this is deja vu news live from berlin commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the start of world war 2 are underway in poland the world leaders including both the german chancellor and the german president are gathering in warsaw to remember the invasion of poland by nazi german troops on september 1st 1939 we'll bring you live coverage.

i'm sumi so much going to thank you for joining us here on d w events are underway in poland to remember the start of world war 280 years ago both german chancellor angela merkel and german president func. are attending a ceremony in the capital warsaw a sign of the importance germany is placing on this painful anniversary and these are live pictures you're seeing here and that was just the polish president and to do that with his wife it was on september 1st 1939 that a german troops invaded neighboring poland the beginning of history's bloodiest conflict poland suffered some of the worst horrors of the war nearly 6000000 polish citizens were killed including some $3000000.00 polish jews now other world leaders including u.s. vice president president mike pence are also attending the. benson warsaw he is

actually taking the place of u.s. president donald trump who canceled his planned visit in order to monitor hurricane dorian. and as we said those commemorations are getting underway and we have our team of correspondents south following the events for us today simon young is in warsaw where he has been following what's taking place and will be with us through the course of the commemorations and here in our studio we have our political correspondent peter craven with us and also. from the polish circus good to have the 3 of you with us simon let's start with you because you're there in warsaw and as as we said we are looking at live pictures as we we will be looking at live pictures as we speak to you as the events get underway there but give us an idea of what the atmosphere has been like there today. well as you say the guests are still arriving for this event this is the main

national commemoration of the beginning of world war 280 years on and the focus will be on the 3 speeches by the presidents of poland germany and then the vice president might paint scenes here as you said replacing don't trump you can't come because of the hurricane back home but people here are gathering there are several 100. members of the public here at the barricades and lots of journalists and i think this will be a solemn ceremony where to speak not only speeches will be made weeks will be laid they'll be a bit of military ceremonial and there's a lot of important guests here as you mentioned chancellor merkel has also come on usual for her to be here along with the german president she was great seeds respectfully i would say when. by

a group of military veterans and politicians who all stood up when she took her place just a few moments ago some and you mentioned there will be a series of speeches that we will be listening into live from the polish president and the german president and he said u.s. vice president mike pence what kind of a message do you think we're going to hear from those speeches what should we be listening for. well i think from the polish saw 8 of course the emphasis i think will be on the suffering of poland because there's no doubt poland did suffer incredibly badly not just on the 1st of september 939 and the weeks after that with the invasion throughout the course of the war the attempts by known see germany and to be said by the soviet union to pretty much rob poland off the face of the map and of course poland lost

5 to 6000000 of its citizens 3000000 of them g.'s about 14 percent it's estimated of the polish population was wiped out so i think we're going to hear a lot about. from the german side of course it's an apology it's as frank. president said earlier today and that ceremony that he attended the 1st thing this morning he is asking for forgiveness and that of course remains a central message that germany doesn't forget that it knows of its responsibility for the crimes committed by nazi germany and simon as you've been speaking we're looking at the top right of the screen at pictures of those arrivals as they are taking place and maybe you can give us your impression there how significant do you think this is that the german president. is the guest of honor will be taking part in. commemorations and really standing side by side with the polish president to

talk about how important this day is. but i think evacuees very significant and it means a lot to poles who want to as i say to have their suffering recognized it's not it's not a new development german presidents of have been here before but i think this year it's getting special prominence also because of the fact that the chancellor is here is well very unusual that for both leaders to attend any any such event both together. it has to be mentioned that this current polish government under the law and justice party has put more emphasis on the idea that poland is a victim and indeed that since the war suffering has not been fully recognized

there are calls for financial reparations to be made by germany and reports in the polish parliament they seem to be published which may put a figure on that demond that's something that germany has say he's legally done and dusted it. in the past while of course germany's moral responsibility is not and can never be put to one side so that is a dispute. really exists between these 2 countries and we'll have to see to what extent it comes to the fore in any way today all right peter and wojciech i want to bring you both into the conversation here and pick up on some of the things that just touched upon let's start with you 1st of all today's commemorations really are about kind of understanding and also showing to the world that poland is really commemorating the magnitude of the catastrophe that that took place 80 years ago today is an. well you know we have to remember that this war that started the 2

years ago it was word that the world haven't seen before and concerning poland it was not just a regular war that started with military invasion of poland and very marked. fighting against polish militaries with the very 1st hours and the very 1st day of the 2nd world war it was a war against polish civil society against regular polish people against polish culture and that's what was has been told today and into very early morning in v.l. inward a 1st part of these ceremonies took place in the 1st city to be bombed to you're in the 2nd world war it was a city we chat no military meaning it was it was it didn't make much sense to bump a city which was the only place to live for normal people and there were like.

hospitals private houses being bombed and and 1000 of people being being killed. and i think this is important and this is what the polish government and codes generally would like to promote to the world that this this war has been a total war against against in this 1st phase of the war against not only polish military it was a war that was supposed to emulate or enslave polish people to eliminate polish culture to eliminate polish elites because with the very 1st hours and very 1st day of the war it was not only as i said very much but also some other unofficial troops of and gestapo who were just killing polish intel again see it and killing polish scientists killing polish teachers killing polish should doctors because the aim was to just make poland as we. week as possible so it may be

sleigh for the 3rd rise for the germans so i believe this is this is what's not so well known in the word we often say how many polish citizens have been killed there like one in 5 pows yeah diet in this in this way war however i believe it's not always when at the waist aware of the fact how huge impact and polish society polish culture polish cities polish infrastructure this war that you mention below and 4 of us are not familiar with that there was a ceremony early this morning we should say with both the pole polish and german presidents marking that very 1st bombardment of the island which is with the center south of poland before they came to warsaw now where they'll be holding the commemorations but peter you know germany has such a strong and deep remembrance culture and yet there is this this feeling among poles perhaps that this this in itself has not been remembered enough though why is

that i mean it's interesting listening to what simon has had to say interesting and utterly despairing to listen once again to the to prove premeditation of everything that germany planned before this attack on september 19th as you know and. of course this is been incredibly traumatic for the polish population the way this an individual experiences a trauma and cannot shake that told for years and decades to come poland is not been able to shake off the trauma of what was done to it in the 2nd world war and i think there is the there is a very much the that the sense that a sense still a life not necessarily predominant but still alive in poland people to feel that germany has done perhaps a little bit more in recent decades to seek reconceive can find reconciliation with all the countries that it oppressed that it was an aggressor of in the 2nd world war with the french with the dutch with. with israelis with the jewish population suffered so it's. i have been to germany and i think the poles the poles really

demand of germany the germans confront themselves with the bitter truths even if it is rather late to be doing the time to make good make recompense for the for the cruelty that was joe let's bring that quickly our viewers up to date before we talk a little bit more we are looking at pictures here in the right hand box there on your screen these are commemorations taking place at the moment in warsaw these are events marking the start of world war 280 years ago and the german president fact is the guest of honor and he will be arriving we hope shortly where he will be taking part in a military ceremony there are various events planned and then there will be speeches from the french and polish presidents and also the u.s. vice president. will also be on hand mike pence will be there giving a speech as well and those are the pictures we're looking at will live listen into those speeches live wojciech picking up on on what peter just said there poland's understanding of how it was impacted by the invasion the war it is incredibly

complex isn't it i mean how would you put that into context for us what you know it's. been a huge sacrifice that the polish. society the pows had made during the during the war and. this trial none of these that is still there. i guess there is you can hardly ever find one polish shift family that hasn't been really somehow touched by the by the word that didn't suffered and didn't didn't lose somebody. and this huge sacrifice that was their posts maybe think it's not recognized enough in the world. what you peter was saying i guess polls are a little bit hurt when they realize that many people in germany don't really know much about war in poland everybody in germany know where now the war started.

