Friendship and trust
Twenty-five years ago, Germany and Poland signed the Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness – a cause for celebration. The anniversary year’s wide-ranging programme of events is now coming to an end.
It’s all about the value of partnership: 25 years after the signing of the German-Polish Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness, an anniversary year commemorated the beginning of this important chapter in relations between the two countries. The jubilee year ends with a gala concert on 11 December. The Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra will be among those performing at Berlin City Hall at the invitation of the Polish Embassy.
“We have devoted energy and passion to German-Polish relations in the past 25 years,” stated Frank-Walter Steinmeier at an event marking the beginning of the anniversary year. “The trust and friendship that have developed over this period are something that can by no means be taken for granted.” That’s a view shared by the people of both countries. In their bilateral relations, Germany and Poland should favour cooperation and compromise over defending their own interests – that was the opinion of the majority of those surveyed by the Bertelsmann Stiftung.
Culture Train between Wroclaw and Berlin
Besides politics and diplomacy, civil-society exchange features prominently in the anniversary year. As the European Capital of Culture 2016, Wroclaw organised numerous exhibitions, festivals and readings in cooperation with Berlin. A Culture Train operated between the two cities. In addition, project days held at schools in Germany and Poland encouraged young people to find out more about their neighbour. Twinned towns in both countries exchanged ideas on issues including the future of energy supply.
Difficulties in German-Polish relations were also addressed in the course of the year. That there is a need for discussion here was confirmed by the Bertelsmann study, which found that not even half of Germans believe that relations with Poland are good or very good. In an earlier survey, conducted in 2013, more than two-thirds of those polled took a positive view of relations.
