News / Polish-German Reconcilliation Seminar [491]

'Gdyby Bóg zechciał wskrzesić wszystkich więźniów lagrow, to w całej Rosji podniosłaby się ziemia' is a quote form 'Dziewczyny z Syberii'- a book which talks about experiences of Poles in the Soviet lagers. It's worth noting that many lager prisoners couldn't go back to Poland until the 1950s. Thousands were killed and forgotten. For over 50 years it was forbidden to talk about Poles in the lagers, the Katyń massacre and so on. Take Eugeniusz Bodo, a pre-war film star who was denied the amnesty because he was half Swiss.

In fact, there have been more attempts at Polish-German than Polish-Russian reconciliation.

News / Polish-German Reconcilliation Seminar [491]

Actually I know the name of the bauer my paternal grandparents had to work for and the address of the labour camp they were relocated to because my father still has the note my grandma wrote when she was told to prove her war experience. That information was then confirmed and put on straty.pl.

I know nothing about my maternal grandparents' whereabouts during the war - there are just some photos from their id cards in Germany. My grandma looks as if she had been crying before the photo was taken. I asked my mum if her parents had said anything about that time (they didn't know each other back then but my granddad and my maternal great grandfather met there though) but they didn't. They didn't victimise themselves really.

I know there was Związek Sybiraków. My grandma's neighbour was a member. I don't know if they managed to get any repariations or it was just sort of a support group.

Honestly, I don't know any Poles who think Putin promotes family values.

News / Polish-German Reconcilliation Seminar [491]

I only had a chance to talk to one of my grandparents about the war. Others had died either before I was born or when I was a toddler. I know she had met both good and bad Germans. She also had a lot of luck in some situations, yet she lost one of her brothers in Germany. Terrible times.

News / Polish-German Reconcilliation Seminar [491]

@Dirk diggler
I do know that. That's why I speak about it.
Personally, I don't expect any sort of financial support from Germany. My grandparents wouldn't know their tombs look bigger. Because the money should belong to them.

But it hurts to know what my family went through and most of them didn't even hear a single word of apology. And even having been freed from the camps, they came back to a country which had been ruined. Families were separated.

And reading cynical comments by people who know little about it isn't nice.
Some criticise Poland' s claims for reparations. What about German organisations like the Prussian Trust?

News / Polish-German Reconcilliation Seminar [491]

@TheOther
What German territory? All of these lands had been Polish.
As for slave labour, all of my grandparents were forced labourers. They all died long before 2006. Only one grandmother was paid some damages and the sum was ridiculously low. She had to be a member of an organisation (I think it was Polsko- niemieckie pojednanie) and pay the member fee to get anything.

News / Polish-German Reconcilliation Seminar [491]

It works both ways. What about Germans like Erika Steinbach?
As for Polish-German reconciliation, it's wrong to say it's happening only know. There were organisations that aimed at it back in the 1990s or 2000s. I know from my family's experience.

Po polsku / Amerykańskie chamstwo? [133]

To działa też w drugą stronę. Imigranci i dzieci imigrantów, którzy wcale nie czują się zasymilowani w społeczeństwie wielokulturowym.
Bo ludzie są tylko ludźmi. Wszędzie znajdą się gnojki. W społeczeństwie wielokulturowym winą obarczy się wielokulturowosc.

Real Estate / Negligent homeowners in Poland, advice needed [7]

isap.sejm.gov.pl/DetailsServlet?id=WDU20010710733

You can download ustawa o ochronie praw lokatorów from the link above. Check art.6a.
It's in Polish so you probably need someone to help you with that.

Real Estate / Negligent homeowners in Poland, advice needed [7]

@Alexbrz
Why don't you talk to her about it?
What does your contract say?
I don't think you should recommend the flat to a friend of yours if you have experienced such problems.

Language / Easy texts to practice Polish sentences/reading/vocabulary? [33]

@KoszalinChris
Remember that you don't need to understand every single word you read to understand a story.
Paulina's idea to read comic books is great. Books for children aren't bad but the best would be graded readers.
As for books in Polish, check ones with short texts like albums. ' Bestiariusz słowiański' has such short texts with lots of pictures but since both volumes are about creatures from the Slavic folklore, the vocabulary might be tricky.

When you're more advanced you can read stories by Sapkowski, especially if you like the witcher. However, you need to be into this genre.

If you're into fantasy, there are also collections of stories by Andrzej Pilipiuk. The ones about Jakub Wedrowycz might be quite shocking for some but others like 'Rzeznik drzew' or '2586 kroków' are interesting even for people who don't like fantasy.

Everything depends on what you like reading.
If you're into mystery, check books by Polish bestselling authors like Zygmunt Miloszewski, Eugeniusz Mróz, Katarzyna Bonda or Katarzyna Puzynska.
You may also try reading biographies. If there's someone you admire, you will be interested in what their life was like.
I know you need to be more advanced to read most of these but remember to read contemporary Polish from the very beginning. Otherwise you're going to sound funny. Jaskier mentioned 'Wszystko czerwone' by Joanna Chmielewska. One of the funniest things about this book is the Danish inspector who speaks archaic/Biblical Polish and produces sentences like 'Ta dama to Wasza mac? '

Po polsku / Amerykańskie chamstwo? [133]

Bo u nas jest bardzo mało tej inności.
Tylko z czego wynika ten brak tolerancji w społeczeństwach, gdzie inność jest na porządku dziennym?

Zresztą o ile brak tolerancji może być wyrażony w sposób chamski, o tyle chamstwo i nietolerancja to dwa różne zagadnienia.

