Subforum about Polish History?

I’d be very interested in a sub-forum to discuss Polish history in controlled way, using English Language- would anyone else here be interested? It’s a complex issue that seems ’brushed over’ on the ’’internet’ and yet the more I learn the more I see that it is integral to the ’European Identity’.

We need to have a genuine forum where we can discuss the diversity of Poland, which I have to say [biased as I may be] is something of a cultural miracle

What you need to do is read the book "Poland". By James A. Michener. It's a novel based on factual events and takes you on a journey through the turning points in polish history. One of the better books i have ever read. This will give you most of the background you need to be able to discuss this matter with some profficiency.

Regards,

Kasperek

I am.

I have read James Michner's "Poland." It is a fine book. One thing that stood out was that the "Magnates" (Wealthy landowners) denied the peasants meat primarily because if a child does not get enough protien from birth to about 7 years of age it's brain will not develope properly. That being the case, the magnate never has to worry about the peasants trying to overthrow him, simply because they won't have the mental ability.

That was the reason there was such severe punishment for poaching wild game. They needed to keep the peasants from obtaining protien rich meat.

The only time the peasants were allowed meat was on Name days and on Religous holidays such as Christmas and Easter, and even then they were given left-over scraps.

Interesting point mate....This is why it should be a crime to subject a young child to a vegetarian diet!!!!

But back to the book, i think it is written in a fantastic manner and give the POle a lot to be proud of (and a lot to be ashamed of as well) I think the fact that it is not written by a Pole eliminatesd some of the fiercly patriotic bias one finds in other history-based books.

This is not true. I've never heard this from any other sources. It's true, though, that peasants rearly ate meat because they were too poor to afford it.

The magnates owned the land and the animals on it, so it was them who denied the peasants meat. The peasants did not buy their food, they were allowed a certain proportion of what they farmed, however, they were not allowed to keep any of the meat, except during easter and other festive holidays. You are completely wrong.

I agree with you. What I question is the reason for not allowing peasants eat meat namely denying children meat so that they don't get enough protein and their brains will not develop properly. I doubt if they knew about proteins and child development in those days. I think the only reason was the greed of the magnates. They equally denied meat and other goods produced by peasants, both young and old, for their own snobbish and greedy lifestyle. They didn't have to worry about being overthrown because peasants never aspire this. It's true that magnates denied peasants education, perhaps for that very reason.

I think this is a much better explaination. It may be true that the magnates kept the meat for themselves which contributed to the lack of development by the peasant class, but i think you're right in saying that they did not do this with the express purpose of "dumbening down" of the serfs.

A Polish forum without a special sub-forum dedicated to Polish history is either extremely negligent or excessively godly.
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You can check this ancestry forum and find the description on the main page:

For those who seek their Polish roots. Polish history, traditions, and culture.

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