As every year, we invite you to reflect together on the results of the Polish-German image surveys from the “Poland–Germany Barometer” series, which have been conducted continuously for 25 years.
A quarter-century of the project prompts us to look at the dynamics of change in the perception of the neighbouring country and society on both sides of the border.
By asking about mutual sympathies, the assessment of the state of Polish-German relations and the expectations of Poles towards Germany in the context of a shared past, we analyse the extent to which the changes observed after Poland’s accession to the European Union are lasting, and the extent to which they result from current debates and modes of communication.
This year we enriched the Poland–Germany Barometer with a question about respondents’ sources of knowledge about politics.
This year’s results show that on the German side, the image of Poland and Poles is improving.
Data from Poland, in turn, confirm that years of difficult relations, negative rhetoric, as well as the current stagnation, continue to strongly influence the assessment of Germany and its policies.
A key topic remains support for Ukraine – which is why we once again asked about respondents’ attitudes towards military aid, the reception of refugees and the move away from Russian raw materials.
We also examined how the strengthening of the Bundeswehr is perceived – whether it increases a sense of security in Poland, or whether, given the historical context, it causes concern.
The Barometer presentation took place on 18 November 2025 at the headquarters of the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation in Warsaw.
The report with commentary by authors Dr Agnieszka Łada-Konefał and Dr Jacek Kucharczyk is available for download at:
https://www.isp.org.pl/pl/publikacje/wspolne-wyzwania-odmienne-spojrzenia-barometr-polska-niemcy-202…
Polish media on the Barometer:
German media on the Barometer: