{
  "id": 19530231,
  "title": "Deep Read: Das Wunder von Polen: Hat der lange Boom seinen Höhepunkt erreicht?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/deep-read-das-wunder-von-polen-hat-der-lange-boom-seinen-hohepunkt",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-11T17:48:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/polen-hat-polens-boom-seinen-hoehepunkt-ueberschritten/100264328.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Klaudia Wendycz recalls the Great Depression in Walbrzych in the 1990s, when the last coal mine closed and many fathers sat idle at home. She tells that the region had the highest unemployment rate in Poland, nearly 30 percent. In 1997, a Special Economic Zone called InvestPark was established, offering tax benefits and favorable conditions, which attracted foreign investors from Japan, Germany, and America, building new factories in the southern hills of Poland. By the time of its 30th anniversary next year, InvestPark is set to present itself as a success story among many in the country with an enduring economic boom. Since the end of socialism, Poland has been the fastest-growing economy in Europe, says economist Marcin Piatkowski, author of the standard work \"Europe’s Growth Champion.\" The EU Commission expects Poland's growth to be 3.5 percent this year, placing it back at the top in the EU. Poland will join the G20 summit of the world's major economies this year and might soon surpass France as Germany's fourth-largest trading partner. Piatkowski says the success is unique as Poland has no significant natural resources, high debts, a robust democracy, and relatively evenly distributed wealth. Growth is slowing down, but signs show that Poland's long boom has reached its peak. Projections indicate that growth will slow in the coming years, albeit at a high level of over two percent. The next government will have to cut back on high state expenditures. EU funding will decrease, and the aging society will further slow down growth if the government does not counteract. \"We are near the peak,\" says Richard Grieveson, deputy director of the Vienna Institute for International Economic Comparisons (WIIW). \"If growth lands at three percent in 2027, as we expect, the peak has been surpassed.\" The long boom had many causes. It began with the establishment of special economic zones across the country, offering quick approvals, tax relief, and helpful authorities. Local firms quickly became part of European supply chains due to proximity to Germany and the Czech Republic. Today, Niederschlesia has some of the highest average incomes in Poland. Blossoming regions like Wrocław (Breslau) have seen the emergence of a tech sector with many startups. The lively university city on the Oder brings new entrepreneurs and well-qualified graduates, like Artur Tomys, who founded the IT consulting Equipo in his hometown ten years ago. Tomys receives German companies for their IT projects, as they are 20 to 30 percent cheaper and more efficient compared to Poland. Born in Leipzig, Tomys speaks German and is regularly in Berlin, where his company is based. He knows both countries well. Polish work culture is similar to Germany's, he says. People are hungry to earn and spend money. Regions like Niederschlesia show that Poland's economic miracle does not stop at the capital Warsaw, but thrives throughout the country. However, Niederschlesia senses a slowdown in the economy. Its revenue grew by 30 to 50 percent annually before 2022, but it has stagnated since then due to the sluggish German economy. This year, two of its clients have filed for insolvency. InvestPark in Walbrzych had the highest number of new investments in the country last year, registering one billion euros. However, business is becoming more difficult. \"Five years ago, we had two investor inquiries per week,\" says Katarzyna Prociak, responsible for investor acquisition at InvestPark. \"Now it's one inquiry per month.\" The constant transformation affects Niederschlesia, with a handful of firms in the industrial park facing closure. The region is therefore increasingly orienting towards e-mobility. Near Wrocław, South Korean conglomerate LG has built the largest battery factory in Europe. Prociak sees the future of her economic zone in sectors such as e-mobility, semiconductors, electronics, and logistics. This year, Dutch online retailer vidaXL bought the site next to the Mercedes factory to build a large logistics center. The manager envies the technology triangle between Dresden and Wrocław, where Taiwan's TSMC semiconductor plant is located.",
  "summary": "Die Anzeichen mehren sich, dass das Turbowachstum in Polen an sein Ende kommt. Die nächste Regierung wird sparen – und eine Einwanderungsstrategie entwickeln müssen.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}