History / Responsibility for Murder of Catholic Poles during WWII ? [172]


You might consider that both the Nazis and the Soviets had regiments made up of people from places like Lithuania, Latvia (Lenin's bodyguard were Latvian) and Ukraine. In some cases they may have been "ethnic Germans" or people who wanted to have a go at the Poles for past times.

Both Sovs and Nazis were very good at exploiting historical ethnic hatreds.

History / Famous Polish Russians. [26]

The writer and artist Witkacy was a Russian citizen. When WW1 broke out his friend Bronislaw Malinowski, famous anthropologist, was threatened with internment in Australia because he was an 'Austrian' Pole. Witkacy was a 'Russian' Pole and returned to Europe to join the Russian army.

Malinowski sat out the war on the Trobriand Islands, doing anthropological research.

UK, Ireland / Views of Poles in UK on Bulgarians/Romanians coming here? [62]

We had an influx of Gypsies from Romania a few years ago. Some one was telling thm the streets were paved with gold and a load or two turned up in Dover. There was quit a controversy.

I was in Blfast a few years ago and a group of Romanian Gypsies were begging (respectable and genuine part of Gypsy culture, so I'm told). The one woman kept saying "Money, mister!" I told her I didn't have any as I didn't carry money (true, as it happened).

"Oh, I'll take a cheque!" she said.

What annoyed me when Bulgaria and Romania entered the EU was that they started slagging UK for putting in place the same restrictions as the rest of Europe had when Poland/Czech and Baltic states joined. The Romanian president even threatened to stop Brits working in Romania ("I bet that'll be such a loss" said my boss in Poland). I didn't hear them slagging every other country which was restricting them, just UK.

UK, Ireland / going to uk to look for a cad job - are there any left? [21]


It used to be law that you have to advertise a job but it doesn't mean you can't fill the position internally. It's not unusual for firms to fill a position but still advertise.

I've also known ELT firms advertise just to get people to apply so they can contact them later. I crossed swords with one school on TEFL.com over that.

UK, Ireland / British celebs that are bigger in Poland than in Britain [49]

I think Norman now lives in a nursing home and his house was sold to pay for his care. He is so big in Albania because his films were some of the only westrn films allowed to be shown there under communism.

Kevin was a fireman and an EL teacher before becoming a TV celeb.

History / Any apologies about Sikorski's 'murder'? [95]


Hmmm, might b worth remembering Britain was in a poor state militarily as it had been running down it's armed forces throughout the 1930's and wasn't really ready for a war. France might not have offered much help and I suppose allowing Germany to occupy thm wasn't very helpful (what were they thinking?). Silly Britain for declaring war.

I do agree about the sell-out, tho'. I think both UK and US just allowed themselves to be totally shafted by Uncle Joe.

Incidentally, wasn't it David Irving who popularised the idea of British sabotage to Sikorski's plane? The man who claims Hitler was innocent because there are no documents to say he knew about Holocaust (and says Churchill is guilty of Sikorski's murdr because there are no documents).

UK, Ireland / Polish people in an english army [85]


Not quite correct. You apply yourself, you do have to have done at least 3 years tho'. Mind you, that doesn't apply for SAS TA units.

Why doesn't this lad try for Polish GROM and then see about trying to work alongside Brit units (might be more feasible)?


Funny, there are a number of Australian and NZ members of SAS (at least one of Bravo 2 Zero was antipodian).

History / WW1 poetry in Poland [8]


Well, I specifically want WWI because, as Piorun says, the agenda is different after that time (and to some extent during). In WW1 we had Poles fighting in 3 armies (at least), often against each other.

I'm not only working with Owen, after all, there's nobody else like Owen even at the time. Sassoon, Graves etc will also be used. What I want to look at is common themes amongst soldiers during that period. In British war poetry there are several shifts in style over the period of the war and I am curious to see if similar things happened


Sorry, I can't agree with that. Poland did not exist as a country for most of the war and all parts were under the control of the three main powers, Austro-Hungary, Germany and Russia. I live in Warmia-Masury (at that time part of Germany) and the area is littered with WW1 cemeteries. Indeed one of the largest battles of the war was the battle of the Masurian lakes (Tannenburg) which happened in the area. Likewise the south has it's share of cemeteries, with campaigns in Galicia etc. One of the most famous books about the war, "Good Soldier Szwejk" is set in that area.