and everybody know about. about the 1st of september maybe $939.00 about the holocaust but i believe the german focus on the war is mainly the issue of hollow cows and the war against the soviet union and that's what's so that's a pity and that's why many poles don't feel comfortable maybe when realising that germany and regular germans or even german who are interested in poland they don't know much about what was going on then it's interesting we're voice in saying this is somebody who has traveled to poland very very often i've very often been in the situation where poles would have been talking about their own history or their own geography their own topography they'd be talking about novels that have been written what historians have done and if you coming from the west or anybody coming from the west and coming from germany can pick up on that and show that they are interested in the that is important to them as well then poles are both slightly

astonished and very eager to reward you for your interest in the country as a suspect you're not being because this would be so familiar to you and the there is a sense that the poles are very anxious about being seen as a 2nd division country in terms of the treatment they get by other countries. which would be very very ill deserve that kind of role expression given the foreigner there was the courage shown and in the 2nd world war and then the courage as wojciech has already mentioned the struggle against communism immense contributions made by poland to european history indeed well there certainly will have the chance to talk more about that we are still waiting for the german president funkhouser steinmeyer to arrive out there as you see in those pictures about let's take a look at the for historical context that we have just been discussing as we said 80 years ago today on the 1st of september a 939 germany invaded poland and the date is regarded as the start of the 2nd world war in the early hours german warship opened fire on the polish garrison in what was then the free city of dancing and about the same time bombs rained down on the

small polish town of the alone killing 1200 civilians it was the german list of office 1st air raid on poland and the 1st of many war crimes to come. in the early hours of september 1st $939.00 the german battleship because stein attacked a polish ammunition depot and down sick now known this be done sgt they were the opening shots of world war 2. german bombers also destroyed. a town in western poland of no strategic importance 1200 civilians were killed in the damaged 1st war crime shortly afterwards the german army crossed the polish border a scene re-enacted for these propaganda pictures the previous evening s.s. troops wearing polish uniforms had staged an attack on a german radio station hitler used this as a pretext to invade poland. by. german

troops also attacked the polish post office and. the siege lasted 15 hours most of the defenders were shot dead after a german court martial. but hitler exemptions went far beyond poland he wanted to conquer europe and oppose his racist nazi ideology on the entire continent. the early weeks of the conflict some war crimes committed against polish civilians. poland's allies britain and france declared war on germany but they were not prepared to intervene militarily. and there was no help from moscow the soviet union had given nazi germany and almost free hand germany and the soviets had publicly agreed on

a non-aggression pact and secretly made a deal to carve up eastern europe between the 2 dictatorships not long after the german invasion of poland the soviet union moved in from the east poland's fate was sealed when german forces and the red army met at the agreed demarcation line. well as we said today marking of the start of world war 218 years ago and we are following the ceremony of the commemorations rather that are taking place in warsaw and wojciech and peter's looking at that i want to pick on something that pick up on something you both were just talking about a little bit earlier for check you met remember you mentioned rather of a sense perhaps that germans have not remembered the horrors that took place in poland as they have other wars during the from from the from world war 2 rather. is that now being politicized because that is a big topic of discussion in germany at the moment. well i would say yes. well we know that the ruling low in just

a spot the party that's ruling now potent which is a petri optic. right wing conservative party it is a party which uses those so she's 3 topics which uses this traffic narrative and which is again using. will to get something back from germany by a demanding. not officially but in the rectally germany to pay some reparations for the for the for the 2nd world. for the 2nd well war and i believe the music but i'm not sure just one second i just want to point out that we are seeing the german president fun with his wife now arriving a shaking hands there with the polish president and his wife they are the guests of honor for this ceremony ceremony today and we see that guest book that was just being signed so the german president as he said the guest of honor will after this

photo go over with the polish president i believe and he will then also sign his name in that guest book and wojciech maybe you can just bring us quickly up to date also on the significance of this square where this is all taking place but it's the square in the very very center of the center of warsaw a biggest square in the polish kept going right now and it's a very special place because well it used to look completely different before the war this is one of the examples how a war so was totally destroyed during the war on to 60 square what is now called just the square there was this section palace one of the most distinctive buildings in pre-war war so it was totally bombed by nazi germany during the day at the end of the of the war. there on putin's square there is this camp of the unknown

soldier which is like a central place for poland to commemorate. the soldiers and people who died fighting for the independence of the country so it has like a double double meaning displaced being destroyed or destroyed by the germans during during the war so it's i believe significant that the german president will be talking there today there will also be a wreath laying later at the tomb of the unknown soldier peter i think it's important to want to work towards or has just been saying about about the square so it's nice whatever it is really when you are in will sort feels like a vacuum he feels that there is something is missing at the square it's a huge expanse of space and the saxon palace is being discussed by the germans by and large as an alternative route of relief rebuilding and refurbishing the building to give it some new symbolic role this is key building informal pre-war warsaw is being discussed as an alternative to hefty reparations payments and those

that shows the way that the 2 sides are looking at the reparations debate in the distance they are apart but where the debate might actually go in the next couple of minutes. but if you have any idea maybe of architecture or of how the european cities look like if you don't work so you immediately realize what have must that what must have happened in this in this city as you said this is just the square is this is that is this example for for for a huge square which used to be really one of the most exclusive and prettiest parts of the pre-war pre-war show but yes you said this is leading us to this to this debate on how should germany or should it and how should it. try to to to to pay for what has happened in your. the 2nd world war maybe you can bring us up to date on that debate precisely which has kind of really come up in

the media again head of these commemorations today that germany or rather poland is saying there should be reparations what happened what virtue well it's interesting that the wording that was used today so far that i have seen or a day by the way where i think it's been very good body language between the polish leadership in the german leaderships are very encouraging in terms of reconciliation but the wording that was used today was compensation payments rather than the word reparations which is that which has become a term that is the rather talks or it has to be said that the polish side of the debate about reparations had come down until 2050 when the law and justice party people conservative nationalist groups who in the election and they have used it as a lever in domestic and international politics to exercise pressure on germany demanding reparation payments they've also been demanding they haven't actually just said what some might be demanded so far but there is a committee of the of the polish parliament that is going to come up with

a figure of the figure that has been talked about so far is 8 is the breathtaking figure of $800000000000.00 euro that's more than twice. on your budget with a little bit. you know. what i was saying before i believe that the fact that the government is using this topic of reparations or compensation that it's using this narrative and very successfully because the electorate of. this law and justice party like it's when the government says look we are the ones who are so really tough against germany and we have courage to say traits sorry guys you have to you'll have to pay or maybe enough they didn't say it directly but this is the message that's coming from from from more so i believe that the fact that this is so successful in the polish society is. past something to do with the fact that poles do not feel that their their victim their sacrifice has been

