish-German youth cooperation.” These declarations must now be followed by action. The budget of the German-Polish Youth Cooperation must be endowed in such a way that all groups interested in exchanges can participate without long waits for their allocation. Nor must youth be spared by lowering the rates. The network of civil society organizations working for Polish-German youth meetings also needs to be further strengthened and expanded to include a European dimension. A Polish-German volunteer social year should have been introduced long ago.
Legacy of reconciliation
Polish-German reconciliation is the result of initiatives by courageous individuals from both societies. It teaches us how much civil courage, responsibility, creativity and foresight people have shown to overcome the “fatalism of hostility” (Stanislaw Stomma). This historic achievement is the envy of many other nations mired in conflict.
The government's action plan gives due attention to the difficult chapters of Polish-German history. We support the establishment of a Polish-German House in Berlin and the erection of a monument commemorating Polish citizens murdered during World War II. We expect a speedy agreement on the contentious issue of reparations, as the chapters of history that divide us can no longer burden our relations. As the results of many surveys show - such as the “Polish-German Barometer” - our societies want to focus on the challenges of the future. The legacy of reconciliation obliges us to look boldly ahead.
List of first signatories
- Prof. Dr. Felix Ackermann, Zaoczny Uniwersytet w Hagen / FernUniversität Hagen
- Dr. Joanna Andrychowicz-Skrzeba
- Anita Baranowska-Koch, Przewodnicząca Towarzystwa Niemiecko-Polskiego w Berlinie / Vorsitzende der Deutsch-Polnischen Gesellschaft Berlin
- Stephen Bastos, Fundacja Genshagen / Stiftung Genshagen
- Małgorzata Bobrowska, Prezeska Fundacji Bezlik, Międzynarodowy Dom Spotkań Młodzieży Mikuszewo / Vorsitzende der Stiftung Bezlik, Internationales Jugendbegegnungshaus Mikuszewo
- Bernd Böttcher, Przewodniczący Zarządu/ Vorstandsvorsitzender der Kreisau-Initiative e. V.
- Dr. Aleksandra Burdziej, Prezes Zarządu Krajowego Związku Towarzystw Polsko-Niemieckich – Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu / Landesverband der Polnisch-Deutschen Gesellschaften - Nikolaus-Kopernikus-Universität Thorn
- Prof. Dr. Waldemar Czachur, Uniwersytet Warszawski / Universität Warschau
- Maryna Czaplińska, Członek zarządu Klubu Inteligencji Katolickiej w Warszawie / Vorstandsmitglied des Klubs der Katholischen Intelligenz Warschau
- Lucjan Dzumla, Dyrektor Generalny Domu Współpracy Polsko-Niemieckiej / Generaldirektor des Hauses der Deutsch-Polnischen Zusammenarbeit
- Dr. Annemarie Franke
- Prof. Dr. Stefan Garsztecki, Technische Universität Chemnitz
- Marzenna Guz-Vetter
- Gunnar Hille, Dyrektor Centrum Kompetencji i Koordynacji Języka Polskiego/ Direktor des Kompetenz- und Koordinationszentrums Polnisch
- Ole Jantschek, Zastępca przewodniczącego Rady Fundacji „Krzyżowa” dla Porozumienia Europejskiego / Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrats der Stiftung Kreisau für Europäische Verständigung
- Joanna Klęczar-Déodat, Dyrektorka Międzynarodowego Domu Spotkań Młodzieży w Oświęcimiu / Direktorin der Internationalen Jugendbegegnungsstätte in Oświęcim/Auschwitz
- Andreas Gerold König, Przewodniczący Federalny Pax Christi Sekcja Niemiecka/ Bundesvorsitzender Pax Christi - deutsche Sektion e.V.
- Kornelia Kurowska, Prezeska Fundacji BORUSSIA / Vorsitzende der Stiftung BORUSSIA
- Prof. Dr. Peter Oliver Loew, Dyrektor Niemieckiego Instytutu Spraw Polskich w Darmstadt / Direktor des Deutschen Polen-Instituts Darmstadt
- Dr. Agnieszka Łada-Konefał, Zastępczyni Dyrektora Niemieckiego Instytutu Spraw Polskich w Darmstadt / Stellvertretende Direktorin des Deutschen Polen-Instituts Darmstadt
- Dr. Markus Pieper, Prezes Fundacji Saksońskie Miejsca Pamięci/ Geschäftsführer der Stiftung Sächsische Gedenkstätten
- Dr. Anna Quirin, Dyrektor zarządzająca Fundacji im. Freyi von Moltke na rzecz Krzyżowej / Geschäftsführerin der Freya von Moltke-Stiftung
- Bastian Sendhardt, Niemiecki Instytut Spraw Polskich, Biuro w Berlinie / Deutsches Polen-Institut, Büro Berlin
- Grzegorz Stawarz, Dyrektor Wydziału Oświaty i Wychowania Starostwa Powiatu Świdnickiego / Direktor der Abteilung für Bildung und Erziehung des Landratsamtes Świdnica
- Prof. Dr. Pierre-Frédéric Weber, Uniwersytet Szczeciński / Universität Stettin
- Jolanta Węglowska, Dyrektor Zespołu Szkół EKOLA / Direktorin des Schulzentrums EKOLA
- Prof. Dr. Klaus Ziemer
- Dr. Robert Żurek, Dyrektor Zarządzający, Członek Zarządu Fundacji „Krzyżowa” dla Porozumienia Europejskiego / Geschäftsführender Vorstand der Stiftung Kreisau für Europäische Verständigung
You can sign the manifesto by clicking on the link: https://www.openpetition.de/petition/online/manifest-pol-niem-spoleczenstwa-obywatelskiego
The text in the original was written in Polish and is available at: https://www.krzyzowa.pl/pl/o-fundacji/aktualnosci-1/4928-wiecej-odwagi-i-determinacji-dla-lepszej-przyszlosci-manifest-polsko-niemieckiego-spoleczenstwa-obywatelskiego
