Every other year or two....some significant German (usually the President or the Chancellor) will show up in Poland, and ask for forgiveness for actions in WW II. If you go back, there's probably twenty official 'regret' speeches given on Polish soil since WW II from German political leaders.
This past week, the President of Germany (Steinmeier, SPD) showed up in Poland and gave yet another 'regret' speech.
The average German? The vast majority of Germans alive today....something like 97-percent....had nothing to do with the war, or the actions of the Nazis. The ones in the 2-to-3 percent group.....were mostly all kids at the time of the war, and they have no responsibility either. So you are left with those who are up around 95 to 100 years old.
Most political folks feel that they need to exercise this 'regret' business....in order to get the right response from the Poles. But 97-percent of the Poles have nothing much to do with the war, and it's just the 2-to-3 percent group who remember things, or were in the middle of war.
Will this ever end? I have my doubts. Even when you get up to around 2050, I think there will still be German political folks exercising this 'regret' business.
The chief problem I see....every time you go and present this apology....it triggers some Pole to ask about reparations. So it's a continuing trend.....German guy shows up....gives the regrets speech.....next day, the reparations chatter starts up again. One hand washes the other, so to speak.
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