If your ancestors were in the "Wehrmacht"...

Of course - we already established that. Everyone living in Silesia has right to call
himself 'Silesian'. However, you can also be a German living in Silesia or a Pole living
in Silesia, and still not an ethnic 'Silesian', meaning belonging to the Silesian culture
and ethnos which is distinct from both Polish and German (although being much closer
to Polish considering they speak a Slavic-dialect).


I claim to be Polish because my parents and grandparents and great-grandparents
were Polish, I speak Polish and consider myself a member of Polish nation and culture.
The sole fact of being born here is far from sufficient to claim to be Polish.

Are you saying that someone who's born in Poland can't really claim he's Polish?

I'm saying it's not enough. What if his parents are foreigners and he just happened
to be born in Poland during their stay here for example and doesn't feel any connection
whatsoever with Poles and Polishness. Why should I consider him to be Polish?
Simply because he happened to be born between Bug and Odra? Doesn't make sense
to me.

What if he does? He might feel Polish because he was born here.

Well, I always say that your nationality is in your heart and your soul.
If someone feels Polish, speaks the language and loves the country
then I see no reason why I shouldn't consider him to be as Polish as I am.

Polish "facts" are often exaggerations. It's another one of those things you need to work on.

Nicely said indeed. I love your strict criteria. I wish people like you would be working here in our immigration offices.

You need to work on accepting that you dont know everything, especially the facts. In person I can present you the facts, but as I said not on here.

Now stop being stubborn, by trying to have the last word.

Are you of Polish descent, Matteroftaste? Have you ever been to Poland?

You project a lot. Look that up.

no, there should be place in the world for a little ancient submergence in the myth. the enlightment was all the hype in 18th century, but that was long ago.

NO, Lithuanian-German but Lithuanian goes back to 1800's. Yes, I was teaching in Poland.

kishman tohe same lohe, look that up !

Tell the truth you are typing Polish into Poltran and posting the output here right?

Interesting ancestry! Of course you know that Poland and Lithuania were in union
for centuries (1385-1569 - a personal union and after that until 1795 an even closer
one). Isn't that German part of your ancestry Silesian by any chance? Because if that's
the case then Silesian-Lithuanian ancestry would make you practically Polish ;) ;) ;)

For the Berliners my family was "die Polen" as they came to live here after the war as my mom remembers!

no, as I said above my mom is from "Freie Stadt Danzig", you would say Gdansk. As far as the Lithuanian - Polish union, maybe you'll be surprised but according to some Lithuanians I've met, it was an occupation period back then more than a friendship.

I hope you won't get a wrong impression of me, I don't hate Poles or Poland it's just some historical facts that we'll never agree to it.

haha, that's awesome, we're the amis

I bet BB's parents didn't see it that way.

Oh, right - you said that before. It's my sclerosis playing tricks on me.


Well, we were the dominating side of the Union, that's true - more male-like.
Lithuania was the more passive, female side, but all in all I'd say we were
a good marriage ;)


Why, that's mighty nice of you (I couldn't care less if you did hate us, but still it's
nice that you don't :)).


Oh, well - life would be boring if we agreed on everything.

I was told that they were really happy to be divorce from you :-)


and here I fully agree with you for a change, lol

Women! *rolls eyes*

Sorry, English is my second language, it may come across rather rough. But the effort is all mine, thank you.

You are just trying to hard. Speak simply and clearly rather than trying to sound so "smart". Poles have a habit of trying to choose complicated words rather than just getting to the point. Simple is much better for communication :)

That's a shame! I like to believe that the Jagiellonian period was very beautiful. Later it was not so great. But I hope you have good thoughts about that one, at least.


Never mind me, it's a uni habit. Always try to impress the promotor. Plus - English really does have all the richness that is not taught at school. Why would I not want it?

When I was in Poland I watched the movie "Krzyzacy" and yes it was very colorful, lol.

Don't you think that the Order was a common enemy?

not really, I liked the costumes tho :-)

American have an irritating habit to admonish other nations. Want you to be a World Teacher as you have some troubles with being World Policeman? I'm afraid you need to work on this.

Except "back then" it was not considered an occupation at all. Force was never used against Lithuanians, there were never any specifically anty-Lithuanian laws or restrictions. If they had complaints they were free to leave, rebel, or veto any legislation they didn't like. The Lithuanians today are simply bitter about the fact that a good portion of their nobility preferred the Polish lifestyle and culture to that of their own. My advice for them is to stop eating at McDonald's and to put on their national dress before complaining about the influence of foreign culture. If they want to claim Mickiewicz as a Lithuanian then they have to accept the fact that he loved Poland dearly.