The phrase “We forgive and ask for forgiveness,” written in November 1965 by Polish Catholic bishops to their German counterparts, became one of the most powerful acts of moral courage in postwar Europe, laying the foundations for reconciliation between two nations divided by the trauma of the Second World War.
On Wednesday, the European Parliament marked the anniversary by opening the exhibition at its Strasbourg seat in France. Previously shown in Rome, Warsaw, Goerlitz, Berlin, and the Vatican, it was inaugurated by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Polish MEP Andrzej Halicki of the Civic Coalition, and German MEP Oliver Schenk of the Christian Democratic Union.
A message against Cold War divisions
During the event, Metsola said that in the face of unimaginable suffering, the words “We forgive and ask for forgiveness” represented an extraordinary act of courage and reconciliation. She added that the letter marked a turning point in Polish–German relations and a milestone on Europe’s path from division to cooperation.
“After 60 years, there is no more fitting place to commemorate the significance of this moment. The European Parliament itself is the fruit of a long journey of reconciliation and dialogue in Europe,” she said.
Roberta Metsola. Photo: PAP/Wiktor Dąbkowski
Halicki highlighted that the 1965 letter was the first postwar document to openly challenge Soviet-era narratives.
It countered Moscow’s claim that Poland could have no genuine partners in the West, asserting reconciliation and European integration as Poland’s initiative - a message later echoed by the Solidarity movement and a lasting Polish contribution to Europe’s history.
Legacy of Polish–German reconciliation
Sent at a time of deep political division and lingering wartime resentment, the bishops’ message called for mutual forgiveness rather than retribution. Though controversial when first issued, it later came to be seen as a turning point in Polish–German relations and a moral pillar of the broader European reconciliation project.
🇵🇱🇪🇺🇩🇪 | To recall the moral and historical significance of the 1965 Polish-German bishops' epistolary exchange, a...
Opublikowany przez Comece - the Catholic Church in the EU Poniedziałek, 19 stycznia 2026
Organisers say the exhibition underscores the enduring relevance of the bishops’ appeal at a time when Europe faces renewed geopolitical tensions and debates over memory, responsibility, and solidarity.
Through archival documents, photographs, and historical commentary, the display traces how a single sentence opened the way for dialogue between former enemies and shaped the values on which today’s European Union is built.
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Source: Polish Radio/PAP/X/@grupaepl/Facebook.com/comceEu