German embassy says Bundeswehr presence in Warsaw is ceremonial after A4 truck crash

Embassy statement

On Thursday, 5 November, Ambassador Miguel Berger published a statement explaining why Bundeswehr vehicles and soldiers were visible in Poland, particularly in Warsaw. The embassy linked the presence to ceremonies marking the 71st anniversary of the Bundeswehr, which falls on 12 November, and to an exhibition on the 70th anniversary of the German Air Force. According to the statement, such ceremonies are held at all German missions abroad, and the choice of Poland was deliberate. The text described it as a sign of respect for Poland's key role on NATO's eastern flank. The statement also rejected what it called disinformation about German involvement in Polish domestic affairs.

“The German Embassy clearly emphasises that the current presence is exclusively ceremonial and coordinating within the framework of these ceremonies.”

The A4 collision

On 4 November, two German military trucks collided on the A4 motorway near Kostomłoty and blocked the road. Three injured soldiers were taken to hospital. One report said the trucks were carrying diesel fuel and had not kept a proper following distance. The Military Gendarmerie (Żandarmeria Wojskowa) said Poland was a transit country and that the travel permit showed the column did not require a pilot vehicle. The articles do not say how many soldiers or vehicles were in the column.

Questions before the collision

Photos and videos of German military vehicles on Polish motorways had circulated for several days before the crash. Aleksandra Fedorska asked the German defence ministry for an explanation, and a reply received on 28 October assured her the soldiers were finishing their activities and would return home within days. PiS MP Dariusz Matecki posted a video of a conversation he had with German soldiers near the Sejm, and articles note the Sejm is 450 metres from the German embassy. Several articles connect the movements to a dispute over the Constitutional Tribunal, a link the embassy statement does not address.

Cooperation cited by the embassy

The embassy listed existing military cooperation as evidence of the partnership. German Eurofighter jets took part in Air Policing missions at Malbork and Mińsk Mazowiecki, and Berlin made Patriot system contingents available to protect Polish airspace. German engineering units are to work in Masuria near the Polish-Russian border to support construction of the East Shield (Tarcza Wschód), according to the statement. Berger wrote that the repeated presence of German forces underlines a deep bilateral partnership.

“Germany stands today, and will stand in the future, firmly on Poland's side.”

What remains unclear

The statement does not say how long the vehicles and soldiers will stay in Poland, and the articles give no total count of personnel or equipment. An earlier answer, given after a long delay, said the vehicles were heading to Lithuania, according to one report. The embassy's explanation concerns ceremonies, while the Gendarmerie's comments concern the transit permit. The sequence of events is shown below.