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Polish-German relations turn sour again 20.08.2007 The Polish-German relations turn sour after the meeting of the German Union of Expellees attended by the president of the EP, Hans-Gert Poettering. During the meeting the groupÂ’s chief Erika Steinbach said that the dislocation of expellees could not be justified by Hitler's actions. Many in Poland reacted by accusing the leader of the German Union of Expellees of attempting to revive wartime animosities. Danusia Szafraniec reports This is not the first time that Erika SteinbachÂ’s statements caused strong reactions in Poland. Head of the German Union of Expellees sparked outrage in this country,...

The president of the Federation of Expellees, Erika Steinbach, is hoping for an improvement in relations between Berlin and Warsaw. But this is not stopping her from insisting on setting up a Center Against Expulsion in Berlin -- despite strong objections from Poland.

Future German chancellor rejects expellee compensation claims Angela Merkel, German Christian Democrat leader slated for the chancellor’s Office, has rejected the compensation claims of German expellees addressed to Poland. In 1945 millions of Germans, who call themselves expellees, were evacuated from areas given to Poland by Stalin at the end of World War II. But Angela Merkel was not against building a centre against expulsions in Berlin, an issue regarded as controversial by Poland. Speaking at a congress, which brought together 5,000 representatives of Germans expelled from eastern Europe after World War II, Angela Merkel called on the movement to...

Sudeten German days open with decoration of Czech bishop AUGSBURG- The traditional Sudeten German days in Augsburg, Bavaria, opened today with the presentation of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft's highest prize, the European Karl IV Award, to Czech bishop Josef Koukl. Koukl, 79, who became the first Czech on whom the Sudeten Germans bestowed their award, was decorated for his long-lasting effort at Czech-German reconciliation. "Today is the holiday of sending the Holy Spirit when all nations spoke one language although they did not lose their identity. It is important to talk together and understand each other," Koukl told journalists. He...