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Dietrich, Stefan
4 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Flood waters may decide outcome of Polish elections
The flooding of the Oder and Vistua rivers in Poland has already inundated almost 20 municipalities and claimed 16 lives. Following the death of Polish President Lech Kaczyński this new emergency situation is altering Poland's political landscape ahead of the presidential elections in June, writes the conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: "The contestants with the best prospects are Lech Kaczyński's brother Jarosław and the Speaker of Parliament Bronisław Komorowski, who has also been acting president since April 10. Although the reserve imposed on Komorowski in his capacity as president was seen as a burden at first, it is now giving him a distinct advantage. Like former Chancellor Schröder during the flooding of the Elbe in 2002, Komorowski can make appearances as a caring father figure in the flooded areas, whereas a visit by Kaczyński would just be seen as bothersome. Nevertheless the sympathy points he can win in this way could be easily lost if the floods make it necessary to declare a state of emergency, as the elections would then have to be postponed. For that reason the government is doing everything it can to alleviate the plight of the flood victims and maintain Komorowski's lead."
» more information (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Poland
Poland should revise its plans for Kaczynski's burial
More than 2,000 people gathered on Wednesday in Poland to protest at the Church authorities' decision to bury the presidential couple in Wawel Cathedral in Krakow. The conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung sympathises with the demonstrators: "Władysław Sikorski, head of the Polish government in exile during the Second World War, was only transferred to the Wawel Cathedral in Krakow in 1993, fifty years after his death. ... Before Sikorski the remains of the founder of the nation and national hero Józef Piłsudski, who died in 1935, came to rest in the Polish nation's pantheon. And even in his case the final decision to transfer his remains to the Wawel was preceded by a two-year dispute about a suitable final resting place for the belligerent (and not very pious) statesman within the Church. So it's no wonder the decision to bury the tragically killed President Kaczyński in the Wawel has sparked (piously subdued) criticism. It wouldn't have occurred to anyone to place him among the kings and spiritual heroes of the past when he was still alive."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Remembrance culture, » Poland
A blemish
German chancellor Angela Merkel has participated in an event in Poland commemorating both the end of World War I and the 90th anniversary of Polish independence. For the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung this shows how far Europe has come: "It hardly surprised anyone that the chancellor was in Warsaw when Poland celebrated November 11 as the day of national resurrection. Even if Poland's good fortune - the simultaneous collapse of all three powers that had partitioned the country - was one of Germany's darkest hours, an invitation like this says more about how Europe has changed than a thousand conferences. What tarnished the Polish president's conciliatory stance, however, was his attitude of irreconcilability regarding his predecessor Lech Wałęsa, who Kaczyński had excluded from the official celebrations on personal grounds."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » History, » Germany, » Poland, » Europe
Distrust recedes after debate about Centre against Expulsions
This week, Germany and Poland settled the dispute about a Centre against Expulsions in Berlin. Stefan Dietrich comments, "Working through the grieving process for the perished eastern portions of Germany was way overdue, and nobody ever intended it to be an affront to Poland – including [President of the German Federation of Expellees] Mrs. Steinbach, who sparked the debate with her foundation. But it was presented like that by German politicians who wanted to create an atmosphere against it in Poland. Was it really necessary to lay German-Polish relations to ruin before the insight could become established that neither side lacked the will to be truthful? The deep mistrust that dominated this debate can be overcome only by education. To this end, we – Germans, Poles, Czechs and others – need this centre."
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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » History, » Germany, » Poland
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