It is precisely the comparison between the Eastern and Western Fronts which I want to examine.

History / The movie Defiance is a big lie (heroes that saved Poland suppored communism) [102]

Am I correct in thinking Poland was the only occupied country where it was a punishable by death to hide/aid a Jewish fugitive?

I think there's a problem with talking about "Polish resistance" because ther were several diffrnt groups, as well as Bialorussian, Ukranian, Lithuanian resistance who were also fighting. As the book "Nine Lives" by Waldemar Lotnik shows, half the time these groups spent fighting each other rather than the Nazis/Soviets.

Then it is worth considering the fear of the villagers. maybe they refused to help the Bielskis' but what would have happened to them if they had been found by the Soviets to have helped them... pretty much the same thing, I imagine. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.

History / WW1 poetry in Poland [8]

Cool. Thanks.

On the literature side, is ther a Polish equivalent to "All Quiet on the Western Front"?

History / WW1 poetry in Poland [8]

Thanks, I'll look 'em up.

I think the problem is that I'm quite specific about what I want, in that I really want soldiers' poetry, equivalent to Wilfred Owen etc in English.

I think for most of the people I ask it is a new concept.

Life / Protestant Churches in Tricity?? [9]

I managed to get out of the (Catholic) classes cos I wasn't living in the country at the time. My wife had to go on her own.

What we did need was proof of baptism (and confirmation if you had it). Seems Protestantism (or at least CofE) gives you associate membership of RC. Problem is if you are Jewish or Muslim or something like that.

Life / Do Poles Lead a Healthy Lifestyle? [15]

Well, the kids in my classes seem generally fit and slim. I think there's more walking, volleyball, skiing etc and ther's a damn sight more fresh salads and home-cooked food in the diet than the average British lifestyle. The posture is generally better, I'd say, too.

I think Polish TV is generally so bad that people just flock to th gym/sports clubs.

History / The movie Defiance is a big lie (heroes that saved Poland suppored communism) [102]


True. The university in Olsztyn was formerly the psychiatric hospital of Allenstein and the patients and doctors were disposed of. Occasionally they are found when there is digging work in the university grounds.


Who knows? However, the pink triangle was a sign for gays in the camps. There were also Gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses and Communists.

UK, Ireland / Maddogs and Englishmen. [18]

There's a few Brits involved in industry, I think the boss of the local MACRO in Olsztyn is a Brit (so I've heard). The long term TEFL guys might get into a decent position and into higher levels of TEFL... earning more than they would in UK, ironically, or maybe into academia.

I think a few of the TEFL crowd, like myself, got into EFL because they got married and had to find a job where speaking Polish wasn't a priority. I met one lad on my CELTA course who'd come to Poland to work in an engineering firm and then the firm went bust leaving him jobless, with a flat and a girlfriend... EFL was his lifeline.

UK, Ireland / 800K of Polish immigrants in UK don't pay taxes -what do the poles think [190]


Is that it's name, seriously? PIFL... I would have thought someone would have noticed that one before they started using it.

UK, Ireland / TRUTH AND DELUSION ABOUT POLES IN UK [65]

In my experience most of the younger generation are proudly Scottish but also proud (justly so) of their Polish roots.

UK, Ireland / Life in the UK for some Poles (sad article) [124]


Cool, maybe you can get a job with a firm like Cadbury who moved most of their production to Poland so they can have cheap workers... bugger the British workers who have worked for this British firm for generations.

Funny thing is that loads of my students have not only worked in UK and Ireland but actually want to return. Some friends went and have never returned to Poland other than for holidays and say they never will.

Perhaps the difference is that some go there with the aim of making a go of it and making a life. Others go for a short time and are prepared for some roughing it... others don't know why they go and can't break the rut.

Strange how you rant about low pay and conditions for non-locals. Do you know many Ukranians in Poland? Some of them might say the same.

