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Cool down, man!

First of all: This is one of the many times where I read something about Erika Steinbach first on FR, the German media hardly takes ANY notice of her AT ALL. Plus: The Bund der Vertriebenen was a major political force in the 1950s. Not today.

Secondly: The photos were a cheap shot. Period.

Thirdly: Nobody's denying that first and foremost Poland was the victim here. BUT: Also the Germans have a right to mourn the losses of their loved ones.

Fourthly: As to comment about the the historical accurateness of the number of losses. True, the numbers differ, roughly between 1.1 and 3 million people. But then again, many just "disappeared", be it because a child starved at a roadside or a raped girl of 14 commited suicide. One will probably never be able to tell the real number because these were tumultuous times. But it's certainly more than a few dozen.

Fifthly: From a journalistic standpoint the article is mostly rubbish. I'm not so sure the Poles and Czechs were overjoyed by the sight of the Red Army as the Times says.

Sixthly: To be quite frank, sometimes it's better to let sleeping dogs lie. It's simply amateurish of heads of state to even dignify Steinbach's (who outside of her constituency is a nobody) nonsense with a riposte. Sure, it's an effective way to score cheap points with the chauvinistic circles in your own country. However it leads you nowhere: What good should come out of this? A "Pommerania Liberation Organization" (PLO) that commits acts of terrorism in the "Polish occupied territories"?

Thanks but I am as cool as a cucumber ;)

First of all: This is one of the many times where I read something about Erika Steinbach first on FR, the German media hardly takes ANY notice of her AT ALL. Plus: The Bund der Vertriebenen was a major political force in the 1950s. Not today.

Whether you want it or not Steinbach dominated German-Polish discourse. Almost every Polish family lost a member killed by 'Germans' during the WW2. So victimizing the nation of perpetrators will generate anger for years and years to come. Also because of its emotional value it will be largely exploited in politics both internal and foreign.

Secondly: The photos were a cheap shot. Period.

It's your opinion and I respect it. But they're real not fakes, like some of the ones from Beirut. The first one to remind you that Nazis was not just Hitler alone plus a couple of his pals. Germans as a nation fell for him. Secondly, this little child was really killed. Where is the killer now? I don't think he ever was martial courted.

Thirdly: Nobody's denying that first and foremost Poland was the victim here. BUT: Also the Germans have a right to mourn the losses of their loved ones.

Of course you have the right to do it. You don't have the right to forget that you reaped what you sowed. Under the US and British administration for the Western Germany 'the punishment' was reeaaly light, you must say. They simply treated you like human beings. A privilege that wasn't on the side of your previous Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Yugoslavian victims.

Fourthly: As to comment about the the historical accurateness of the number of losses. True, the numbers differ, roughly between 1.1 and 3 million people. But then again, many just "disappeared", be it because a child starved at a roadside or a raped girl of 14 commited suicide. One will probably never be able to tell the real number because these were tumultuous times. But it's certainly more than a few dozen.

Exactly. BUT the numbers given on their site provide the illusion of scientific research which is certainly not true. Especially to those who have no idea about the history and how it really was. Whenever possible you need to investigate these issues very closely. If there was a crime - it should be punished.

Fifthly: From a journalistic standpoint the article is mostly rubbish. I'm not so sure the Poles and Czechs were overjoyed by the sight of the Red Army as the Times says.

Man, I can tell you. Where my family comes from people hated the Soviets so much that they actually fought in their homes when they came in Spetember '39. Also maybe you don't know but the Red Army 'freed' Warsaw in January '45 there wasn't anyone to greet them there among the sea of ruins. To contradict your view of Chechs - much unlike Prague.

Sixthly: To be quite frank, sometimes it's better to let sleeping dogs lie. It's simply amateurish of heads of state to even dignify Steinbach's (who outside of her constituency is a nobody) nonsense with a riposte. Sure, it's an effective way to score cheap points with the chauvinistic circles in your own country. However it leads you nowhere: What good should come out of this? A "Pommerania Liberation Organization" (PLO) that commits acts of terrorism in the "Polish occupied territories"?

I think that our nations need to talk seriously. During all theses years when Poland wasn't independent we never really talked to each other. You had your Marshall plan, we had our Marshall Stalin plan. You turned your head West. We had our head turned East. Without that dialog in truth the demons of the past will prevail. Have you ever been to Poland? Has Kaczynski ever been to Germany?