Dirk Reimers, a German senator, emphasises Dutkiewicz’s contribution to development of multinationalism and tolerance in Wrocław and improvement of Polish-German relations. The German National Prize expresses the gratitude towards all the Poles who have the influence on positive relations of Poland and Germany in a united Europe.
Rafał Dutkiewicz has already been awarded with numerous prizes for development of Polish-German cooperation: in 2011 he was given the Polish-German Award for Special Merits for Development of Polish–German Relations, and in 2016 he received the Erich Kästner Prize for the engagement in creation of peaceful relations of multicultural Europe and development of Wrocław-Drezno partnership. In 2016 he received Diploma of the Ministry of International Affairs for ”the promotion of Poland abroad”, and in 2009 he was awarded with the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta for ”extraordinary merits for development of the municipal government”. Moreover, he is the Honorary Member of Academia Europaea.
One of the most significant initiatives of the Mayor is the Wrocław’s obtaining of the title of the European Capital of Culture in 2016. A part of it was the ”Culture Train” which connects Wrocław and Berlin, and the ”Pop up Pavillon”of the Institute of Goethe. A significant institution for the Polish-German cooperation is also the Willy Brandt Center for German and European Studies – one of the most imprortant research institutes of Poland and Germany.
Moreover, new streets of Wrocław have been named with names of Wrocław architects: Heinrich Lauterbach, Ernst May, Hans Poelzig, Max Berg and Hans Scharoun. On Rafał Dutkiewicz’s initiative, the statue of a Polish Cardinal Bolesław Kominek (1903-1974) was exposed on the 40. anniversary of the Pastoral Letter of the Polish Bishops to their German Brothers. In 2015 the exhibition on Kominek was created.
Find more (in Polish) here.
