Joint article by Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski published in the Süddeutsche Zeitung and Gazeta Wyborcza

Seventy years ago today, early on the morning of 1 September, German bombs fell on the small Polish border town of Wieluń. At least 1200 Poles perished – they were the first innocent victims of World War II. At the same time, a small group of Polish soldiers fought an unbalanced and heroic battle against the Nazi aggressors at Westerplatte. Their courage became a symbol of the Poles’ unyielding fight for their independence.

The German attack marked the start of a criminal war, of a disaster for Europe that was to rage for five years. Dark years, during which Nazi Germany brought death and horror to all of Europe.

The war resulted in the greatest loss of human life and destruction Europe had ever seen. That is why this date has been branded into Europe’s memory. Anyone who looks back now on that fateful 1 September 1939 cannot help but be horrified. Yet it also sharpens our awareness of how precious the peace order is that we have established in Europe in the 60 years since the end of the war.

Blinded by an ideology that proved criminal, the Nazi instigators of the war aimed to bring about a new era in European history. They succeeded – though fortunately in a completely different way than they planned. It seemed they had destroyed Europe, yet it was precisely this destruction that called on the will and courage of the Europeans to renew their civilization. The horror of the war urged our nations to strive for European unity and thereby lay the groundwork for lasting peace.

1 September 1939 and its consequences presented Germany and Poland with a particularly important historic task. Bound by a terrible memory, both nations had to find a new path to each other, to reconciliation and a shared future. Today we have made considerable progress in these respects.

This became possible when Germany faced up to its historic responsibility. Poland has also made it possible to find the path to a shared future after the horrors of the war. Poland’s willingness to work towards reconciliation was a generous answer to Germany’s admission of guilt and responsibility. Today we jointly pay tribute to the victims and show respect and admiration for all the people who made the path to a new relationship possible.

We are not attempting to gloss over the wounds caused by the war. But we welcome the vigorous efforts both nations and governments have made in the course of years of successful cooperation with one another. We have not forgotten Willy Brandt’s genuflection, the signs of reconciliation Poland has shown, nor the words of Poland’s Catholic bishops. They underlined these words again with their German counterparts on the occasion of the anniversary of the start of the war and spoke of the importance of coming to terms with history and working together.

We have not forgotten the courage the Polish people have shown on the path to pan-European freedom. Without Solidarnosc, the peaceful revolution in the GDR never would have been possible.

Today Poland is free and Germany is reunited. Today our shared future has already begun.

Today young Germans and Poles interact more often and on friendlier terms than ever before. The German-Polish Youth Office has brought nearly two million young Germans and Poles together. There are 600 German-Polish town twinnings, countless school partnerships and each year over 7000 German-Polish marriages. These numbers speak for themselves, as do the intensive trade and economic relations and the excellent cooperation in many other areas, including military cooperation within the framework of the Multinational Corps Northeast.

There is no doubt that today Europe is growing visibly closer where 70 years ago a gaping wound was inflicted. The borders are open, Poles in Germany and Germans in Poland has long been a matter of course. Old clichés and reservations are fading away. Today the overwhelming majority of Poles and Germans have an untainted view of each other and many interact as co-workers or neighbours. Slowly but steadily, the foundation for a shared future has been created.

In spite of a painful past, both nations found the courage to work towards understanding, reconciliation and friendship. It is our duty to continually revitalize this friendship. That also means keeping the memory alive. We believe that the history of Poland and Germany can serve as a positive example for other nations and states that are divided by their past and by memory.

Poland and Germany – allies and partners in the EU and in NATO – share the same basic interests and goals. Today we face threats and challenges side by side. And together we remember what happened on 1 September 1939 – so that it can never happen again.