recognized. in europe and in germany and has to be said they have a case because the suffering as we've already said in this program who was was absolutely massive in the compensation for that suffering in terms of reparations has been practically nonexistent the german stance is that this is legally already been result as we think of it there is this huge academic argument surrounds discussion between this and polish communist polish government in 153 lights in the the east german authorities off the hook in terms of reparation payments from the german government insisted that that was done at that time that is legally binding there is no legal case yes we take moral responsibility and of discussion at this point in time. is it merely the current government that's in place is that the reason that this debate is now heating up again well i believe this debate is

heating up again because the polish government wants to use it in its in their politics i would say this is the only. the only reason when this law and justice party was ruling the country before and when the law and justice party politician was relink war so they were saying the same they were saying the same thing and trying to count how much bolus poland loses was and they were trying to send this this check to germany so this is what the. conservatives are doing in poland and we had this long period of liberal government in poland with the civic platform then it was not really. a topic for those politicians it was somehow clear that. it's 80 years almost now you can't do much about it and then the rest of then was that. we should get this

money but it's too late there is no legal chance to do it in the fifty's as you said to come in you stick government under pressure of of soviet union has said everything is clear we don't we don't have to talk more about it and now do you the law and justice government says this agreement from 1053 it's not value it's because it was done on their deed to moscow influence but this is how you settle a kind of an academic discussion it isn't country allowed to say no sir it is deal from 50 friess not notes of elite anymore ok well this is one of the disputes a thorn if you will in the relationship that is otherwise as you said the body language between the polish and german leadership today has been very positive peter and for our viewers joining us these are the events here in poland in warsaw to remember the start of world war 2 we are expecting the u.s.

vice president mike pence as well although we haven't seen him i don't believe just yet that is the polish president undated i believe mike pence is a little delayed coming in but they are awaiting his arrival still the german president from published on my is the guest of honor german chancellor angela merkel is also on hand. to shine my however is the one who will be giving a speech at this ceremony in the capital of warsaw and this really is a sign of importance for germany that this painful and verse 3 is being remembered in this way it was on september 1st 80 years ago that german troops invaded poland and as we've been talking about began the start of history's bloodiest conflict it is interesting to note there were around armed americans appearance in war so that she wasn't as you've already mentioned she wasn't initially scheduled to take part and then when donald trump let it be known that he wasn't coming then she jumped at the opportunity and it looked as though she. taking advantage of the fact that. the 2 trump america worth were going to be avoiding each other but also emphasized how

important it is for angela merkel to be very important it is for the german president to get his message across today he is after all a former german foreign minister and is very very well aware of the sort of the diplomatic tensions between germany and poland and i believe it's good that i'm go americal is there today trying to show that germany really does care of course the president from mars the head of the state in germany but i believe in poland he's not of course as popular or as well known as the merkel has been there for so many years and she's very well known and popular politician in poland so i believe for frank loesser steinmeyer alone coming to to poland some poles could have said well i actually haven't really heard of mr time i or before with him go america in front of the steinmeyer being there i guess it's

a strong signal for. germany is really interested to commemorate this day today as we speak of commemorations we're seeing these images here in this will be a solemn ceremony to speeches as well we're expecting to hear from the u.s. vice president and the french and the polish and german presidents today and perhaps we can also talk about a question that has been raised here peter as to whether germany should build a monument to honor poland and what it suffered in world war 2 at the hands of the nazis. well the fact is pointed out quite often in this debate that in in the center of berlin there is a there is a. very. important holocaust memorial to people around the world will be familiar with there are there are memorials to the city of the roman people who suffered so greatly under the. german aggression in the 2nd world war there are

memorials to countless other people homosexuals who suffered under during the 2nd world war and it's been a growing number of people on the polish side but also from the german side i think 240 parliamentarians let it be known that they would support the creation of a memorial to the suffering of poles in the 2nd world war a place where we could commemorates the 2 sides the poles and the germans and anybody else and. i think i should just break off for a 2nd some yeah i think we are seeing that the u.s. vice president mike pence arriving here as we said he was running a little bit late for the ceremony it appears that we haven't seen him just yet but it looks like this is his motorcade and that he is arriving in this car here i'm assuming that that is where he'll be stepping out on the polish president and his wife have been reading all the many dignitaries who have been arriving and it is yours that he has just arrived he will be delivering a speech as well along with. maya and significant of course to have

the american presence there as well. is of course. very important for the polish government that this message about this anniversary about the 2nd world war which is 80 years now many people don't know much about it anymore the presence of american vice president. maybe past the focus more attention of the of the world media of course polish government was hoping that the american president donald trump will come to says what had been announced trump was planning to come to poland but just 2 days or 3 days ago i believe he had to cancel this so he had to cancel this trip is because of the hurricane that is about to hit. florida however during debates on well saying that if person. trump really very much wanted to be known or so on this sunday he would have

managed to come back to florida before the hurricane also there was some disappointment that it indeed is upon his very very ironic because donald trump is huge in poland as you were as you very well know as a sort of real and passionate friend of the polls and oh yes very many polls lionize donald trump in the other in the other way so that would have been great disappointment among polish people who didn't turn up but also among the peach bottom because they were looking for positive images with the american president ahead of the election in. october the 13th yes or in our city so it is a huge disappointment. basically for for for the ruling law and justice party who is trying to as you said use this commemoration as well to the you have some food have some photos in the world with donald trump for staying there on the square and praising the how heroic goals were because i believe this is also what mike pence is going to going to tell but indeed trump is very positively

seen in warsaw by the low in just his government. poland and warsaw and washington are are having very close relations president duda been to washington recently poland is buying a lot of american military equipment spending billions of euros and as you know president donald trump he likes this kind of. deals but basically. is very pro-american and this has something to do with the polish history and with this day 8 years ago today because well when poland was attacked by nazi germany france and the united kingdom were supposed to come and help attack poland but it didn't really happen u.k. and friends. it said they are now on the war with germany but they did not really

helpful militarily all right some of the very important historical context there to what we're seeing today we see the polish and german presidents and the u.s. vice president are taking their seats if you're just joining us these are events here under way in poland to remember the start of world war 280 years ago both the german chancellor merkel and president here for this ceremony in the capital warsaw an important sign from germany it also remembering this very painful anniversary 80 years ago the german troops invaded poland one country is missing of course so the gathering. go ahead until i'd like to make this russia you know was not invited to it was not invited to attend tell us more about what that we don't really know what the reasoning behind it was there with there was an official statement made saying that it would be inappropriate to invite russia at this point in time given the. the tactics that were used in the crimea an exception 24. i think the polls still

worried that there is a real live in valid threat from the russian side that's why they will be looking to mark plans today to see if they are going to get a new new deployment of u.s. troops to poland to strengthen their position vis a vis the russians the russians by the way were declared themselves but will do not to be invited which is also understandable i think in many ways given the role of the russians played in repellant german forces in the circle will pushing them back to berlin and into capitulation french you know. well you know this is a this is a very complex issue with poland and it's how it sees the role of of soviet union of russia helping to fight against against hitler because as we have seen seen before it was not only attacked by the germans on the 1st september on the 17th september holder has been attacked was attacked by. the soviet union and although it was soviet russia which helped to push nazi germany back

away towards western europe and bringing liberation from nazi germany to do eastern. europe but of course and losing millions of soldiers however for poland it wasn't really the ration because poland then goes on their d. soviet influence for more than 40 years being the pocket of the eastern bloc and soviets also committing war crimes against codes against polish intelligentsia. so it's simply hard for polish people to to be thankful to russia russia pay such a huge a blot the price to to to to fight it to fight against hitler but 10 years ago commemorating the outbreak of the 2nd world war rather be put in was there and in poland but today after what happened jean d. in the ukraine. after what happened in great britain solsbury belief.

