Without reconciliation, Europe would not exist
Małgorzata KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA
‘Reconciliation for Europe’, an exhibition opened by Marshal Małgorzata KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, is now on display in the Senate building of the Republic of Poland. The exhibition from Wroclaw’s Zajezdnia History Centre commemorates the 60th anniversary of the message the Polish bishops sent to their German counterparts, famously containing the words ‘we forgive and ask for forgiveness’. ‘We must acknowledge our mistakes and wrongdoings, then forgive and understand each other fully – but also look ahead. Without all this, we will never build a united Europe,’ argues Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska amid the events.
.Sent in November 1965, just two decades after the Second World War, a letter from Polish to German bishops – containing the pivotal phrase ‘we forgive and ask for forgiveness’ – initiated a significant process. After all, reconciliation is impossible without one party admitting the terrible things they have done and the other showing a willingness to forgive.
Christian forgiveness isn’t about forgetting the hurt but about moving forward together despite it. Without such a reconciliation, Europe would not exist.
The current positive state of Polish-German relations would be inconceivable without the Polish bishops’ letter, which began the process of reconciliation. Similarly, if Germany and France hadn’t reconciled after WWII, the European landscape would be very different today.
Europe can only be strong if we are willing to openly discuss the challenging periods of our shared history as we look towards the future. We must acknowledge our mistakes and wrongdoings, forgive one another and strive for mutual understanding while also focusing on the way forward. Without this, we will never build a united Europe.
We recall that letter today because similar gestures of reconciliation are still needed in international relations, especially between Poland and Ukraine. To overcome our painful past, we too must one day find a way to communicate, forgive, reconcile and focus on the road ahead. We seem to be on the right track, but we still need to study our history and recognise it for what it truly was.
.The painful facts must not be swept under a rug. We need to speak the truth, appreciate the admission of wrongdoing and set our sights on the future.
