Up to 300 million euros: Poland demands that Germany pay annual compensation to victims of Nazism
29 June 15:15
Poland is calling on Germany to introduce annual payments for citizens who survived Nazi persecution and occupation. Warsaw considers an annual payment of 10,000 zlotys—approximately 2,300 euros—per person to be acceptable. This was reported by Der Spiegel and n-tv, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
In Germany, there is support for the idea of providing humanitarian aid to surviving Polish victims of the Nazi regime, but the questions of funding sources and the legal framework for the payments remain unresolved.
How Much Is Poland Demanding to Pay Victims of Nazism?
According to German media reports, the Polish side has informed the German government that it considers an annual payment of
- 10,000 zlotys per person;
- about 2,333 euros per year;
- approximately 194 euros per month.
The money is to be paid to surviving Polish citizens who suffered persecution, imprisonment, forced labor, and other crimes committed by Nazi Germany.
The final list of beneficiary categories and the criteria for awarding assistance have not yet been agreed upon.
How many people are eligible for payments
The number of living Polish victims of the Nazi regime is estimated at approximately 50,000 people.
At the same time, this number is rapidly declining. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, about 1,000 potential beneficiaries die each month.
This is precisely why the Polish authorities are insisting on a swift decision.
Officials in Warsaw emphasize that for many victims, the issue of compensation has not only financial but also symbolic significance.
How Much Will the Payments Cost Germany?
According to Süddeutsche Zeitung’s estimates, if an annual payment of 10,000 zlotys is established, Germany’s costs could amount to:
- about 100 million euros in the first year;
- approximately 300 million euros in total.
The total amount is calculated taking into account the gradual decline in the number of living recipients.
This is not the program’s final budget, but a preliminary estimate by the German publication. Actual costs will depend on the number of people who meet the established criteria, the start date of payments, and the duration of the program.
German Minister Supports Compensation
In mid-June, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul publicly supported the idea of payments to surviving Polish victims of the Nazi regime.
In a speech at the German-Polish Forum on June 17, he emphasized Germany’s historical responsibility and the need to preserve the memory of Nazi crimes.
The official text of Wadeful’s speech was released by the German Foreign Ministry.
According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the minister spoke in favor of providing compensation but did not specify a particular amount or source of funding.
Why a decision has not yet been made
The German government is discussing the proposal, but no agreement has been reached yet.
Among the main issues cited are:
- the difficult situation with the national budget;
- the lack of an agreed-upon funding mechanism;
- the legal framework for the payments;
- determining the group of recipients;
- concerns regarding similar demands from other countries;
- distinguishing between humanitarian aid and war reparations.
Berlin could structure the payments as special humanitarian aid rather than as an acknowledgment of new legal obligations regarding reparations.
Poland is talking about humanitarian payments, not just reparations
The issue of payments to living victims of Nazism is linked to a broader discussion about compensation for damages inflicted on Poland during World War II.
The previous Polish government demanded reparations from Germany amounting to approximately 1.3 trillion euros. The German side has stated that, from a legal standpoint, it considers the issue of reparations closed.
The current proposal for 10,000 zlotys per year takes a different form. It involves targeted assistance for people who directly survived Nazi persecution.
It is precisely this humanitarian approach that may allow Berlin to agree to the payments without changing its legal position on general reparations.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
What Germany Previously Proposed
Back in 2024, then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke of a possible “humanitarian gesture” toward living Polish victims of Nazism.
According to German media reports, Berlin was considering allocating approximately 200 million euros.
However, the Polish side considered this proposal insufficient. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged Germany to act more quickly, as the number of surviving victims is steadily declining.
In December 2025, Tusk stated that Poland might begin making payments from its own budget if Berlin did not reach a decision, TVP World reported.
The Polish Sejm urged Germany not to delay
In June 2026, the Polish parliament passed a resolution calling for urgent compensation for the losses suffered by survivors of Nazi prisons and concentration camps.
Lawmakers emphasized that assistance must be provided while the victims are still alive, rather than remaining the subject of years of political negotiations, TVP World reported.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski also called on Berlin to speed up negotiations on compensation, according to the Polish Press Agency.
How will these payments differ from reparations?
War reparations are compensation that one state demands from another for damages caused by war.
The proposed annual payments are intended to be targeted assistance for specific individuals.
The main differences are that:
- the money will be received by individuals, not the state;
- the assistance may be structured as a humanitarian program;
- the total amount will be significantly less than the reparations claims;
- payments will be made only to living victims;
- the program will not necessarily imply legal recognition of new reparations obligations.
This approach could serve as a compromise between the positions of Warsaw and Berlin.
Who is eligible for assistance
The detailed rules of the program have not yet been made public.
Potentially, payments may apply to people who:
- were held in Nazi concentration camps;
- were imprisoned;
- were subjected to forced labor;
- survived deportation;
- were victims of persecution by the occupying authorities;
- have documents confirming their status.
Before the program begins, governments will need to agree on which agencies will verify the documents and process the fund transfers.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