you have polish government is not really willing to see mr putin today or so interesting to note you said 10 years ago climate would not the 70th anniversary was there and i want to point out he said there then that the pact of the soviet union and it was not the germany formed at the point right ahead of the invasion of poland was from a moral point of view unacceptable and called it a mistake and it appears in these past 10 years as some of that a rhetoric has changed not just in russia but in terms of broader sizing of the events of world war 2 we've seen that also in other countries just to point out you're looking at a military ceremony taking place there's a ceremonial change of the guard all in this military to see if you're done we're going to see speeches also the polish flags and national anthems. very compatriot extermination. we're taking place in warsaw to mark at the start of world war 298

years ago it is interesting to me the u.s. the question of a moral symbol it and i gave a short spontaneous list of the memorials in the in the center of the german capital and i didn't mention the very large memorial to the soviet soldiers and their suffering in the 2nd war he was their sacrifice and so world war and coming back to that depends about the memorial a possible memorial for. poland's suffering and sacrifice in the in these terrible theories of the war. i think there is a case being made by many german politicians that it would be a place that would encourage germans to familiarize themselves with the terrible details of the golden jubilee pride is an aggressor in the under suffering of the polish people but there are other people who are not so confident as that would necessarily be the effect and i think fortune is on the. way though there is a debate going on of course in in germany in term and politics about this monument

should it be there or what should it look like or should it really be a monument because as we as we said as i said before germans have don't know much about the war and in poland about the occupation of poland that lasted more than 5 . years and well building a monument. you have to think that it will not become just the place to to to to lay flowers or light candles once a year there are some people saying we should rather built kind of a information center so that people can learn more about what was going on there in poland from 139222245 however there are also some politicians some german not only politicians but also journalists saying well shall we commemorate only the polish victims. there have been so many other victims in the east ukrainians. origines and all the other people and of course there's

a very conservative nationalistic government now in poland there are also questions being asked is this the right moment to build such a monument with these no one justice party being there in office in the us. what is there for such a moderate monument. there are a growing number of parliamentarians from right across the political spectrum so my guess is that there's the debate is all now which there was which is going to be happening recently about what the sites could be and suggestions have been made for a site in downtown berlin right at the center of so it looks as though this could materialize disappoints the qualms that voyager has just been outlining. poland was hoping that some clear signal would come from berlin ahead of those ceremonies today ahead of the 80000 bursary that germany will be building

this this monument just as we've seen with the holocaust monument in berlin it takes something truly years for germany for berlin to to have such a decision. but let's look at these pictures here that are currently taking place at the square in warsaw we're expecting the polish national anthem and the raising of the polish flag in flight. i think there is one thing that i would like to point out at this stage because we've been talking about the dark cloud that so that often hovers over drill ations between poles and germans and between poland and germany. but it has to be said many millions of it's not quite clear the actual number i don't think is can be defined but we're talking that 3000000 plus polish people people with polish roots live in live in germany and they're highly skilled highly trained to make a major contribution to jump. it being such a prosperous prosperous society and the relations from the german side in the polar

side generally speaking strangely go to an extremely prognostic i think it's important to point out you're right we shouldn't. draw paint such a such a dark. view here talking about german polish relations and concentrating only about the ripper ations or monuments for for the victims of the 2nd world war it is indeed a wonder of reconciliation that happened between those 2 countries this is what x. german president said and also exposed president of comment of he said it is a wonder that those countries. fighting so long. poland having so many a victim's are actually very close friends now and partners in the european union in nato. also decide he says there is still of course this ballast of war of preparations of the societies are

friends now there are as you said millions of polish people living in germany feeling really good here and there are very close to canonical relations between poland and germany poland has now become the 6th most important traits patna for germany important context here of the polish president to do the greeting card and shortly he will be marking the ceremony with the raising of the polish flag and the anthem the national anthem let's listen in to that. so let's.

join soledad. well you know what this $1.60 square in very heart of words so. although. i wish. i had all the jelly knocked out.

i'll try to pluck up a. couple dishing up logic by his talk but i think that's likely. to. support. the. president. is the friend of. the. show. just like your turnings these here are events in warsaw just remember the start of world war 280 years ago dignitaries world leaders on hand that is to ration sports special speeches from the german and polish. and the u.s. vice. the

so

. stuck on. sean taylor cheesy label who gave all you know shut off. for the good guys. but here's. the.

think.

i. think it. was the polish all the hash over it then but. although the job or not there are. obvious i don't promise i don't say don't call me it's not a part of me go for not post they don't go home at all they make sure they're all bad yes not that much oh yes out. there now they are based on. their money currently taking place in warsaw to make 18 years since the start of the world were children german nazi forces invaded poland and you just briefly saw images there of the tomb of the unknown soldier what check you're giving us the significance for my sake and how important that site is for poland as well as we said this top of the unknown soldier it is actually. what we see there are the

remaining 6 this very few bricks that were still there after the war those are the remaining some of the saxon palace that we. talked about this very distinctive beautiful a construction in pre-war war so that was completely ruined after 45 as it was actually almost the entire war so we saw some nice a panorama view of the city with the mud there in the sky laying with the sky crane present when you when you look at look at this you have to think of this expression of that war so it's like a phoenix that grew up from ashes because the city was it was almost totally destroyed after day after the war we had this 944 uprising in warsaw which was the . military operation conducted by the polish resistance by the polish home army

against germans. says it was lost and hitler then ordered to destroy or so so there was really not much left from this city when the war was over so looking at this modern. be lively energetic city today it's really awesome wonder that we have. that the city exists like it is today remarkable isn't it here they are at the tomb of the unknown soldiers he said the last remains of the saxon palace. it is interesting listening to your voice there talking about the wall so uprising of 1004 g. for the huge cost that was playing by the people who took part in the help rising we should also mention of was there in that context that you're sure to get or uprising of $943.00 that came earlier that cost at least $13000.00 lives in the event there was the also uprising the next year in the summer of that year and cost

maybe 200000 lives many others many tens of thousands of people would bolted to concentration camps and it is interesting in the context of the debate about resistance here in germany where we. when we talk about the people who are engaged in resistance here in germany it's a french dolphin beggary or others. individuals old girl groups but really ultimately it was only a handful of people were so very grateful that they were so courageous and they risk their lives and in most instances paid the highest price. in gene general we talk about how futile it would have been surprised up against nazi germany because of it so it's hotel of terror in control of society and then you look at the figures on the polish side where so many tens of thousands of people really did a few john believable adversity and pick take up the challenge and say if we're going to go down here we're going to go down courageously we're going to go down in our own way in our own time making the decision ourselves this is in comparable coverage of this and i have great understanding i must say from polish people talk

