Study / The reputation of the Jagiellonian University, Krakow. [52]

Can someone please ellaborate a little on the Russian Studies post-graduate programme in UJ?

History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [900]

Interesting....

Some of you complained about the lack of gratitude shown by Germans and Austrians considering your help in the battle of Wien, yet you show the same short memory of gratitude.

Now, depends what you understand by help. Pilsudski and Gafencu realised what was to happen and tried to form an alliance that would actually back itself. However, in the alliance of Poland and Hungary, Hungary didn't want Rumunia, in the alliance of Little Entante, Czechoslovakia didn't want Poland thus those states couldn't bring themselves to a bigger alliance.

You asked who helped? The Romanian bridge was prepared, troups were stationed to help or take in refugees, the Romanian ports were open and ready to receive Polish navy. When Nazi Germany invaded, there was an offer to help with troops, but the Polish politicians blinded by their trust in a near future military help from Britain and France especially, refused, thus Romania remained neutral. It was this neutrality that helped abrid Polish refugees, the government and the thesaurus of your country.

and for those that want source, since I am not a fan you wikipedia and also that you could search for yourselves, how about that:

bukareszt.polemb.net/index.php?document=306

(It is a small resume of the Polish Embassy in Bucharest - unfortunatelly it isn't in English, so at best you could use a Google translation, or you could just take my word for it).

But you know what? With regret I see a tendency in all countries from the Eastern Europe to forget about close allies and to look upon West and US as some sort of saviours.

If Poland, Romania, Hungary and if possible others countries would have managed to actually have a working alliance the things would have stood somewhat different.

History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [900]


Both actually.

Due to the bilateral treaty, offered military support (refused by your gov.) and took in refugiees and the government.
Due to simpathy, remained deaf to Nazi threats. Something very little known: international law at that time, carried that a neutral country can take in officials as refugees, but only if they renounce their official positions, otherwise they have to be treated as prisoners and delivered to the other side involved in the conflict. Your government though it knew what the international laws demanded, when they saw themselves at safety, they started making declarations and requesting for the other nations (implicitely France and UK) to keep to their promise and come to their aid. The Romanian lawyiers somehow managed to avoid that and respond to Nazi demands and ultimately threats to surrender the Polish government. The deal and our obligation would have ended the moment your government started their declarations, but that was when the sympathy took over.

Genealogy / Why anyone would think I'm from Poland? Ethnic iD, and perception. [25]


Some gypsies do color their hair and put some eye lentils, but this doesn't make them less gypsies. There are other aspects they are recognised by. Thus having red hair and blue eyes for example, doesn't prevent anyone from mistaking someone for a gypsy if he's a bit "tanned".

What you have passed for, depends on the people you come in contact and their experiences with other nationalities.
I usually pass for a Russian though I am very far from it.

Genealogy / Why anyone would think I'm from Poland? Ethnic iD, and perception. [25]

That was my point exactly. When you're mistaken for something that you are clearly not, it all comes down to the experiences the person doing the mistaken part, has had in time. It's as subjective as it can be.

History / Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Serbia- segmented. Who is next? Poland? [90]

You're exagerating by believing that it has something to do with "slavic" nations. Somehow, EU has the opposite effect of what was expected of it, and somehow encourages "micro-nations" and separatism in many countries. I guess that on a larger scale it's easier to deal with small entities and subdue them, that with bigger one. The classic divide and conquer.

(I wonder who's more "paranoic" between the two of us :D).

History / Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Serbia- segmented. Who is next? Poland? [90]


I think it was very well represented later at the International Court of Justice. You should read some of the pro-Serbian arguments of the delegations, they are quite interesting

icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=1&k=21&case=141&code= kos&p3=1
I can hardly wait for the rulling. I have my eyes on the ICJ's website all the time. I was really sorry that Poland pleaded for Kosovo.

