The resolution calls for planning to begin “without delay” and for construction to follow “as quickly as possible,” according to the text published on the Bundestag’s website. A vote is scheduled two days after German-Polish government consultations in Berlin.
The monument is intended to replace a temporary memorial unveiled in June at the former Kroll Opera site. Polish experts will take part in selecting the final design through an open competition.
Lawmakers also proposed separating the monument from the broader and more complex German-Polish House concept, saying that focusing solely on the memorial will speed up its completion. The planned cultural and educational center would be developed later.
The draft underscores Poland’s role as Germany’s key partner in Central Europe and one of its most important allies in the EU and NATO. It notes that public awareness in Germany of Polish history remains limited, adding that the monument should serve both reconciliation and reflection.
The idea for the memorial was first put forward in 2017 by German politicians, scholars and activists. The Kroll Opera location in Tiergarten was chosen as the site where Adolf Hitler announced the attack on Poland on 1 September 1939. Polish officials have repeatedly criticized Berlin for slow progress on the project.
(tf)
Source: PAP