about the uniqueness of the sacrifice and the courage that was shown in the. thing that's very much reflected in the ceremonial sedation of pounds of what were the vanity to use a very modern word is very much focused on the for what i was the sacrifice i was just outlining and you know although it's it's 80 years now since the war it's broke out poland is so happy and so proud that finally you're allowed to talk about it without any restrictions on the reservation. because after the war after 45 as i said when poland was the part of these them long enough under the nose of your. influence you were not allowed to talk about everything of course also the team of the worst uprising was kind of taboo pima because actually the soviet army was there in warsaw as well in 44 but they did not help the polish

resistance fighting against. germans. the soviets did not really want this resist and this whole army will get too strong because they knew this could cause some troubles then after war creating this state and being totally dependent on soviet russia and i wonder wojciech to what extent you would given what you're saying that there was the communist period in the in the post-war times and then there was the crumbling of communism and the establishment of competition in poland to learning to korea a whole new economy a whole new society and now finally there is a little bit a bit of breathing space that you've just been describing and something that i think i would call normalization in boulder systems where. yes we've had this very . interesting curious of transformation building and it looks like the president

bush interrupt you sorry about checked the presidential duties just beginning to hold a speech let's listen our dearest defenders of the homeland if you go to the. front of your pretty funny one of the president on the level. president the story of the . body part of you several times about how many presidents of the problem and here's a shot of the. prime minister's spine your gums left minutes with madam chancellor of germany by storming the stroke distinguished ministers some of you by the we've got our distinguished deputies to the polish problem and distinguished senator from home probably got our distinguished generals problem here probably distinguished off a series of years old noncommissioned officers and soldiers or you passivity goes to all distinguished guests who got a job gathered at this ceremony in providence r.i. saw dear competitor we are see i tell you all our friends that lies.

going to feel. led by you see if you take a notch or if you all can take on a different weight what you almost 18000000 people probably. the lost their lives during the battle is horrible armed conflict which started 80 years ago the show has everybody taking pictures of the it will take into account not only all those people who were killed and murdered but it was that also because if we nabbed a vast number of those who died it was as a result of war died off starvation disease she's bricks and of misery in the 3 percent of the population of the globe lotsof matter if you look at your own one could say that sort of plays get behind. those calls to a large european stage to

a policy by showing that states i mean they banished during 6 years and they laugh and empty ground or to struggle with a bill of rights it is hard to imagine that today do you that is cataclysmic history the largest united barbeque and. you know that this is going to be very very. complex which brought the most disastrous consequences and victims in the history of mankind we remember at the end we have to remember the label and therefore legislators we are gathered here today we are thank you find that to all of you ladies and gentlemen to all the honorable guests from around the world especially thank you for having accepted to about thank you taishan thank you for coming to the worst song sometimes i have to travel from the other side of the earth to be here originally but it was to be here together that it was going to show to the world that we do remember that it will be

a young person perhaps older to get. and with an arrogant attitude to life my question why why do we remember but why is it worth remembering about that yes. there is a polish song and something very popular as a contender compose the truck and we have to deal with the 2nd world war it's got a certain line in it new children will be scored better and today will be smiling and laughing at us. recollecting that misery and the time of the storm. to remember nevertheless and we are going to remember out of gratitude to us is out of gratitude for all those who by the she worked fine out of gratitude for all those who gave their lives. for for you world going with going to

defend the world against nazi to tell it terrorism to defend the world against fascism to defend the world against terror that it was going to provide people with 3 lives to make sure that we could decide their own fate so that people could enjoy their luck what we pay tribute and we honor today all the victims of the 2nd world war. are still to that and with the gratitude we can use the hands of the veterans of our wonderful defenders of the homeland of those who are fighting for our freedom and your arse on all fronts of the day to come up and do your best to read and speak. of our freedom the senate go on from the bottom of my heart to a thank you for better to do this with thank you wherever you are right now

wherever you live in the world today. senator this is your excellency's lines distinguished ladies and gentlemen however. there is also another reason. and that reason. is the fact that humanity has probably not learned enough lessons stemming out of that horrible lesson. of that horrible experience because the steel in the world of today not such a long time ago we are facing ethnic cleansing we are facing genocide now in the contemporary times. and we were saying that not such a long time ago in the countries of the former yugoslavia. and we witness that in the world as well. and that is the reason why we keep clean member to make sure that the massage of the secular reign and such is never ever repeated again

and this is also the reason why we have to remember in this is also the reason why we have to act by drawing conclusions off the past i don't know that yet but thirdly. it is very easy but there's also one more thing which mr saddle for some nations. that war. had to particularly to mention ways is a guy who left a certain mark which is on the radar it's still visible in many places this mark is still imprinted on many souls this mark is also visible in a number of places that. i know he'll out of the picture of the butane that was lost by the city. during the war which were not to rebuild afterwards according to the same standards due to lack of money due to lack of funds and due to the war time. the of the nation to which i belong the polish nation was

this precisely one of such nations old ones. here it was when he was on the 1st of september 19th 39 in the 2nd world war started. it started with an attack nazi germany. in the struggle for military polish transit. however i missed it or at the same time it started with an attack carried out on a slipping city. of daraa where an attack on a city. which did not extend itself and which was an absolutely. and you did not have any military troops in it it did not have any military installations bodies there were just ordinary people sleeping thirty's is the way it was a small city of vienna has been what it was totally bombed. and it was destroyed

in 75 percent but if you look at an area like rates carried out precisely on the 1st of september the $939.00 to the slightly better starting from 4 45 am. still 1200 persons died instantly. and then in that war or not that very war which to just one was a struggle all the time and that more in which you never ever did we surrender them out as a nation over the land banished from the map because 1st we were attacked by nazi germany and the scolding on forces which were. just defended bed and just 17 that all september we were treacherously talking by the soviet union as it later turned out an ally to nazi germany and the polish forces where surrender aware of them both sides than we knew that we would not be able to face up to that challenge

today i don't want to say that we weren't counting on the help of our allies but and although they declared war as we did not receive tangible help if that is happening perhaps the history would have taken another turn however i'm famished from the map with many polish soldiers still becoming prisoners of war. became prisoners of war and of course the nazis and the soviets as that something is deeply in print it's a memory of our nation because the soviets came at best only nor a dollar to more than 20 pounds and polish officers prisoners of war they killed them with a shot indeed back up their heads in cutting and in other places. that was horrendous had told them of the polish intelligentsia that there was a horrific head at home for our entire nation it was wiped out from the

polish. off it's best nation of its guys little saddam's and others i'm talking about. in the broadest sense of the meaning because i'm speaking here about us citizens of the only status. and to be in our size i'm talking about different nationalities poles. all of them where the officers of the police forces and all of them were treated in the same way that all of them were best chile murdered. many people also the soldiers were deported because they were deported to deep into russia to siberia where they faced off dramatic conditions they don't even glocks doing horrible hard work being tormented it's hard to describe that today but that was horrible indeed and the country than ish german occupation came. in and it was general government place and the entire nation was subject to an absolute terror nobody was sure when his time comes

they were rounded up was. innocent industries people were packed on the pounds and to concentration camps to prison. they were deported to forced labor in germany they were tormented. families were trying to part children were taken away was the only citizens that was jewish nationality were locked up in ghettos. and they were marked they were branded it was they were treated like non-human they were they were starved and then they were subjugated at an absolute extermination 1st of all in. concentration camps in an accumulation of camps which nazi germans constructed. also. on those lands which were ethnically polish lands. you had the polish state on