History / What connects Poland with Vlad Impaler or to say Vlad Tepes or simple Dracula [43]


Unfortunatelly this is where reality takes a huge turn towards fantasy. Those aren't real. The only method he used was impaling - he wanted a method to not discriminate (in the sens that he wanted a method all men would fear - the method wasn't used only against Ottomans but against any comon criminal as well and against the boyars - boieri (ro). There is a legend about this for which he is much remembered with nostalgy). You mentioned about the merchants of Brasov. The problem was that he wanted the same rights for the merchants from Wallachia in Transylvania as those in Transylvania (Brasov in this case) had in Wallachia. They agreed at the table to met the requirements and give them pass but the Brasov merchants caught the Wallachian caravans and slaughtered them. Vlad got angry and took raids against Brasov and impaled the merchants. From there on, there were a series of letters from the Hungarian and German merchants who circulated across Europe, trying to depict Vlad Tepes as the cruelest man possible, attributing him the most inimaginable of crimes, trying to remove from him the support against the Ottomans so that he will eventually be removed from throne. Those letters were the basis of Bram Stoker's novel. The letters were preserved, and most of them are in Hungary nowadays.

History / What connects Poland with Vlad Impaler or to say Vlad Tepes or simple Dracula [43]

I understand what you meant. But the impaling was quite a common punishment in middle ages, accros all Europe, not just these parts (it is very cruel and inimaginable today, but it was quite often used those days). What made him unique is that he used it exclusevely, being the only punishment used no matter the crime(from here my statement above). And the fact that no one else impaled entire armies of Ottomans...

Life / If I say POLAND, you say...? [100]

If I say Poland you say...?

I say many things: from Stanislaw Lem (the first SF writer I read), to Boleslaw Prus, to Sienkiewicz, to Pope Joan Paul IInd, Wiszlawa Szymborska (don't think I've spelled the name right) to Adam Malysz and to me coming with an Erasmus to see Poland and learn Polish :D.

History / What connects Poland with Vlad Impaler or to say Vlad Tepes or simple Dracula [43]


Western Europe is no saint during Middle Ages, no part of Europe or the world is. They aren't called Dark Ages for nothing. The countries where impaling was used the most were Spain and France during the Inquisition.

I am no fan of wiki but: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impalement

I will try to find at least somewhat more reliable sources for this, should you wish. I don't usually rely on Internet for documentation.

Love / How to turn a No into a Yes (she invited me to Poland to meet her) [30]

Girls can be quite scared sometimes if a boy is very persistent. There are a lot of loonies out there, and if they (the girls) feel the boy is moving in too quick, they will run away as fast as they can.

From what you've described, she isn't the kind of person to do the final step. It will be on you, but you have to play it smart. It might take a lot of time for that, just be there for her, and take it slowly.

I hope it will all be good for you! The best of luck!

Life / Which on the list of Polish girl's names do you like the most? [67]

I have a curiousity. I noticed that you guys usually like to have the names short. Like Basia, Krzys or others alike. Can you tell me what would be the short forms, the more familiar forms for: Elena, Mariana, Tereza, Michael? - that is if you have those names.

Language / Learning Polish, good for beginners? [29]

Hello,
I've been trying to learn Polish for a couple of months already and it's not going well for me, but perhaps some of the beginners around here are more astute.

The books I'm trying to learn from: The "Teach Yourself Polish" book - if you have an Oxford centre around you can order it from them, it comes at a good price, with a CD also and has some interesting things.

The one it is used at my courses is Hurra Po Polsku 1 and is a good one to my opinion.

Hope it can be of some use to you.
Enjoy and good luck!

History / What connects Poland with Vlad Impaler or to say Vlad Tepes or simple Dracula [43]

Crow, I really like Slavic people and some countries more than others (from the ones with Slavic heritage) but I would really appreciate if you could point out everything you want about the slavs in a different topic. I know it is your topic and you have all the right to write about everything you want, but don't get Vlad Tepes into your Slavic dream. It doesn't fit. The only connection we have is the christian religion and the fight against ottomans, but he was no Slav.

If you want to champion the fight for the christian values against the ottomans, be my guest, but don't champion any Slavic pride with getting people they are clearly not Slavs into your camp.

