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Germany has unveiled a temporary memorial in Berlin honoring Polish victims of World War II, nearly 86 years after the Nazi invasion of Poland launched the conflict.

“This memorial is necessary because we Germans are far too little aware of the disaster, pain and destruction that Germany brought upon Poland during World War II,” said former foreign minister Heiko Maas at Monday’s ceremony.

The commemorative stone stands near the Chancellery in central Berlin. Maas, now president of the German Poland Institute, said it should serve as a signal that “Poland is important for us,” adding that “we are aware of our guilt and accept our responsibility.”

According to the German government, more than 5 million Polish citizens were killed between 1939 and 1945, including around 3 million Jews.

The temporary site is expected to be replaced by a permanent memorial and a German-Polish House, pending approval by the Bundestag.