them and before your complexion came the most well known of those concentration camps was beer can i. the camp in which. it was during the 2nd world war. 1000000 100000 jews were murdered all from all over europe especially from poland recently the camp in ways 140000 poles were martyrs 23 pals and of roma and sinti. 20000. prisoners. and 15 pounds and goods using people from many different nationalities who had been brought to that camp from a host of countries one was from duty and tie your europe which was then occupied

by germany days is hard to imagine today that's about it and we have been left with that sense one can say that in this way germans humiliated us holes because. oil they have left that machine and. that machine up that hill ational that today we are the injuries of it we take para fix so that it is a testimony to the whole world or something so that the people especially young women and see watched the men who had had hold on to another men and what a totalitarian regime stands for what cruelty stands for and lack of respect for a nation fundamental rights of another human being and for their dignity. those areas just the nazi concentration camps exposed those marks of those horrible days of the 2nd world war have to last and they are going

to last another element of that memory is also our duty. to take care of that and to encourage the young whether to go there to take. sometimes how it's like that shocking experience that horrendous experience is the visit of the concentration camp and seen with one own is. horrible history however this is historical truth and historical truth which is so crucially important and which liberates that i want to stress once again the nation is so heavily expect it has never assumed that there was a underground state. there where 360000 soldiers of the home army of the polish and ground forces they were actually in concentration camps as just part of their capacious they were participants pointing to foreigners there were people who were training and those young people stood up here in warsaw in

194544 they took up arms and they rose against the germans it wasn't uprising although they weren't elect wiped although many of them went to fight with their heads so much that he did they crave for redemption for 3 days and for throwing away occupiers from here that they were ready to give their lives in order to attain that goal is that they were crushed. at the line of defense to everything and she waited until people are believes the uprising of ups's was warsaw went horror's will say that throughout 3 days. or so districts overhaul are the criminals wearing s. as uniforms murder it's. 850000 people 50000 innocent civilians people who are not armed to the people who are not united

in an economy and nations people who are not active in armed underground movement they were ordinary citizens of warsaw. during the uprising the total number of victims civilian victims was $200000.00 and. so on and they. are. nightmarish number of a 1000000 victims of the 2nd world war including more than 50000000 of civilian victims stood. as a nation as a society. and as citizens of paul went we are part of those numbers it is also our heritage but this also stands for our great nevertheless polls for. a 2nd while watching the polls and 9 to as part of the put all the armed forces who was

a fine thing signed by side with the allies in the west they defended this cause over great precision but when the germans were bombing london they were finding it in the bathroom breaks and there were a wound of those few who do so much for so many wonderful polish airmen and they showed their skills and their heroism and we are always going to remember about them polish to tell the jury we're fighting in the battle of months assuming they captured that last call trace the monastery which was so bitterly defended by germans they liberated the citizen friends in the netherlands in belgium. and they also captured the bremen half and on the other side. they also fact together with the red to. the polls from the far east proceeded to the right those who had previously been deported to siberia they don't want to regain their power

when they wanted to defeat germany and they were ready to do anything to go to any lengths they bled on the trail of the eastern front they fought about polish lands for polish they were fighting for their city. and then they were fighting for. and. they have done land. because of the brandenburg gate they were able to hoist this flag the wife and red flag. because. our soldiers took a different turn and many of them did not return to poland because unfortunately we were not the beneficiaries of the grand jury we found ourselves of there and that iraq is a patient of the soviet occupation busy times and went there to a certain extent a 2nd well point in that context of its political consequences the political consequences of that speech 1st september my 939 s.

ended it only. 1989. and it lasted much longer than in other places around the globe because how can we talk about the end of the war and about of next year we when we're not living that surely for a country where you are not living in a truly severing country is when you are not living in a truly independent country when you are not fully free. however we have we will just go our allies goes up from the free west. from behind ocean for having supported us in those difficult times we thank you that it is also thanks they want to do it and thanks to they are aid in the sense that people from solidarity the ground freedom movement pretty sailed that was a lot of satisfaction to our eyes that also thanks to our mask thanks to our struggle for freedom and the berlin wall. as well that also germans could

experience their real unification as part. of the bread and community of the freeways and to their community democracies today this move. you know we're always we all are members of the european union today we are together members of the north atlantic alliance today we are together bound by all the best and ballance of the free world to us once again we don't walk i vow to all the heroes of the 2nd world lord that especially shooters heroes to my compatriots to my fellow citizens to those who fell and to those who survived until i was fighting for every saturday night and independent poland fighting fight for a year i was fighting for our freedom worse and yours i still won't bow to you all and i pay homage to you. you are

a wonderful and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts that you have joined us here today and that you gave the testimony to the testimony that it was worthwhile because it was worthwhile to stand up courageously and to fight your freedoms and not to surrender or even in the bleakest circumstances. to move on the red glory to the heroes. distinguished ladies and gentlemen your excellency's workers and distinguished presidents wasn't written in conclusion however it which i would like to. the point that i mentioned before that i sat in the world today unfortunately. we keep witnessing this part of the entire progress of this in a way station despite of the tolerable lesson from the past but we still witness

the acts of ethnic cleansing cleansing of mass murders. and last but not least genocide was the main place in times we can see even in europe and again imperial trends are coming back and we can sit. attempt warders being shifted in europe by force we are saying that other countries being invaded their lands being taken away and their citizens being kept in bondage that there are. those that. teaches one thing or that you believe that perhaps the 2nd world war would not have broken out in the 1st place if it was in the states all to the west so we had to put up a decisive resistance against the. tram if they stood up decisively against the imperial strivings of hitler and he's a man yet. if. they protested in

a strong way against how jews treated in germany before the 2nd world war and the international community would have defended very strongly. by heps all of that had happened would not have been an attack against poland and the 2nd world war it would not has broken out in the 1st place if the leader is still hasn't been decisive and strong in the 1st place if they had not been at the breaking of another war because it just as a result of that war did break out and was even more horrible than the 1st world war and that is a grammar lesson for us the lesson around us as the leaders of europe and the world today this is a big lesson to us as those sons of guns who are members of the north atlantic alliance as those who are members of the european union. you have

a similar weight must not accept business as usual when things like that happen. and strongly have to be taken to test a visible that end in military aggression would be met with an absolutely decisive and powerful response these are the challenges we're facing in the contemporary times and that is why i would like to call on you ladies and gentlemen and to urge you. to wait. as usual and turning a blind eye is not except on those that want a silver bullet to keep the peace as it is a simple way to act in a significant. and bold and embolden those who are aggressive it is a simple way to get that in addition to perpetrate mark attacks ladies and gentlemen you know that this is happening in 2008 there was georgia into those. 14

you're playing and until today we see you borders being shifted occupation prisoners of war military provocations you know because that is what we have to be decisive was a place for us not accept this because it is their responsibility to have in front of our societies and for the societies in europe and the world to make sure that we will never again see an armed aggression. so that drama the tragedy of the 2nd world war issue which the whole world experience is never repeated again. today by the honor and glory to the heroes of the 2nd world war it was may the memory of your calling leave on long leave for your old long. they. long leave democracy and long way victories and long leave old rabbit. hole of just east peace and freedom thank you very much.