UK, Ireland / TRUTH AND DELUSION ABOUT POLES IN UK [65]


Your welcome, Seanus. The book's a welcome item but sadly too short. A British friend of mine here in Poland is actually the son of a Polish fighter pilot and has all his old uniform and documents. he sometimes goes to schools and speaks about the experiences of the wartime Poles in Britain. I've also done a couple of puppet shows about Wojtek the soldier bear.

When I was working in Glasgow some years ago it was amzing how many of my Scottish colleagues and students had Polish family from that time.

UK, Ireland / TRUTH AND DELUSION ABOUT POLES IN UK [65]

Seanus, the book is a collection of interviews with old Poles and people who worked with/married them. One lady comments on the movement (not sure how big it actually was: probably not huge) in Scotland after the war. It was when people didn't understand why Polish servicemen didn't (COULDN'T) return home after the war.

amazon.co.uk/Lion-Eagle-Polish-Veterans-Scotland/dp/095350364X

UK, Ireland / TRUTH AND DELUSION ABOUT POLES IN UK [65]


No, I didn't mean to suggest he was, but the provo mainland campaign of the 1970's had the effect of making a lot of innocent Irish scapegoats and targets.


Perhaps a large part. Don't forget that a lot of Gen Anders' mob demobbed in Scotland (In Glasgow they used to say, "You can't go anywhere without meeting a Pole"). I have a book about the wartime Poles in Scotland which I picked up at the Sikorski Club in Glasgow. It mentions the campaign a little bit. I'll have a look and see what it says.

UK, Ireland / Formal Qualifcations in Polish- UK [10]

Glasgow University actually do a degree in Polish (only uni in the land, I believe) YES, I know it's in Scotland. You can also do year courses etc.

UK, Ireland / Rise in race crimes linked to attacks on Poles [50]

Cos they were lazy gits who didn't want to get their uniforms dirty (or get a kicking themselves, probably). I don't know if they knew my mate was a Brit but when someone is gtting used as a dance floor by 2 or 3 other guys for no reason I'd have thought it was their job to help.

UK, Ireland / TRUTH AND DELUSION ABOUT POLES IN UK [65]


Ah, was this anytime around the time certain people were planting bombs in Birmingham pubs or sending bombs through the post? It might have had something to do with it.

The Irish did have a hard time post-war. There's the famous 'no dogs, Blacks or Irish" signs. There was also the post war "Polacy go home" movement in England AND Scotland.

History / The movie Defiance is a big lie (heroes that saved Poland suppored communism) [102]


Aha, I missed that. Thanks.

History / The movie Defiance is a big lie (heroes that saved Poland suppored communism) [102]


Funny, read about places like £odż where a large number of workers were Jewish.

Or maybe about the Polish timber workers in the Polish/Lithuanian forests.

An earlier poster


Well Eastern Poland was part of Russia before 1917 so I imagine more than a few folk spoke Russian (more than a few of the old folk I've met from modern east Poland speak Russian, Polish and/or Belorussian).

Many Jews spoke Russian. The witer Shalom Alechem wrote in Yiddish but spoke Russian at home.

UK, Ireland / Rise in race crimes linked to attacks on Poles [50]

A British friend of mine got attacked in Poland waiting in a queue for some fast food. The cops, of course, just stood and watched.

Someone who helped my mate up told him th yobs had been talking about how they used to fight with the Brits in UK. Seems they heard his British accent...

UK, Ireland / 800K of Polish immigrants in UK don't pay taxes -what do the poles think [190]


Funny, in a lot of th schemes where I used to live there were brigades of rabbit-style-breeding chavs and neds who seemed to want to repopulate the world befor they hit 20. Many of these indigenous tribes had not worked for a good while... so how were they paying tax.

Another point... a lot of the immigrants who ar working are paying into an NI fund they will probably never use. It'll help pay your pension when you retire from the call-centre job you'll probably have after graduation.

And nobody is criticising you for getting an education... just for being a prat.

UK, Ireland / 800K of Polish immigrants in UK don't pay taxes -what do the poles think [190]

noimmigration, have you ever asked a non-UK student how much they pay to study at a UK uni? I think you'll find it a little bit more than you.

Now why is that? Probably so UK uni's can make a bit of money out of them.