History / What happened from 1650-1795? [68]


Only I would slightly disagree. The Catholic counter-reformation was a result rather. The main reason was the series of destructive wars, including those in which Poland formally did not take part. Destruction of cities, depopulation, fall of standards, a German king... :)


Are you into Asatru, just curious? :)


you call it superior?

Well, in a way...

Life / Disco Polo - No No No No No! [95]


But there's no great disco polo. Except one 'Mydełko Fa', brilliant.

Now see this. And it's the top shelf of refinement as goes for the genre, believe me.
youtu.be/0kfB51jM7Fo

History / What happened from 1650-1795? [68]


That's why I modified the meaning. 'Vulgus' in Latin means 'common', the classical take. Like in 'Vulgata', the Common Bible. Every nation has/had it. I mean the ego.


I am not going against Germany here, a country like any other, more or less. Russia, though, is an exception. It was a typical European country, with its local oddities, which was typically European too, until the Mongol conquest. Since then it went downhill, drastically, combining the worst of the two worlds.

'The touch of vulgar German ego' was about the period when Russia imported civilisation from Germany, and warped it in its own way. Vulgarised.

And Polish Commonwealth was another exception. I don't know about a comparable period of prosperity in any other European country. Might be my patriotic bias, but then please show me.

As for Polish barbaric invasion, again - Poland became the source of civilisation in Moscow, for a stretch. Polish in Moscow, then, was like French in Europe a bit later on.

Resuming, I'd say jasinski was right, in general. Swelling German ego on one side, Russian Asiatic barbarism on the other, and Poland in between, with democracy already degenerating, as it is, like, its natural way.

Love / Polish girls fall for Indian guys ? [217]


Except than Asians are the smallest in this competition. Scientifically proved.

Life / Polish stereotypes of other nationalities!? [472]


nearly perfect :) I'd only add to the 'Car Stock': & Strawberry Fields Forever

History / What happened from 1650-1795? [68]


Exactly. With a touch of German vulgar ego, a deadly mix.


Question of phraseology, yet you yourself were writing about the German national pride growing steadily since the 30 years war. 'Vulgar', I'd take it in the classical meaning, akin to 'plebeian'. New kid on the block, you wrote, looked down upon with disdain by the old bullies.


You're joking. Batory was introducing a reasonable politics at last, similar to that dominating the world at all times.


Right. And you can't have it both ways. Either a barbarian invading innocent neighbours, or a pacifistic Commonwealth happy to grow corn and sell it to the warring Europe.


It was, during the Commonwealth. Elsewhere unheard of period of stability and well-being, democracy at its best, tolerance and development.

UK, Ireland / English Films..What Do Poles Think of Them? [33]


Geez, I didn't even know there'd been a whole series. Now I checked, I was referring to Blackadder's Christmas Carol, TV film from 1988. Thanks for this little bit of education.


That's true, mister. Stupid as it was, it had that something, only it's not my genre.

This having said... Flip&Flap I watch smiling, not sneering...

Life / Bugs in Polish houses and apartments [78]


Killing a spider is extremely bad luck. Spiders are good for you.
spiderzrule.com/superstitions.htm

UK, Ireland / English Films..What Do Poles Think of Them? [33]


So The Cranberries and Texas are just English influence?

I mean I like'em :) Especially that tiny blondie, an avalanche of expression...

UK, Ireland / English Films..What Do Poles Think of Them? [33]


Polish comedy... :)

Ok, they are different. I can't speak for the nation, but in my circle the English comedy was very popular. Monty Python top of the pops, Faulty Towers like easier fun, but so very English too, Jaś Fasola (Mr. Bean) was very popular in Poland. In here I saw Blackadder, a small gem, a bit sentimental. Benny Hill, hm... more like German... Oh, and Yes Minister (was it?). Personally, I liked Porridge, but somehow it faded.

And, it may be important, 'my circle' was a mix of 'ordinary folk' and 'intelligentsia with aspirations'.

Shaun of the Dead? What's that...

Life of Brian was a hit, I saw practising Catholics discreetly laughing their heads off. Not all of them, of course.

In Poland, English historical films were highly valued. For accuracy and objectivity, as perceived. Everybody watched The 6 Wives of Henry VIII. Strangely, the Forsythe Saga was very popular too, boring as it was. Possibly to 'soap effect'.

History / No Nazi puppet regime in Poland? [45]


But Poles are, you know, different :) I mean, German aircraft didn't shoot at refugees on the roads of Spain, Holland, etc.

History / No Nazi puppet regime in Poland? [45]


:) you may not know it, but Brunner had quite a crowd of fans in Poland. If you know what I mean :)

edit:


Not quite sure. Fascist meant nationalistic, not pro-Hitler. Like ONR.

History / No Nazi puppet regime in Poland? [45]


But see the first name: Franz. Full-blooded German, innit :)

Frantzischek. Sounds German enough to me. Or Czech...

History / No Nazi puppet regime in Poland? [45]


could be this. And there is some info of Silesians deserting from Wehrmacht, so like independent confirmation.


Right. I was speaking about Upper Silesia.

Edit:

Szczepaniak from Kattowitz-Sud... I am from there :)

History / No Nazi puppet regime in Poland? [45]

I think... could be seen as betrayal, as they were Polish citizens. But in a rather legalistic sense.

Collaboration is reserved for doubtless Poles.

And I still have that question of Volksliste III in Silesia. I heard, from witnesses, that Silesians were 'enlisted' automatically. You are positive about that absolutely voluntary thing?

History / No Nazi puppet regime in Poland? [45]


all 20 of them... :))

History / No Nazi puppet regime in Poland? [45]


That's why I liked the dancing, you know which...

