Politics, Memory, and Commemoration of the Postwar Camps for Germans in Poland (1945-1949)

Memory Politics Concerning Post-War Camps in Poland and Germany

This book offers the first systematic comparative analysis of memory politics concerning post-war camps in Poland for the German population (and those classified as German). It examines how this difficult past has been framed, instrumentalised, and negotiated in Poland and Germany across changing political systems and historical contexts.

Drawing on archival sources, interviews, institutional analysis, and discourse studies, the book traces how the memory of the camps functioned within communist Poland, how it was addressed and reinterpreted in West and East Germany, and how it influenced Polish-German relations. It argues that in neither country did this memory occupy a central place in official post-war memory politics. In communist Poland, the issue was largely silenced or selectively instrumentalised, while in West Germany it remained primarily confined to expellee organisations until around 1989. After the systemic transformation, the topic did not enter the national mainstream of memory debates. Instead, in Poland, it acquired a distinct regional resonance, retaining mobilising potential within local politics and memory cultures. By tracing interactions between state institutions, non-governmental organisations, and public debates, the book shows how intergenerational memory became a site of political negotiation and symbolic competition.

Target Audience and Contributions

The volume will appeal to historians, sociologists, political scientists, and scholars of memory and heritage studies. It will also interest readers concerned with Polish-German relations and communities directly affected by this history. Combining empirical depth with analytical precision, the book contributes to debates on difficult heritage and the politics of memory in contemporary Europe.