News / "It's too late for Germany" (but not for Poland) [1798]


True. It were actually the Brits (and the Americans) who were eager to expand the EU (and NATO) eastwards as quickly as possible.

euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/blair-calls-for-eu-enlargement-in-2004
independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/britain-to-push-for-a-firm-deadline-on-next-phase-of-eu-expansion-707675.html

Law / Archives said there are no records that confirm my ancestor's citizenship, is a petition my only option? [37]

Strange.

Law / Archives said there are no records that confirm my ancestor's citizenship, is a petition my only option? [37]


You were spreading false information. If it comes to questions about citizenship or genealogy, that's an absolute no-no. There are other people out there reading this, and in some cases they could be misled by what you said.

Law / Archives said there are no records that confirm my ancestor's citizenship, is a petition my only option? [37]


Not true. There were so-called "Optantenlisten" for example which gave people a choice.

News / "It's too late for Germany" (but not for Poland) [1798]


The strange thing is that everybody in Europe and the US knows where the populist/ nationalist movement will lead us, but they all seem more than happy to go down that slippery path again. Like lemmings over a cliff.

USA, Canada / I'm struggling with my culture - I grew up Polish in America. DNA test. [37]


There's nothing to argue about. The DNA of each and every human is the result of a long line of different individuals/ ethnicities/ races (whatever rocks your boat) mixing with each other.

USA, Canada / I'm struggling with my culture - I grew up Polish in America. DNA test. [37]

Defining oneself through DNA testing is pure nonsense; especially when talking about European origins. Far too much mixing going on over the millennia. Your genes don't make you Polish, British or German anyway. It's your upbringing.

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]


Interesting observation. Thanks for pointing that out.

Genealogy / Baranowo Parish Records after 1902 [14]

I answered in the other thread

Life / How's the life of an LGBT person in Poland? [90]


Oh, the horror. :)

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]


I disagree with you. The attitude towards Germans and Poles is a lot more negative amongst middle-aged and older American Jews (especially from FL and NYC) than it is amongst Israelis. This topic came up a few years ago already, if I recall correctly.


They mostly depend on financial and military aid from the USA... :)

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]


LOL! Is your name Adolf Marx by any chance?

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]


Your theory was that once the Nazi ideology had been implanted into the heads of kids as young as ten, they were lost forever. That is simply nonsense because - as the people in Poland and East Germany have shown in 1989 - people might conform with the system on the outside, but deep down inside they are opponents or simply unhappy with the current system. Fascism or communism - doesn't matter.


Here it is again: collective guilt over generations. Forget about it, Lyzko. As much as I understand where you're coming from, that won't happen. A five year old at the end of the war is NOT an evil Nazi, no matter how you want to put it. He or she is not responsible for what their parents did; nor are their children or grandchildren.


There's a big difference between American Jews and those who live in Israel: the Israelis are much more relaxed and open when it comes to Germans and Poles than the close-minded Americans will ever be. Don't say it isn't so, just ask someone from Israel.

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]


Why is this a concern? Because it's in Germany and Austria? How about the UKIP, the Lega Nord, Front Nationale, Golden Dawn and all the others across the continent? I believe that the Germans will be the last ones in Europe who will fall for the brownshirts.

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]


If your theory would be correct, the fall of the Berlin Wall would have never happened.


I believe you were indoctrinated quite thoroughly yourself, my friend. Did your parents teach you that each and every German and Pole - no matter how old - had the hate towards Jews injected into their blood stream, as you say? No cure? Once infected, always infected?


That's the "Horst Wessel Lied". Not too much to do with the HJ or BDM.

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]

Exactly

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]

Being forced to join the organization didn't mean you agreed with Nazi ideology. The children were 10 when they became part of the so-called "Jungvolk", and 13 when they became member of the Hitlerjugend. Too young to be interested in politics.

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]

"Conscription" and "voluntary" are mutually exclusive. The kids had to join the HJ or BDM, respectively.

Genealogy / Ethnic Poles or Ethnic Germans? My family mystery [37]


Maybe not common, but certainly widespread. I would see it simply as an adaptation to the circumstances - same as the Poles who moved and settled in the west of the German Empire. Being ethnically Polish? Likely that they were at some point, but judging from the information you gave they were "prussianized" or "germanized" over the centuries.

Language / How do Poles feel about foreigners learning their language? [105]

That's interesting, Atch. I've looked it up:

bbc.com/culture/story/20180207-how-americans-preserved-british-english

Wonder what they would say about Strine. "How the Australians preserved 18th century inmate English?" ;)

Life / What are your experiences of care for your loved ones in hospitals here? [75]


Only if you control what they can charge. Otherwise things get out of hand like in the U.S.. Same is true for the pharmaceuticals. Give them freedom to price their pills any way they want, and you will end up with medication that is almost unaffordable and drives insurance premiums through the roof.

Life / Russian citizen wants immigrate to Poland [39]


And so did plenty of Serbs. Germany is full of them. They run Yugoslavian restaurants there.


Lower wages, yes, but the cost of living is also much lower than in the West.


Bullsh*t. Have you ever been there? Obviously not. The one that is trying to bring back fascism to Europe is Steve Bannon right now. He's on tour meeting with all the ultra right-wing nut jobs.

Life / Russian citizen wants immigrate to Poland [39]


Like so many other Europeans, they simply moved to where the jobs were. The more jobs available, the more foreigners will come to Poland.

Life / Russian citizen wants immigrate to Poland [39]

I thought you were talking about the US... :)

Life / Russian citizen wants immigrate to Poland [39]


You make it sound as if you are in the majority. News flash: you aren't and you will never be.

UK, Ireland / Alcoholics Anonymous for Poles living in Ireland [27]


That is true, although it doesn't have too much to do with being rich or poor. Some people survive decades of heroin addiction on the streets.


Probably, although I've never heard about religious indoctrination at A.A. before.

UK, Ireland / Alcoholics Anonymous for Poles living in Ireland [27]


Me, too. If you are not addicted, that shouldn't a problem. It gets way more difficult though once you are hooked to a drug. Doesn't matter if it's meth, crack or booze. Simple will power will not help you because the addiction is far too strong. I've seen a few friends go through that ordeal.


Never heard of that before. You are not mixing that up with Narconon by any chance?

UK, Ireland / Alcoholics Anonymous for Poles living in Ireland [27]


Membership in A.A. is free, and there are plenty of no-cost or low cost treatment centers available.

Law / Polish citizenship by petition to the president of Poland? [66]

Those are scans of the originals.

Law / Polish citizenship by petition to the president of Poland? [66]

Where did your ancestors live? If you just want to look up some old documents without getting an official stamp, try:

szukajwarchiwach.pl

Use Polish place names!