History / When will you Poles give back German land and the cities which you robbed? [557]

Oh, Ok... :)

And you can call me notti no problem. Rhymes nicely... :)

Edit:
germaniainternational.com/khelmets2.html

I must admit, they knew how to make a helmet.

History / When will you Poles give back German land and the cities which you robbed? [557]


I got a helmet for you, I promised...



German guard cuirassiers helmet Prussia M 1894

I tried to persuade away that White Eagle Crapping, but he only looked at me with those bulging eyes...

I think I am getting very busy right now, gotta go chop chop, see ya later...

History / No Nazi puppet regime in Poland? [45]


I'd say initially and with intention of. Later they didn;t have much choice.

Interestingly, there is was some cooperation of part of the Polish underground and Germans, by the end of the war, when NSZ decided that the Soviets are an enemy, not an ally. More of an armistice, than actual brotherhood in arms, but anyway. As far as I remember.

History / Polish Occupational Zone in Germany (1945-1948) [4]


my pleasure. Neither have I.

haren.de/pdf_files/vorlagen/maczk_w.pdf
wapedia.mobi/en/Haren,_Germany

some info confirmed, but not all, some added. The number of weddings is different... and wapedia says that locals were expelled 'on 19 May 1945'...

Anyway, a curio :)

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]

Yeah, that's what I learned in Poland. I unlearned it in London. At first I thought it was this immigrant thing, then I started to pay attention, and voila, the English did it the same way. Milk, two sugar. I know it's ridiculously wrong, the proper way is black, two sugar. But I am not going to teach them English, innit...

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]

be serious, I am a foreigner. No hints, please, just spit it.

edit: out.

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]

Popular Polish mistake in London: 'mate' is not 'Mike', even if it sounds like 'mite', courtesy of Estuary English (?).


'how many sugar' is what I hear all the time... no plural whatsoever. Sugar is not countable, innit... Two sugar please.


and what about me... Armstrong on the Moon allegedly said 'a small step for man...' which changed the famous words into nonsense, as they said. Took me a while to grok, and I am still in trouble while speaking or writing. With easier cases too...

Language / "A" and "I" usage in Polish language [22]

Wow, Alex, and I remember you once saying that you can learn something from me too :) I am bigger by a span now, thank you :)

Allergy Caution: does not contain traces of sarcasm.

Language / "A" and "I" usage in Polish language [22]

Not at all.

Poles are dumb, and Brits are smart;
Polacy są tępi, a Brytole cwani.

Poles are dumb, and Brits are dumb.
Polacy są tępi, i Brytole są tępi.

You use 'a' when you might use 'but' instead of 'and' without much changing the sense. You can't use 'i' then.

News / No de-Communisation in Poland? [41]


He was nobody.


For the commies.


people didn't have guns. Not in 1981, nor in 1989. The army was unreliable even during the martial law. The worst what could happen was massive demonstrations and possibly some freaky accidents.

This is a hindsight, of course. But plenty of people then saw it this way too.


Only they didn't give up power. They smoothly converted it from political to economical, adopting part of the opposition for the front.


Paid apparatchiks, that's what I meant by party officials. Not the 3.5 million of conformists. Easy distinction.


Wrong, as could only be. People had no guns, the makeshift pikes worked only once and for a while, in bitter defence. And society didn't need commies in power, as could be nicely seen in self-organisation skills during various previous events. People gave everything from themselves then, hope paid for the efforts. One of the things that prompted the 13 December action was that Solidarity started to organise 'shadow governments'.


'simply' wasn't an option. General strike and replacing the commie structure with the new one, was.


:) the Church allows for hanging traitors no problem. Possibly Jankowski would say a short prayer.

News / No de-Communisation in Poland? [41]


There was no Solidarity at the Round Table, there was a pro-commie faction. People who wanted to save as much of 'true socialism' as possible, or had dirty cards in their books. Michnik's mother was a well-known commie 'historian', and father of Kuron was an old ubek. I'll never forget Kuroń frothing from mouth while defending in Sejm the 'justly deserved pensions of hard working Poles who served the country with all commitment possible.'

The one thing you say is true: the communists were in power. But the situation was explosive, so they staged the 'national agreement', they stayed in power, and everything went down the gutter.

Not everything depended on the SB files. Party officials were widely known, and banning them from managerial posts, like in Czechoslowakia, would not damage economy nor administration in the slightest. 'Martial law' was illegal, massive abuse of power even according to the current law, so hanging of Jaruzelski and Kiszczak would not only put things right, but send a strong and clear signal as well. This was not possible, though, because of the people listed by P3.

History / What was better in Poland under communism? [67]


there is something to it :) PRL was not a 'civilised country'. It was a system of exploitation, and the nation reacted in a natural way. Stealing from the state was widely accepted, stealing from a private person was your ordinary thieving, despicable thing. You needed to paint your flat, you 'organised' paint from your factory, or a neighbour did you a favour for a symbolic bottle, then you went to your GP, and his first question was '3 days or a week'. Those who happened to actually have a flu felt like slightly embarrassed, un-Polish.

Weird stuff. Bareja got it right, although it seems unbelievable. In this reality, snitching means civil death, and sometimes worse. Civil death means you go to the shop and all you can get is what you see. It means you call a recommended plumber, and he's not doing it, sorry, and that was one exceptional case, my brother in law asked me to do a favour to his best friend's terminally ill mother, and she provided all the materials anyway, I only put it all together for a cup of tea and a nice chat. On Sunday.

edit: well, maybe it's not clear enough. The recommended plumber turns out to be a mistake, so you call the official service, they come next Easter, they leave mess in your bathroom, and the leak comes back the next day anyway, because they exchanged your loose, but otherwise good tap with a faulty one. They needed good material for good Poles, innit. You getting the gist?