said it that's the hedging program upon you presidential and we thank the presidents of the republic of poland some of you priced help some of you and you have a go she has a vent for that on that it will be key for that on my name it's been found about that they my ladies and gentlemen the 1st federal president of the federal republic of germany frank about this time i will now deliver an address. i'm happy right now that i'm here i'm right about now that i have had. my. failed to have the. president any doubt about his excellent.

distinguished guests i do i think cemented citizens of wall so. the people of code and. the. here and now on the square in europe. do i find it more difficult to speak. to address you and in my native language of german that we esteemed president do down. here. and i stand here humbly and gratefully z. and. you have invited me here to commemorate this any of us 3 with you and your old friend. on this day 80 years ago my come trade germany. invaded its neighboring country of code and your homeland

as i was. getting out my fellow germans unleashed a horrific o'rear. that would cost more than $50000000.00 people among them millions of polish to different news. if i face who was a german crying. was the history of this place is testimony of that for me was. the fairy fest a of the warm. years demonspawn body who wants to feel if they rampaged in this city for years. they raised entire disc streets to the ground they'd be poor to the president and. they made it men

women and children were heroin addicts come shake cities and it's painful my. own living things were to be annihilated it was the terror began in pune too in. a place it was huge fated still i'm familiar to far too many people in my country. esteemed president do you and i pay tribute to the festive victims of the german invasion in this morning. to you their futures and we often use the term immeasurable when we describe this region where we speak of the immeasurable suffering. then dillman kolchak on your. theory it is true that we cannot measure this suffering in the

air but immeasurable and does not mean that we are freed from the effort of sharing the victims pay. we know the cost is not. here on the contrary the further back this war law eased. the more important remembrance becomes. a war ends when arms full sign and. but its impact is a legacy that last generations. this legacy is a painful one. we germans accept it. and we pass it on. to. as president of the federal republic of generally high and low pressure or chancellor want to tell. today

that we will not forget. we will not forget the wounds that germans inflicted on ireland on the parish people we will not forget the suffering of irish family no will we forget the courage of their resistance. we will never forget. he. was. the fed chairman guest came to poland you know for his size and years ago i his name was to auto and he entered this country band force as a simple program. in a gesture of peace and should military and. i to stand bad for to day before the people of poland was as a human being. as

a german. weighed down by a huge historical push it was nothing can bring you right the cost of the fish. cannot heal the pain the deeds can all bring back what was lost. i stand baffled before you but i am inspired by the spirit of reconciliation that men face showed us the germans. and the bad. is the cross was a poet. john paul the 2nd sat in his homily on the eve of pentecost 40 years ago and i quote thank you of spirit is saying and we knew the face of. this end of quote. was this bad and this continent is what perelandra a new potent spirit you will spare. to freedom tore down the eye and tell you

they taste your spirit of reconciliation that dos germans to give to the new beginnings. it is in your spirit of your new role that we achieved a new and peaceful europe together. and it is this very much that should spread today from this all over the wall i look at the tomb of knowns to which are serious if you look at the polish nations there were a sense and they don't need total love for freedom. but they stand as a shining example of the many proud nations if you are gathered here today. was in such great numbers. if you look at the representatives of the full she come tres. chic at that old hughes and sisters

fortune separate in this when the show today. was look at that produce i f. i common future is stronger than the divisive rifts of the past. and looks to us and the fact. that a german president is allowed to stand before you and to speak here on this program and on this day that shows the living miracle of reconciliation reconciliation is a blessing that we germans could not to mind. and it is one that we want to live up to. the way you should measure on us by the responsibility we take on. duty in europe is on responsibility.

if united europe is what saves us if history lesson of centuries so from war devastation enmity and take shape. yes this fearful people and west. yet it's tough shit and you and counted on they have best was there i was here night into europe a spilt on humanism and the enlightenment street and justice and the well if it's languages and cultures as this europe is and will remain a project to focus. on i am well aware that my country has a special responsibility for this europe and. i think the fact i'm jenny despite its history was allowed to grow to huge strength in europe means that we germans must do more for europeans.

we must contribute more to european security you see here we must do more for europe's prosperity. if he hears than don't so we must listen low for the sake of european you think the nation would. want to take on this responsibility and we want to do so from believe in you have our history i. have every reason to be the happiest people in europe. that they have no rage and wants her as bad to see ourselves as better a european system was. also responsible for the transatlantic partnership. from the senate vestry the food of fast food gratefully to the united states i was the strength of its me. these combined with its

western and eastern allies defeated national socialism. and the power of the united states scientific years and found in so long with its full sayit and generosity. the way for this country manage to a new and a better future for you and. mr vice president that is the greatness of the united states that we europeans at maya and got bound to these united states and the world's eyes to the irrepressible strength of freedom and democracy and that was particularly the case for us chairman was. a united europe was always in cool chanted based united states this united states wanted a genuine partnership and friendship with mutual respect and was to take heed his seems that much of this is no longer

a case of and i say let us not forget what may teach us what made us strong on both sides of the atlantic that just crazy set of our common ground in this world. is marked by change and fading certainty. if we very well craft the fact that europe must become stronger and most of conflict and however we also know that europe should not be strong without the united states let him live in against the united states instead that. europe needs needs pot. and i'm certain. that he invited states also needs pop as he this cloud was so let us look let's just look after this. let's hold on to the conviction that the west it's more. than a point on the composite. was thank

you so in general. and for us germans our responsibility old so means space for it and may nationalists and we say never again may gemma's cry maybe j a mini above you would never again shoot nations rise and from other nations. full. of people gray says as for others may face their again should reason be lost. never again should hatred and they carry zimbi on leashed amongst the peoples of all world which was our fathers and mothers we learned from the past. they saw what reconciliation i have but the graves of bad day education. to get a new face found a new path to the future. the path of being

a golden age is the past so why king. with rules for peace and legally in trying to rights forever and. get caught lives and friends. let us up to the spirit of reconciliation let us continue on the path pay for by what unites us. let it as a german guest. i stand before before you on this scratch issue was. i look great for lead to the parish peoples fight for freedom. i follow my head in grief before the victims change here in the team i ask for forgiveness for germany's historical guilt. and. i

recognize our enduring response. beatty. said that she had simply an opening presents thank you very much mr president. shot of the finest option moving ever go sheets of presidents down and see if not on the comedy keep on michael the retard pants ladies and gentleman the vice president of the united states of america michael richard depends well now deliver an address. i mean thank you. thank you thank you thank you. thank you. president dude a president steinmeyer. other presidents prime ministers and

heads of state. sting wish guests and most of all. the noble citizens of whole. it is an honor to be here. i'll be happy the president of the united states and all of the american people to mark the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of world war 2. 2 years ago president donald trump came to this very city. and spoke of the remarkable bond between the american people and the people of poland. saying in his words. america loves poland and america loves the polish people. and today as vice president of the united states. it's my great honor to stand here

today. on behalf of the american people including nearly 10000000 polish americans. in a poland that is safe strong and free. as the president said that day for since you square the story of poland is the story of a people who never lost hope. never been broken who have never ever forgotten who they are today in the heart of warsaw. standing humbly before the tomb of the unknown soldier we've. gathered to bear witness. to the courage of a great people. to the spirit of

a great nation and to the profound and lasting strength of a great civilization. while the hearts of every american are with our fellow citizens in the path of a massive storm. today we remember how the gathering storm of the 20th century. broke into warfare and invasion. followed by unspeakable hardship. and heroism. of the bold polish people. during the 5 decades of. untold struggle and suffering that followed the outbreak of world war 2. the polish people never lost hope. you never gave in to despair. and you never let go of your 1000 year history. in the years that followed this day 80 years

ago. your light shone in the darkness. and the darkness did not overcome it. the character faith and determination of the polish people. made all the difference. it would in time turn shattering defeat into glorious victory. it is difficult for any of us who are not poles to fathom the horrors that began here 80 years ago. on the 1st of september 1939. within weeks the armies of nazi germany from the west and the communist soviet union from the east. divided up this country into occupation zones.

