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.

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.

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.

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.

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 / 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]


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.

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 / 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 / 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.

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 / 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.

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.

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.

UK, Ireland / Dublin city centre - interesting places to see [33]

KIlmainham Prison is interesting, particularly if you want to learn something about Ireland's political struggles. It's been a few years since I was in Dublin, but basically walking along the river and soaking up the atmosphere is great in itself.

I think the pub O'Donoghues is worth a visit. It's where groups like The Dubliners first played. Dublin bar-staff are some of the best in the world and have to be seen inaction.

UK, Ireland / Dublin city centre - interesting places to see [33]


As some of my Irish friends might say, "Never mind, the night is young!" ;-D

UK, Ireland / Supermarkets in Poland: differences and similarities to the UK. [62]


Tesco in Olsztyn is a cr@p hole. The till staff are often largely temps and the service is often hellishly slow (especially at night... I thought 24 hour service meant they opened 24 hours, not that it took 24 hours to gt served). Attitude often unfriendly.

The "safety" aspct would cause heart failure to any Brit inspector. Pallets left in the middle of the floor, spilt liquids not cleaned up (and disinterested shrugs when the staff ar informed), dangerous overhead shelves. The check-out system is difficult for baskets retrieval. Oftn there are no baskets available for new customers because the queue and the sweet stands mean the staff can't get used baskets back for new customers. Customers often have to find their own.

In both Tesco and Carrefour (and other supermarkets) Alcohol is sold in a special inner area and the receipt shown on exit of the main shop, unlike UK stores where it is just on normal shelves.

Probably more promotion/demos of produce than in UK stores. Displays often messier after clothes etc have just been dumped back.

I notice the workers don't have knee cushions, as they do in UK after a few court cases, also less likely to have full uniform. Female workrs seem to have a desire to reveal their buttock cleavage when stacking lower shelves (hey, Tesco aint all bad, I suppose).

The shops also shut on major religious holidays and commemorative holidays (whereas we money grabbing Brits would probably open up)

UK, Ireland / Supermarkets in Poland: differences and similarities to the UK. [62]

True, but perhaps I just felt that anything bearing the name 'Tesco' would hold true to the British Tesco ideal! Ah, and the pig approaching heathrow airport will land on runway 3.

Law / Applying for Russian VISA in Poland [7]

There are visa websites, just Google.

If you're not resident in Poland they'll probably tell you to return to UK and apply there. I am resident and e-mailed Russian Embassy in London. They told me to contact Warsaw... that was 3 months ago and still no reply!

What they want is proof of entry and exit and proof of where you are staying (usually an official hotel).

Life / City Pole versus country Pole [27]

Town people buy places in the country and get them decorated to look like Góral cottages, spend the summer being village people then moan about the poor conditions and run back to the town in the winter.

Around Olsztyn all the townies are building in the villages cos the old farmers are selling their land. Seriously, one week there's a field and the next month ther is an estate.

News / How many prisons are there in Poland? [9]

I once performed with a theatre company in a £odż prison. Crazy thing was that I'd lost my passport a few weeks before and I needed photo-ID to get in. The only thing I had was my RBS bank card (with security photo). That was ok to let me in (and out).

Funny, most people get into prison when they use SOMEBODY ELSE'S card.

History / Why communism failed in Poland? [275]

I'd suggest part of the "problem" was that unlike places like Russia and Cuba, where there was a revolution, Poland didn't have a revolution. Inter-war Poland was not in the kind of situation which inspired revolutions as in Russia. It had Communism forced on it through conquest.

Probably the fact it was Russian communism didn't endear it people either. Even Stalin famously said that introducing Communism to Poland would be like putting a saddle on a pig.

Secondly, I'd suggest that internal squabbles amongst the party prevented necessary social reforms being made and resulted in hard-line tactics of oppression being used repeatedly to enforce crumbling regimes (each leader seemed to repeat the mistakes of the past ones). The failure to create a decent farming policy probably didn't help either.

Life / City Pole versus country Pole [27]

I worked with a village based theatre near Olsztyn. A lot of young college/university students came to visit and were interested in the village music and dances which the group used.

What was interesting was that when speaking with people I often heard the same thing; townies were interested because this contact with village cultur gave them a sense of their "Polishness". Howevr, village kids often gave trad culture a wide berth, as if it was an embarrassment to them.

Educationwise, facilities are usually a million miles better in the towns. hard to get someone to work in a village school.

History / Why communism failed in Poland? [275]



Yes, but the farmers who owned private land were never given a coherent policy or allowed to develop. They weren't given access to credit or the ability to buy decent equipment. That's why they are in such a cr@p state now.

Work / New English 'teacher' in Poland (I have no qualifications). [119]

I'd suggest a grammar book like Murphy or, even better Heinneman for the explanations of the grammar.

It's pretty common to find yourself trying to explain a structure using the very structure you're trying to explain. "We use the present continuous when we are doing something".

Keep some pictures handy (postcards, things from magazines etc). You can ask the student to speak about them, compare them etc and use it as a basis for vocabulary/adjectives/prepositions etc. You can also use it as the starting point for a conversation etc.

Write a list of interview questions to ask the student. It'll give you some idea of their level and where they need attention.

Life / City Pole versus country Pole [27]

Funny you should say that... I was at a Christmas service in a Greco-Catholic church in a little £emko mountain village. The altar boys were wearing Adidas tops.

UK, Ireland / More Polish workers leaving the Isles [28]

A recent article in Newsweek said many of the Poles leaving UK were heading to Scandinavia, especially Norway.

Life / City Pole versus country Pole [27]


Yep. In Poland people build new homes or buy weekend homes. In UK it is possible to find whole villags with no farmers, just BMWs and Mercedes. The townies upped the price so that many locals couldn't afford to live in their own village. Some villages are now running protectionist policies to stop this.

Poland hasn't caught onto that yet, at least not where I am.

History / Why communism failed in Poland? [275]


Not just the Irish. It was standard thing in Britain too. Never heard of the Tolpuddle Martyrs who were transported for swearing an oath to form a trade union?