Travel / My Experience in Poland (compared to Germany) [100]

@Lyzko
What you have just said is that bribery exists in the States. You accuse Poles and Russians of bribing others. But there are obviously two parties involved. So are you saying American officials are dishonest? Perhaps you should report it somewhere. Why haven't you?

Why don't you ever listen to people who actually know things like mafketis?

edit: I can see spiritus has just come to the same conclusion ;)

Travel / My Experience in Poland (compared to Germany) [100]

@Atch
I did talk about foreigners talking about bribery in Poland in #56. In that sense Lyzko and Alltimegreat are pretty much the same. It's ridiculous how they make such general comments about Poland having spent so little time here.

Travel / My Experience in Poland (compared to Germany) [100]

@Lyzko
Bribery happens everywhere. Some find it acceptable. I don't. There are other people like me. You seem to be fine with it, though.
And you're even an expert on the Catholic Church influence on local government here in Poland. I'm in awe ;)

Food / Herb used in Polish rosol (chicken soup)? [88]

@johnny reb
I first tried it last year and I really like it. Plus it is said to have lots of health benefits. :)

Food / Herb used in Polish rosol (chicken soup)? [88]

@jon357
My mum makes great ogórki kiszone so I don't have to ;) Knowing myself I don't think I am patient enough to wait long enough. I buy them at the greengrocer' s too.

As for red cabbage, I make my own : red cabbage, chopped onion, grated apple, vinegar and oil.
And I hardly ever make Polish style chicken soup.Mine is pretty thick with slices of carrots, root parsley and celery, boiled with onions and bayleaf- I just get rid of these before serving and add natka and black pepper instead. I sometimes add lovage, too.

Travel / My Experience in Poland (compared to Germany) [100]

It's funny how foreigners talk about bribery in Poland. I have never tried to bribe anyone and somehow manage to survive. Honestly, in what circumstances do you think you could bribe anyone to achieve something? (What?)

As for moving to Poland to live in an ultra-right society it doesn't make much sense. A nationalist won't be particularly friendly to any foreigner - white or not.

Surprisingly enough, even if the ruling party is right-winged it doesn't mean all Poles are.
And even though the majority of the society is white and Christian, it doesn't mean there are no people of colour or mixed race kids here.

Travel / My Experience in Poland (compared to Germany) [100]

If he weren't white, he wouldn't be so happy to see blonde hair children everywhere, would he?
@Alltimegreat1
You have just come back from holiday. You had fun. That's why you think Poland's so great. I kind of experience that every time I get home from holiday :p I made it happen once and enjoyed it but it was damn difficult at first.

I love my country but life here can be difficult. If you ever decide to move to another country, think about all the pros and cons. Especially if you have a family.

Food / Herb used in Polish rosol (chicken soup)? [88]

@gumishu
Surely delicious ;)

@jon357
good for you. Am I not allowed to be surprised?

Btw, as for herbs in general, I also recommend czosnek niedźwiedzi - wild garlic or whatever it's called in English.

Travel / My Experience in Poland (compared to Germany) [100]

@Ziemowit
Well, few claim they can travel without money so it's kind of obvious that you need it to travel.

Law / Need residence permit in Lithuania - I'm from Poland [4]

If you are an EU citizen you are allowed to stay in Lithuania for 90 days. You need a residence permit after that and you can apply for it if you're employed or self-employed there. Have you been there for over 90 days?

Lyzko, fyi Lithuania is in the EU and their currency is euro ...

Travel / My Experience in Poland (compared to Germany) [100]

@Lyzko
You certainly are :)

What a pity you don't know more about Poland, its history and people. If you did, you might stop thinking about my country and people as untermenschen. Also despite our experiences and history, we still have a sense of humour.

Hopefully one day you will have a chance to experience what Alltimegreat did. But that, apart from travelling to Poland, requires an open mind.

Travel / My Experience in Poland (compared to Germany) [100]

It's possible to have a sense of humour and be able to take serious things seriously. Duh!

@Alltimegreat1
I'm happy to hear you had a good time in Poland.

History / Franciszek Kornicki - Son of Poland, WWII Flying Ace, Savior of Britain [6]

By the way, have you guys seen The Unconquered made by IPN?
You can see it on youtube. Any thoughts?

History / Franciszek Kornicki - Son of Poland, WWII Flying Ace, Savior of Britain [6]

'Repeat, please' ;)

Wonderful people who should have been appreciated more.
I hope he's going to win.

Life / Is it True that People in Poland Dislike Charity? [13]

Ask WOŚP, Caritas or any other Polish charity organisation. They seem to be doing fine.

Food / Herb used in Polish rosol (chicken soup)? [88]

They don't really sell these all year long. Again since I don't make my own ogórki kiszone/konserwowe, I don't really look for it. I'm kind of surprised you do.

As for dill, I add it to cucumber soup and new potatoes.

News / Unhinged Israeli Arrested and Charged for Knife Attack on Polish Policeman [23]

I do agree with you.
I was actually referring to what another poster had written.

News / Unhinged Israeli Arrested and Charged for Knife Attack on Polish Policeman [23]

Rhazes was Persian, not Arabic, wasn't he?

Anyway, just because a certain civilisation or its representatives have contributed to the development of science etc doesn't mean its other representatives are not vile bastards.

Food / Herb used in Polish rosol (chicken soup)? [88]

Dunno -perhaps I don't see horseradish as I don't look for it. It must be sold around Easter for sure - some people still make their own chrzan tarty. Also you need it to make ogórki kiszone.

As for adding it to rosół, I remember my mum did so when I was a kid but just a tiny bit.