If you look at the beginnings of Polish history, there were conflicts, yes, but also settlers on both sides. In medieval ages, Germans were settling in Poland as loyal subjects and citizens in cities. In the last war, the Uprising was organized by people from Polish-German mixed families. So were the battles in September.
And actually, if you ask the old people, they say that although today people talk about SS all the time, the majority of Germans in Poland were Wehrmacht, and they were good people, mostly. They were interacting, trading, socialising. (Old people have a very different view of the Soviet army.)
so I started a facebook (impressive, I know, but I need a start) group of Polish German Friendship. We need to clear some things out and really become friends, because as it is - it's just too expensive.
Happy Easter, Neighbours. Hope we can be friends. Maybe not like with Hungary or Serbia (cheers, Crow), but at least a little.
I'd like to say you are right but I know that it just isn't the case. There undoubtedly was some but I like your sentiment of trying to bridge gaps.
Leave it to people who can see beyond politics and look to the natural bonds between people. By all accounts, there should be Scottish-Serbian animosity due to political decisions but there is more overlap than we know and we must look to commonalities.
There are many good Germans that speak out against the war and also NATO's meddling. I don't judge as a nation. It's often coincidental for me where sb is from. NEVER let politics ruin potentially cohesive ties.
the majority of Germans in Poland were Wehrmacht, and they were good people, mostly.
Who the hell are you, volksdeutche?
Of course there will be mutual respect/compassion for the Germanized Poles in the west, after invasion. They were traitors to their Polish blood, and Poland is better off without these people.
You need to rinse out your brain... but thanks for the good laugh during my Easter Holidays ;) Interacting, socialising? LOL
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_crimes_of_the_Wehrmacht
Please think before you speak, for you are an affront to our blood, and the murdered are rolling in their graves. The Wehrmacht was the main arm of Hitler himself, and openly participated in war crimes. They killed innocent civilians. Tore babies out of pregnant womens stomachs, burned, raped, pillaged... Sure, they were 'interacting' and 'good people (deep down)...'
I believe that each human is capable of such things under the right conditions, although this doesn't legitimize Nazi violence.
Seriously, you are joking right? Though April Fools is past...?
We move ahead, in mutual respect/peace, but we should never forget this history. Without history we are like an old man with amnesia... How fun would it be to live life with dementia?
Although, Ksysia herself seems to suffer from dementia...
Old people have a very different view of the Soviet
More positive than this young, post-Soviet born generation.? Or, more negative?
German-Polish friendship needs an enemy? (Bridge for this relationship had been Ashkenazi Jews there since 10th century. Chosing muslims as enemy is out of fashion as they are weak and their oils are in control of British-USA friendship. These can be enemy, but, they are in marsh. Russia is too busy with interior problems and neighbour Turkic countries about the gas thing. If I come up a good enemy, I'll write here. These days, there is no good strong enemy to make good friendships.)
sorry, cannot take you comments seriously .Again, you are putting a very personal spin on history. Why don't you just make a few German friends and get off the Kava Kava;)
You need to rinse out your brain... but thanks for the good laugh during my Easter Holidays ;) Interacting, socialising? LOL
Ksysia,Hitler's plans were to have Poles work as slaves in his factories with maximum education being able to read and write(for Ukrainians Hitler thought they did not even need to write only be able to read the German signs).
Means for his effort were SS,Wehrmacht,Gestapo etc,he did not order Wehrmacht to show a good attitude towards Poles and SS to enslave them.
To support Ksysia, indeed, there was a long time serious friendship between Germany and Poland (till the church put their nose into relations.)
I know of a company, 250 years old, in Poland. Maybe, you heard it. Gerlach (lach/lech is old name of Poles. Now, they also have GerPol company seperated.) If you look at company history on their web site, there was 'serious' relationship.
I too think Kysia meant the centuries where Germans and Poles mingled without much war or any hate...the partitions and later WWII overshadows that all right now.
Do you think there is coincidence in that? Former Pope was from Poland and now, he is from Germany. There is strong lobby between Poles and Germans at Vatican?
If there is friendship between Poles and Germans at Vatican (maybe, via a matchmaker?), I think this religion relationship at Vatican can be enemy of German and Pole ordinary folks. Friendships based on religious things usually destined to result in fights, especially among ordinary folks.
Nomad, you've actually made sense here :) Many people can see through the smokescreen of religion and build solid ties. Politics ruins so many things and it's little wonder that many politicians are loathed. How can so many misfits that don't represent the voice of the people get into such positions? Well, read the EU manual for an answer.
As an outsider observer, I feel Germany and Poland are being used again by other powers of EU, this time, against muslims, as I see there is a strong voices coming out of EU (led by Britain and their horse USA?) What are we hearing from EU? Anti-muslim voices mostly.
Poland and Germany are being led by Britain? What? Britain rejecting Sharia Law was the only option, nomad. It acknowledges the moderate element and caters for the local Muslim populations.
Germany and Poland can take their own positions. Britain had little to do with that.
Britain have had a policy of "double-edge" knife mouth policy. They had done this during the WWI and WWII for Palestinians and Arabs, just after Belfast and Jews for Israel. They supported the both. Of course, their target was simple; oil.
Now, they first started to voice anti-islam campaign together with USA, and now, while they are bombing muslim lands, they lowered the voice of anti-islam campaign down. While Britain doing this, I see the flag of anti-islamism is raising in EU, especially in countries in and around Germany (and siding with Poland at Vatican?) I understand Britain (and USA) already inserted their hoses into oil wells, but, whats profit of EU (Germany et al) by anti-islam campaign? Maybe, useful for Pope and bishops and top level officials, but, for ordinary folks of these countries? It doesnt make sense. Maybe, Britain (and USA) feel marsh in Iraq more and they are trying to change the directions of hate arrows in the region toward Germany et al by supporting/sponsoring anti-islam campaigns there. Note that I am a nonreligious, so, I am against political islam more here, but, again political islam is being supported by Britain and USA here. Britain is playing multidimensional game. Perhaps, they are in trouble? especially since economy crisis started? During such economy crisis periods, it has been classical simple game to use religions to unite the ordinary folks. But, I dont see it will work this time as the time has changed. So, anti-islam campaign is nonsense. EU should think about a new socialism or not. Poland, experienced in that, and Germany with its economy power can do this transformation of EU. Sticking to Vatican and Pope will not be useful for ordinary Poles and Germans, hence Europeans, hence, the world.
I am not anti-christian. I am non-religious, but, religions are no problem for me as long as they are not followed as groups. There is a good saying "pray is a one person thing, sex is two persons thing, etc". Btw, yes, these Abraham religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) have been headaches for the ordinary people of this region EuroAsia for a long time.
