The Cost of War
Commissioned by the city and based on research of over 62,000 damage claims, as well as fresh reports by expert real-estate evaluators, the study examines the cost of all destruction occurring in Warsaw during World War II. According to the report, losses incurred from the destruction of the Royal Castle alone reached $106.7 million. Destruction of the National Theater cost the city $83.7 million.
The report comes on the heels of a well-publicized campaign by the Prussian Claims Society, a group that wants Poland to repay German families for land they lost after the Second World War. Warsaw Mayor Lech Kaczyński maintains that the report is only a defense against these claims, which have angered many Poles, including Kaczyński himself.
"We didn't start the war," Kaczynński told a news conference last week. "German claims in essence amount to saying it is Poles who must pay for World War II," he said.
Recently, both the German Prime Minister Gerhard Schroeder and Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka have reiterated their opposition to any payment of reparations by either side, so there are doubts as to whether the city has any chance of regaining the losses. But officials at city hall may be working behind the scenes to make it happen.
When asked what the money might be used for, city officials were tight lipped. "No decision has been made yet. At the moment, the purpose of the report is only to be shown in response to continued German claims," says Jósef Menes, secretary of the team who wrote the report. According to him, the report cannot in itself be used as a basis for legal action.
But Kaczyński refuses to rule out the possibility of taking the Germans to court. Last week, he made it clear that he disagrees with the Prime Minister's position.
"We don't understand this stance by the President and Prime Minister. We share Parliament's opinion," said Kaczyński, referring to the Sejm's resolution from September 10, which called for talks with Germany concerning compensation.
For their part, the Germans are taking the report in stride. "The release of this report was announced and expected, so it was no surprise," says Stefan Bredohl, press attaché for the German Embassy in Warsaw. He dismisses the possibility of using the report as a springboard for damage claims: "Both government leaders made it clear when they met in Kraków just a few days ago that neither side will bring reparation claims against the other."
But the city can file a claim independently of the state, and whether Kaczyński will follow the Prime Minister's non-confrontational lead is yet to be seen.
The report comes on the heels of a well-publicized campaign by the Prussian Claims Society, a group that wants Poland to repay German families for land they lost after the Second World War. Warsaw Mayor Lech Kaczyński maintains that the report is only a defense against these claims, which have angered many Poles, including Kaczyński himself.
"We didn't start the war," Kaczynński told a news conference last week. "German claims in essence amount to saying it is Poles who must pay for World War II," he said.
Recently, both the German Prime Minister Gerhard Schroeder and Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka have reiterated their opposition to any payment of reparations by either side, so there are doubts as to whether the city has any chance of regaining the losses. But officials at city hall may be working behind the scenes to make it happen.
When asked what the money might be used for, city officials were tight lipped. "No decision has been made yet. At the moment, the purpose of the report is only to be shown in response to continued German claims," says Jósef Menes, secretary of the team who wrote the report. According to him, the report cannot in itself be used as a basis for legal action.
But Kaczyński refuses to rule out the possibility of taking the Germans to court. Last week, he made it clear that he disagrees with the Prime Minister's position.
"We don't understand this stance by the President and Prime Minister. We share Parliament's opinion," said Kaczyński, referring to the Sejm's resolution from September 10, which called for talks with Germany concerning compensation.
For their part, the Germans are taking the report in stride. "The release of this report was announced and expected, so it was no surprise," says Stefan Bredohl, press attaché for the German Embassy in Warsaw. He dismisses the possibility of using the report as a springboard for damage claims: "Both government leaders made it clear when they met in Kraków just a few days ago that neither side will bring reparation claims against the other."
But the city can file a claim independently of the state, and whether Kaczyński will follow the Prime Minister's non-confrontational lead is yet to be seen.
