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Does Poland count in Europe or is it ignored? [428]
Your opinions are relevant and hold water. Keep up good job. :):):)
I can observe the same process taking place in Poland, especially among the youth. They are not interested in history at all, they just want to have good jobs, a lot of cash, nice houses and on top of that, fun in life.
I received a great shock in as far as 1990s when I visited a befriended teacher in his school and the school radio broadcast a short programme about Katyń. I looked at those students and was surprised that instead of standing to attention and listening carefully, they continued talking and laughing.
The process can`t be stopped and in 20 years` time it will look here like in the West. People`s historic memory will amount to zero. It is already happening, the date of 04.06.1989 (collapse of communism) means nothing not only to students but to 30 year olds as well.
History issues, especially those painful ones from the war, are still exploited by certain politicians who use old people`s memory to get votes and power.
And by guys fascinated with history, like me.
Within 4 posts you appear to have nailed so many important issues, and are trying to pass your knowledge onto others.
I can`t agree with you. GermanMan talks about things which are true. It is really surprising you don`t see it. :):):):)
I need to make only one remark to what GermanMan says.
Conclusion: Ignorance is one common state in the EU.
Yes, not only in EU but also in US and worldwide. But ignorance may be harmful to Poland. Every month the Polish diplomats have to intervene at newspapers, magazines or TV stations all over the world to make their editors apologise for the nasty expression : Polish death camps.
It is obvious that Poles mustn`t stop denouncing such absurdities, you realise why.
E.g.,
A Spanish magazine wrote that the film Pianist is set in "Nazi Poland."
After the Polish embassy protested, they changed the description into a Nazi-occupied Poland.
Another scandal. An Irish paper, describing a visit of Irish youth to Auschwitz, used the term Polish concentration camps.
They apologised and corrected the report.
Again libel about Polish gas chambers. Culprits: Daily Telegraph and Sun, both from Britain.
and many many more.
Read this article which explains the Polish stance on the issue:
CNN made to apologize for offending Poles
Polish Radio
23.04.2009
£ukasz Kamiñski, historian of the Institute of National Remembrance says that repeating such untrue and harmful statements can build a false image that it was Poles and not Germans, who were responsible for mass murders in World War Two concentration camps: 'Time passes and the level of public knowledge of World War Two decreases. The more we hear about "Polish death camps" the less we will think about what it really means - if it means they were built in Poland, or by Poles. We must defend the historic truth on this matter with determination. 'As you can see, it seems we are going to deal with historical issues and world`s ignorance for many years from now because Poles can`t leave it like this for obvious reasons.
