Dialogue about border experiences: An evening for East-West networking in Frankfurt

Dialogue about border experiences: An evening for East-West networking in Frankfurt

An exciting dialogue evening is coming up in Frankfurt (Oder), which will take place on November 3rd, 2025 from 5 p.m. in the town hall. This German-Polish cooperation center cordially invites all interested parties to actively participate in the discussion. Under the title “Border Experiences”, the organizers would like to shed light on current tensions in Europe and get into conversation with one another.

A central topic of the evening will be geopolitical developments in the context of the Ukraine war. The different perspectives of East and West Germany as well as the complex relationships between Germany and Poland will also be discussed. This involves questions such as: “Where do we stand in the new East-West conflict?” and “What lessons can we draw from history for current challenges?” It is expected that the personal stories and experiences of the participants will play a central role.

Historical and current references

Relations between Poland and Ukraine have grown over decades and are characterized by experiences that are partly shared and partly fraught with conflict. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, the two nations have sought to improve their relationship. How bpb reports, historical events, especially the Second World War, have significantly influenced the image of Ukraine in Poland. After 1992, Poles and Ukrainians increasingly began to see each other as neighbors and partners. The first direct contacts were often of an informal nature, for example at markets or during undeclared work.

The change in perception is particularly striking. While Poland's economic growth after 1992 served as a model in Ukraine, the Polish perspective also gave rise to a belief in its own superiority. This and the recent tensions, which are partly overshadowed by Polish domestic politics, are also part of the discussion that will take place in Frankfurt.

Approach each other

Loud Analyzes The sympathy ratings for Poles in Ukraine have improved since the Russian war of aggression in 2022. A proud 94% of Ukrainians now see Poland as a “friendly country”. Nevertheless, the thought of historical crimes and the demand for a “reckoning” remains present in the minds of many. How both nations can deal with these different understandings of history will be one of the key questions of the evening.

The dialogue evening in Frankfurt (Oder) offers the opportunity to share fears, hopes and visions for a better coexistence in Europe. The aim is to listen, understand and learn from the experiences of the past in order to strengthen relations between Poland and Germany and between peoples in a broader European context.