History / Polish armored trains form I and II World War [32]


Right. Not many German or Soviet armoured trains of World War II were destroyed by the airforce as well.


Small gaps of destroyed track were easily repairable. Bomb craters could be filled with earth, what took more time, but it also could be done. In addition, not many of regular infantry troops, that encounter an armoured train, carry explosives or merely tools to disconnect rails ;-)

In the Polish Campaign there were several cases, when the armoured train halted German advance for a day (the mentioned Nr. 53 Śmiały at Mokra, Nr.54 Groźny at Wyry) or was a core of the Polish defence for several days (Nr.52 Piłsudczyk). The German soldiers, describing encounters with armoured trains in diaries, were usually quite impressed... ;-)

Check already mentioned site - you'll find there combat usage of most of the Polish trains in 1939
derela.republika.pl/armtrain.htm

History / The Gustloff - one of the worst maritime disasters that seemed to never have happened [66]

I have a feeling, that it's the opposite - many people in Poland heard about Gustloff in fact.
Not many will be able to tell any of big British or US liners sunk during both world wars. And on the other hand, very few people in the Western part of the world heard about some Soviet hospital ship (I don't even remember its name) sunk in the Black Sea in 1941 with a roughly similar number of refugees, like on Gustloff.

By the way, there was other German ship: Goya, sunk in 1945, that, according to some, might have carried more people, than Gustloff.

Life / You are Polish if... [433]


Well, we were always told, that THIS is the famous, highly estimated British sense of humour... ;-)

Life / You are Polish if... [433]

- if you are angry, that the world is not grateful to Poland for inventing a kerosene lamp in 1853 by Ignacy £ukasiewicz

Law / Car Insurance for a foreigner living in Poland on a temporary permit [6]

Yes, there is a law, that an insurance compay may re-count a premium, starting from a day of buying a car, taking into account discounts or penalties of the new owner. A seller should inform the insurance company about selling a car in 30 days, so they can react earlier. Anyway, the insurance will be most probably* renewed automatically, unless you resign from continuing it (you can do it until one day before it expires, in written form).

*(I wrote "most probably", because I'm not sure, if they treat premium as fully paid, in case, if one doesn't pay the difference coming from re-counting the premium... The insurance doesn't get renewed, if the premium for a previous year hasn't been paid)

Law / Car Insurance for a foreigner living in Poland on a temporary permit [6]

Probably you ought to pay it. You may write more details, what was that bill supposed to be (and upon what legal basis).

Life / You are Polish if... [433]


No, only THE Netherlands - but it just confirms the rule ;-)

(by the way, I was rather convinced, that Poles mostly omit these unnecessary a/the things, of very unclear and doubtful purpose ;-)


But only Wedel's :-P


Nooo... You find jokes about "Polak, Rusek i Nemiec" funny and true! (I don't know, if they are still told nowadys though... They used to be popular in a primary school)

History / WAS KATYŃ GENOCIDE? Polish officers were killed [237]


Probably because it was not supported by sources.

Life / Polish culture do's and dont's? [106]


Yes, only young Poles are allowed to say "sorry" (or diminutive: "sorki" - pronounced: /sorkee/) instead of przepraszam ;-) Not foreigners.


Don't treat it too seriously. Most Poles who speak English don't even know the word "acquaintance", and if you're foreigner, calling others "friends" is OK.


Exception: in the mountains.