It would be naive to believe that Poland could not be invaded again, as it was on 1 September 1939 by Nazi Germany, warned President Andrzej Duda on the anniversary of the outbreak of World War Two.
As an example, the president pointed to the current situation on Poland’s border with Belarus, where there has been a recent influx of migrants, with Warsaw accusing Minsk of deliberately facilitating the crossings as part of a “hybrid war”.
To był dzień, który witał mieszkańców Wielunia i Polaków już w zupełnie innej rzeczywistości – rzeczywistości utraty wolności, ale przede wszystkim rzeczywistości okupacji, grozy, cierpienia, utraty życia – Prezydent @AndrzejDuda. pic.twitter.com/lqMkZck3FV
— Kancelaria Prezydenta (@prezydentpl) September 1, 2021
Duda was speaking in Wieluń, a western Polish city that suffered the first bombing – and first war crime – during the Nazi German invasion. More than 70% of its buildings were destroyed and at least 127 civilians were killed.
“It was a morning like today; it was dark like now, when hell was opened over the mostly sleeping inhabitants of Wieluń,” said the president. “It was an act of terror, a breach of all the rules of war.”
“We were the first victims of World War Two,” continued Duda. “No one with any decency can allow Poles, decades later, to be vilely accused of any involvement – especially institutional – in the crimes of WWII. Poles were a victim…We suffered the greatest losses…Let no one dare accuse us of anything.”
Around six million Polish citizens died during the war, 17% of the pre-war population. About half of those victims were Polish Jews. The country also suffered enormous material losses, including destroyed cities and looted art.
Duda and the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party have argued that Polish victimhood is ignored by the outside world, and that Poles are often unfairly accused of being perpetrators of the Holocaust.
In his remarks this morning, the president also warned that it was “naive” to think that “this will never happen again…that no one will ever attack us”. Only “when we are strong” can Poland be sure of its security.
Duda noted that the country now faces “hybrid” threats through “destabilising actions” intended to “undermine the position of the authorities”. Such language has recently been used by government figures who accuse Belarus of deliberately facilitating the passage of migrants across the border into Poland.
“We will not allow our borders to be violated,” declared Duda today. “We commit ourselves to guard the border of the EU…in a firm, courageous and decisive manner.”
In response to the recent surge in illegal crossings, the government yesterday formally requested that the president introduce a state of emergency on the border with Belarus. Unofficial reports today indicate that Duda will accept the request later this week.
Main image credit: Jakub Szymczyk/KPRP/Prezydent.pl
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
