President Duda: nothing will change the history and the historical truth

The Battle of Westerplatte was the first battle of the German invasion of Poland, marking the start of World War II in Europe. It took place on Westerplatte Peninsula in the harbour of the Free City of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland).

Right before the official commemorations taking place in Gdańsk, president Andrzej Duda laid flowers at the Polish Army Soldiers' Cemetery in Westerplatte. He then gave a speech standing at the Monument to the Defenders of the Coast.

"Exactly 84 years ago, on September 1, 1939, World War II broke out after Nazi Germany invaded Poland," Duda said.

"I'm grateful that each year new generations of Poles bow their heads to this memory. Not only the memory of the fallen, but first and foremost the memory of the incredible heroism and loyalty to the homeland. This is the highest valor of Westerplatte and Westerplatte defenders. This is the highest valor of the coast defenders and soldiers who would not spare efforts and blood defending Poland," he stressed.

"Today some are trying to distort history. I'm talking about those Russian experts and Russian authorities, who are trying to write the history from the scratch. Nothing will change the history and the historical truth, the documents and the photographs of Nazi German and Soviet Russian soldiers embracing each other," Andrzej Duda said.

Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak, who was the host of the commemorations at Westerplatte, reminded in his speech that the German invasion of Poland had been preluded by the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact - a non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed by their respective foreign ministers.

"It resulted in another, fourth partition of Poland. As every year, we commemorate all those who sacrificed their lives for free Poland," he added.

"Today we are witnessing the renascence of Russian imperialism. It's always been dangerous - the late president Lech Kaczyński would warn against it. Today we fulfil the president's testament by increasing the Polish Armed Forces and developing the Polish military," the MOD chief said.

"I could speak long about strengthening of the Polish Armed Forces. I'd like to reassure that this is the best and most efficient response - deterrence, the answer to all the dangers we are faced with today," Błaszczak said.

The next place the Germans attacked after Westerplatte was Wieluń. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki spoke at the official ceremony in that city.

"World War II began in Wieluń when Luftwaffe planes dropped bombs on the innocent city. The German Third Reich wanted to destroy the Polish state and nation. The hecatomb that began then led to dramatic consequences that have not been overcome to this day," he said.

"Today we live in free Poland, but then we lost our development opportunities forever. WWII decided who is the winner and who has to chase the stolen time of the past. We have to ask ourselves: Can a reconciliation between partners without reparation exist?".

Morawiecki also said that Poland and Germany were now partners in the EU, but added that if the two states wanted to have a normal future, they "must close this black chapter of WWII".

"84 years after the outbreak of World War II, when we talk about executioners, victims, punishment and suffering, when we use the most important words like good and truth, we demand not only memory, not only truth. We demand reparation," the Polish prime minister stressed.