Press release
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60 Years of the Ostdenkschrift

Commemorative Event in the Polish Sejm Honors Milestone of German-Polish Reconciliation

On the 60th anniversary of the “Ostdenkschrift” of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD), a commemorative event will take place in Warsaw on October 4 and 5, 2025. As part of a conference in the Polish Sejm, guests from politics, churches, and academia will honor the memorandum as a milestone in German-Polish reconciliation.

On October 1, 1965, the EKD Council published the “Ostdenkschrift” under the title (translated) “On the Situation of the Expellees and the Relationship of the German People to Its Eastern Neighbors.” It profoundly reshaped German-Polish dialogue, laid the groundwork for mutual understanding, and became a guiding document for Christian reflection on forgiveness and reconciliation.

Just a few weeks later, on November 18, 1965, the Polish bishops sent their message to the German bishops containing the famous words: “We forgive and ask for forgiveness.”

The Chair of the EKD Council, Bishop Kirsten Fehrs, emphasizes:

“Only 20 years after the end of the war, the memorandum sent a signal of reconciliation that still has an impact today. In light of the horrors of the war and the unimaginable atrocities committed by Germans in Poland, as well as the subsequent suffering caused by flight and expulsion, I still consider this courageous step to be a miracle. Reconciliation is not a completed act, but an ongoing process. Yet what has already been achieved in German-Polish reconciliation fills me with deep gratitude.”

The program of the commemorative event includes prayers, theological reflections, specialist lectures, and cultural contributions. The focus will be on the role of churches in the reconciliation process in the face of current challenges such as populism, extremism, wars, and social tensions.

Bishop Jerzy Samiec, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Republic of Poland, states: „Even ten years ago, war seemed to be a thing of the past, the consequences of which we sought to overcome through reconciliation. Today, however, we live in a completely different world—a divided world, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, in which extreme nationalist movements and parties are increasingly gaining influence and political significance. It is also a world in which the word ‘war’ is spoken ever more frequently, and in some regions has already become a tragic everyday reality. In such a world, we continue to need courageous leaders who free themselves from dependency on opinion polls, look to the future, show understanding, and point out the right paths. We must also constantly keep in mind how fragile reconciliation is and how much work it still requires from us.“

Zu den Teilnehmenden zählen unter anderem:

  • Bodo Ramelow, MdB, Vice President of the German Bundestag
  • Piotr Zgorzelski, Deputy Marshal of the Sejm of Poland

further representatives from church, academia, and politics.

Livestreams:

Organizers:

The main organizer is the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Republic of Poland. Co-organizers include the EKD, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Warsaw, the Protestant Church in Hessen and Nassau, the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia, the Polish Ecumenical Council, the Christian Theological Academy in Warsaw, the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe, the Evangelical-Augsburg Holy Trinity Parish in Warsaw, and Berlin Cathedral. The event is supported by the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.

Note: This English text is provided for convenience. The original press release was issued in German and Polish.

Hannover, September 30, 2025

Pressestelle der EKD
Lisa Schaube