Much appreciated.

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


How did Warsaw looked before it was rebuilt? I've heard it looks pretty much like any other communist city - +/- the specific culture elements - since it was rebuilt by the Soviets, the same grey sad blocks and buildings, but how did it look before it was leveled down? Were any parts of it preserved?

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

Didn't know that, thanks :).

History / What connects Poland with Vlad Impaler or to say Vlad Tepes or simple Dracula [43]

I got the point Crow, and I would have actually liked to see a whole thread dedicated to the Order of the Dragon, is quite interesting topic. I just didn't like the fact that you mixed things, Vlad was not a Slav and fought not for the glory of the Slavic world but for Christianity in its whole. Of course at that time the Slavs fought for the same purpose, yet if you want to stress out only the Slavic aspect leave Vlad and Cantemir for that matter out - they were part of the Dragon who was indeed of Slavic heritage, but that's about it, and yes, if you want to look at it like that - in order to revert to the title - that would be the only connection between Vlad and Poland :).

Since we're at it, what happened to the Order? Was it dissmantled, was it kept alive up to our days or what?

News / Poland President National Mourning in Some Countries [212]


I think they will, just give them one more day.

In my country, monday was announced a mourning day. We don't have a big Polish community compared to others but it is considered a sign of respect to the sorrow of a nation we consider a close friend.

I was supposed to go tommorow at the Polish Cultural Institute here to get a letter for my Erasmus file, but most probably it will be closed, but I will go and pay my respects and light a candle at the embassy as well.

News / Poland President National Mourning in Some Countries [212]

How do I upload a picture here, please?

News / Poland President National Mourning in Some Countries [212]

We have the aeroports closed as well, even most of the flights from Bucharest are cancelled. Our president had gone by car travelling trough Hungaria and Slovakia. I am surprissed that Germany had cancelled as it is much closer.

News / Poland President National Mourning in Some Countries [212]

In the end, who is coming?

News / Poland President National Mourning in Some Countries [212]


I paid my respects as well on Monday. I went at the Polish Embassy here in Bucharest, lit a candlle and put some flowers. I wanted to upload a picture here to show you how Romanians have paid their respects, in front of the Embassy, the entire wall and the street in front of it was covered in flowers and candles.

Yesterday, at the Polish language class I am attending, our teachers was dressed in black and we talked about the accident and how it was perceived here as well.

News / Poland President National Mourning in Some Countries [212]


It was ment from the political point of view, not from the two peoples approach at personal level. But even that will change, the cooperation between the two countries is becoming stronger by day and the wounds seem to seal.

News / Poland President National Mourning in Some Countries [212]


I know, this is why I answered to Sasha and made the distinction between politics and people's feelings. Genuine feelings of Russians towards Polish and otherway around, are not to be confused with politics and more so with geopolitical games.

Genealogy / Are Poles aware of Thracian aspect in original roots of Polish ethos? [69]


Interesting... Why did Poland stay by Kosovo side at the International Court of Justice against Serbia?

News / Poland President National Mourning in Some Countries [212]


The visibility and the systems alike.
At the Superior School of Aviation in Bucharest were conducted a series of simulations the past few days, and all the systems on bord, as soon as they entered the cloud, went to the ground. A pilot who flew some missions in Kuweit and flew through some clouds of petroleum (you get the idea) after rafinaries were burnt, said it would be almost the same, and that he flew blindless, with almost no system working.

But air is not the only way, trains and cars are also an option at least for the continental countries.

News / Poland President National Mourning in Some Countries [212]


Yes, I am a Romanian as well, like you. I wanted to PM you as to not disrupt the forum, but you have this option disabled.

Travel / Poland to Romania (and back!) [18]

Unfortunatelly I am looking for some reasonable priced flights myself and couldn't find any for the moment. I am searching in the other direction: Bucharest to Warsaw for September. Train doesn't pay up, it's almost the same price and at a considerable amount of time in addition :(.