It was a highly symbolic date on which Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed Poland’s President Andrzej Duda to Berlin: 17 June 2016. Twenty-five years ago to the day, Helmut Kohl, his Polish counterpart, and the then foreign ministers of the two countries signed the German-Polish Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness.

"This was a very happy event which makes me grateful and humble at once in view of our history," said Angela Merkel. It is by no means self-evident that relations between the two countries would develop positively, and it is important to keep working for good relations with our neighbours in Poland, she said.

Partnership cannot be taken for granted

On 17 June 1991, the then Chancellor Helmut Kohl and his Polish counterpart Jan Krzysztof Bielecki, along with the foreign ministers of the two countries, signed the German-Polish Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation. Parallel to this, another agreement on youth exchanges was signed.

The fact that the two countries agreed on youth exchanges was a clear sign, that even at that stage "we wanted to develop our partnership and our friendship for the future", said Angela Merkel.

It is wonderful, she said, that there are now so many and such diverse contacts between the peoples of our two countries. Again, this is not something that we should take for granted, said the Chancellor. "And that is why we must not stop working on these."

The Chancellor said she was looking forward to next week’s German-Polish government consultations with Prime Minister Beata Szydło. This will once again illustrate the full spectrum of relations between the two countries.

Good neighbours and friends

Federal President Joachim Gauck and President Andrzej Duda marked the anniversary by visiting one another. One day earlier President Duda arrived in Berlin, where he met with President Gauck, and on 17 June with the Chancellor. He then returned to Poland where the German Federal President visited him in Warsaw.

Both countries are EU and NATO members. This means that they share a wide range of duties, said Angela Merkel. As good neighbours, and indeed as friends, it is always possible to talk to one another, even when opinions diverge.

Poland will host the next NATO summit on 8 and 9 July. Preparations for the summit will also play a part in talks, said Angela Merkel. But security in the world, in the face of today’s threats, is also a key concern of both Poland and Germany.

Advantages for both sides

For both sides, the 1991 German-Polish Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness marked the end of the post-war period, which had seen disagreement on a number of fundamental issues. It also provided a framework for comprehensive and neighbourly cooperation. And the Treaty brought direct advantages to the people in both countries. Here are just a few examples:

• The German-Polish Youth Office, which was established by the agreement signed on 17 June 19991, has since supported youth projects involving about 2.7 million young people.
• In Poland more than two million people are learning German.
• Germany is very popular among Polish students: more than 9,100 Polish students were registered at German universities in the winter semester 2014/2015, meaning that more Polish than French students were enrolled.
• Children can enjoy bilingual education at the German-Polish Willy Brandt School in Warsaw and the Robert-Jungk-Oberschule in Berlin.
• There are now more than 600 town twinning arrangements and some 1,200 university twinning arrangements between the two countries.

Economic relations – disproportionately high growth

Foreign trade between the two countries has grown at a disproportionately fast rate for many years now, with growth rates of between 8 and 12 per cent. Germany is Poland’s most important trading partner, and Poland is becoming more important for Germany every year.

The two countries are investing strongly in one another. German direct investment in Poland since 1989/1990 has totalled over 30 billion euros. And Polish businesses are providing additional economic impetus, not least in the border area between Germany and Poland.

Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness as a model

The German-Polish Treaty on Good-Neighbourliness is an example for the entire world to follow, stressed Polish President Andrzej Duda. It is a good example for two countries with initially very poor relations. In connection with the Second World War, relations were tragic, with so much suffering and such appalling acts. But the two peoples have forgiven one another. He declared that he is proud of what has been achieved.

The rapprochement between Germany and Poland, and Poland’s path to joining the EU, were closely linked. The Poles wanted to be free. They wanted to become part of the political community of the West, said Andrzej Duda. When the Berlin Wall fell, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe could open up. With the engagement of Poland’s Solidarność trade union, this paved the way for the signing of the Treaty, said the Polish President.

He called for the already very good relations between the two countries to be intensified further. "The partnership between Germany and Poland is an important foundation for the European Union too," declared Andrzej Duda.