Poland and Germany have long had a tumultuous history, dating back from times well before there even was a Germany, from a time when Poland was the largest and most powerful country in Europe. But, at one time, Poland declined, and Germany (along with Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire) took advantage and partitioned Poland. But after World War I, Poland was reborn as a strong, proud, and independent country. Yet again Germany took advantage, and Poland became the first casualty of World War II while here “allies” stood by and watched. Through nearly six years of war, Poland suffered perhaps the most of any country, losing 5.8 million people, mostly to the Nazi Germans. Outside of China and Russia, Poland lost the most people in this tragic war.
And after the war, Poland suffered greatly under communism, as did east Germany. But Poland rose up and gave birth to the Solidarity movement which helped bring about the downfall of communism, resulting in a free Poland and a new, unified, and free Germany.
Today’s Germans are only ancestors of some of those who perpetrated the horrors of World War II, and it is indeed time to move on. So it was exceedingly appropriate that the newly elected President of Germany chose Poland to be the first foreign country he visited. And he did recently. You can read more about the peacemaking he brought to relations between these two great countries, now allies, here: http://www.rr.com/news/topic/article/rr/55254887/65594134/German_president_praises_Poland_as_land_of_freedom.
I think things are now headed in the right direction. Time to move beyond the past and look toward the future.