the maniacal nazi leader issued the command. for the physical destruction of the enemy. and ordered. the merciless and without compassion and death of polish men women and children. those dual invasions marked the beginning of a conflict on like anything the world had ever known before. and one we resolved. here today. the world will never know again. in just over 4 years. one in 5 polish citizens would be murdered.

at the hands of an evil ideology bent on racial conquest and authoritarian rule. the nazis systematically murdered 90 percent of poland's more than $3000000.00 jews . tens of thousands of brave patriots of the polish resistance. would be killed in the fight against the occupation of their homeland. over $21000.00 polish sons and daughters were massacred. at the hands of the communists in april 1940. in the catherine forest and buried in mass graves. and right here in this city. more than 150000 polish men women and children. gave their lives in just 9 weeks. of the warsaw uprising.

an uprising which was followed by the deliberate and total destruction of the city . by german forces. all soviet forces stood by and allowed the slaughter. those who rose up died fighting to liberate. these blood stained streets from fascism dictatorship in the looming menace of communism. but as president trump said 2 years ago. there is a courage and a strength deep in the polish character that no one could destroy.

and today. we remember. the long roll call of polish heroes who fought for freedom in those dark days. their names. and the memory of their heroism will be enshrined in the hearts of their people and freedom loving people forever. the long and terrible war started here. in poland. but before long. that death struggle with the taliban aryanism involved the fates and compelled the extraordinary sacrifice of freedom loving nations across the world. so today. we also remember. the 16000000 americans who left the peace and comfort of their home to fight to liberate

europe. they stood against evil. and over $400000.00 young american men including thousands of polish americans gave their last full measure of devotion for their country. and the peoples of nations they did not know. today i remember my countrymen and their sacrifices. with honor and gratitude. today we remember the millions of brave and sturdy british citizens who served and sacrificed to save europe. defend their sovereignty their liberty and their beloved kingdom. so to recall the incredible patriots of the french resistance the dutch the danish the belgians the czechs. the greeks the romanians and so

many other underground movements and freedom fighters who entered history as legends of courage. they demonstrated a selflessness that will be remembered for the ages. but none fought with more valor or determination or righteous fury than the pope. in their decades long struggle against tyranny. poland proved itself a homeland of hear ours. as we remember the war that began here on coal is sorely decades ago. we do well to pause and reflect. on the causes of so great a conflagration. the fight against the twisted ideologies of

naziism and communism. reflected the eternal struggle between right and wrong. good and evil. they were driven by an ancient and wicked urge. to claim power by any means. and impose their will to control the lives of ordinary men and women. all morality became socialist morality. whatever serve the power of the state. became justified. even murder on an unprecedented scale. but when we think of the depravity of to tell the terry lives. of the death squads

the concentration camps. the secret police. state propaganda. the destruction of churches in the endless hostility. to people of faith. one cannot help but think of the words of. another who lived under soviet to tell the tarion is. the russian dissident alexander solzhenitsyn. pondering the ruinous times in which he lives solzhenitsyn reflected. and i quote. if i were called upon to identify briefly the principal trait of the entire 20th busy century. i would be unable to find anything more precise than this. men have forgotten god.

those who sought to remake the world by force did not have the last word. because there was something greater at work. through the brutality of war. and through 4 decades of communist rule. as president trump said 2 years ago in this city. poland and the other captive nations of europe endured a campaign to demolish your freedom your laws your history your identity and your faith. yet you never lost that spirit. your oppressors tried to break you but poland could not be broken.

and in june 1979. 1 of poland's greatest sons. returned home. as pope john paul the 2nd. history records that in this very square. he preached that the polish people could not understand their history or their future. apart from the greatest source of their strength and goodness. the holy father's visit caused all a river aleutian of conscience throughout the land. but in 16 months. solidarity became the 1st officially recognized free trade union in the communist

bloc. and the momentum. of those 9 days. would eventually lead to the fall of the berlin wall in 1989 and the end of the soviet union in 1991. but on that day. in this place. pope john paul the 2nd said. that man cannot understand who he is. or what is true dignity is. or what his vocation is. nor what his final end is. without christ.

and when the holy father spoke those words. the millions of poles gathered here fearlessly spoke for their nation. and their history. lifting their voices they sang we want god we want. and their voices echoed across this nation and around the world. a memorial cross to honor that historic moment. stands before us today. just opposite the tomb of the unknown soldier.

it is a symbol of polish faith. but also. of polish hope. and resolve. it is a permanent testimony. to the belief of the polish people the true solidarity among people and among nations is only possible when that solidarity is seen in the light of a providential creator. today we are gathered. as friends. as allies. from more than 40 countries. representatives of freedom loving that. today the fates of all people are linked by a shared love of freedom and self-determination.

so let us on this day resolve that the words heard in. this square. that unraveled that long night of oppression. not just for the people of poland. but all across eastern europe. let us resolve. that those words and truths that have sustained human freedom from the beginning will never be forgotten. america and poland. we'll continue to stand with all of our allies for our common defense. and america and poland will also. continue to call on our allies. to live up to the promises that we've made to one another. for the american

people in the polish people know. that a strong alliance of free sovereign and independent nations. is the best defense of our freedoms now and always. so thank you for the honor of representing. our president in the american people on this is stored. as we mark the 80th anniversary of the outbreak the world wars and . today we remember those that were lost. in poland in their long twilight struggle. and all of those who sacrifice. for my nation and nations represented here. to win

a victory for free. we remember those. that were lost on this day but. we also do well. to celebrate. celebrate an enduring the them for freedom. and the role that the people of poland play. by their strength and their example. as president trump said here in warsaw 2 years ago. america never gave up on the freedom and independence of the polish people and we never will.

and on this occasion. if any should doubt that the destiny of mankind is freedom. let them look to poland. to the courageous polish people. and see for themselves the indomitable spirit strength and resilience. of freedom loving people standing on a foundation of faith. for their decades long struggle. their courage and faith shone forth. you proved again. here in poland and for all the world. that though it may take decades. that where the spirit of the lord is there is freedom.

having paid tribute to the past we now look to the future. and with the inspiration curds and resolve of the polish people. from this day forward. i can assure you. that poland america. and all freedom loving nations in the world. we'll meet their future together thank you god bless you. god bless all and may god bless the united states of america i. just melted back you've been watching my memory. marking the start of world war 280 years ago we've just seen speeches there from polish president german president and

just now u.s. vice president mike pence we should say other world leaders dignitaries are also on hand including german chancellor angela merkel.