Poland's Tragic History

Poland has been dragged through much suffering, no historian I know of would dsipute this.

However, I do feel that maybe people who speak for Poland try to make it sound like Poland suffered more than other European nations throughout history. I do think this is a misconception that should be corrected.

Throughout history most of Eastern Europe has suffered. The Baltics, Russia, Hungary, Wallachia, Serbia, Moldovia, Ukraine... Even Central European countries like Germany.

I do not wish to minimize the suffering and misfortunes of Poland. I am not posting this to bait anyone. I am most certainly not against Poland or Poles, for I myself have some Polish heritage.

And it concerns me to a degree that some people would say that Poland was the only European nation that suffered greatly. Because it glosses over Eastern European history as a whole.

What are your thoughts? Again, I am not trying to start any kind of argument.

Geographically, Poland is much too tempting a country NOT to invade. Are any of the other countries you mention bordered by both Russia AND Germany? Poland is basically a large field between them, with a set of mountain ranges to stage attacks from, and a couple of nice rivers for quick traversal and re-supplying of troops. That answers the why they have been such a target so often. The rest of your query is rather muddled, and I'm not sure there's an answer for it. Are you saying Poles portend to hold claim to greater suffering than others in the region? I'm not even sure you understand that many scholars no longer ascribe "Eastern" to Poland's European status. Ask a clearer question, and I'm sure you'll receive a clearer answer.

I think that you are lying here. That my thought. As for tragic history - people can deal with one thing at a time. What do you want talk about? You are too general in your OP.

I pretty much agree with Ironside here (which is something that happens only once in a blue moon). I also think that even if the OP is trying not to start an argument, he needs to focus his question better.

troll

Well since you asked, my thoughts are that Poland definitely has suffered, but her suffering is not unique. Eastern Europe as a whole has suffered, both by international conflict and by each country's own ruling class.

I suppose I did make the topic too broad. So I apologize for that. I wasn't trying to troll, though perhaps it came off that way.

You can call me a liar that's fine. I clearly must be, thanks for pointing it out.

Learn about "danzig corridor massacre" and you'll find out Poland was basically asking to be invaded.

Yeah, like the 'Gleiwitz' radio station murder. Man, you either play naive or try to make up stuff, but dig up a bit and you'll find out some interesting news about this stuff.

I think after further research you will find that Poland's suffering was unique. In a way.


Ignore that troll.

Isn't any suffering unique?

Yes, but I think that Ironside wishes to claim that Poland's suffering was unique in scale, i.e. that the scale was the largest ever. It's a highly disputable claim (Ukraine lost a similar percentage of its population in WWII and Belarus lost a significantly higher percentage, with Ukraine also losing some four million before WWII during the Holodomor) and one which adds precisely bugger all to useful discussions.

If anybody is interested in reading about the events which took place before and during (and after) WWII in the this area, I very much recommend Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder. Here's an excerpt from the preface:


bloodlandsbook.com/?p=4

Suffering of human beings - no!
however circumstances could be unique. As in case of Poland.