Is there racism in Poznan and hate crime against coloured people (students)?

Hello,
I am a hispanic/latin girl who is interested in attending a school in Poznan, the thing is that I have heard that there might be some racist acts against people of colour. I am not per say brown but I am not white, since my mother is white and my dad is mixed. I am more of a tanned white colour, I am kind of tall and well my friend says I look kind of Iranian or persian. I just want to know if it is true that there is a lot of hate crime around the city. I am not really a party girl, so I am not really concerned about late nights at the bar or club. But I might have to stay at school up until 8 - 9 pm. I am just not used to hate crime, I could deal with some stares and thats about it. Please anybody, especially people of colour who have lived or live there tell me your experiences. Also people native to poland i would like to know your version, but please say if you are white(polish) or coloured and what is your race/heritage.

Thank you!

I am Polish American, I live in America right now but have been to Poland many times, I am son of immigrants, my parents came to America in 1980 to escape communism. I have huge family in America and in Poland and have spent many time in Poland.

Most Polish people are Catholic about 99% of the country is Catholic and therfore they follow what their religion tells them to do which is to respect other people, especially women. However, just as in America, not everyone goes to church every weekend and is a true believer. But 3/4 of Polish people are very religious, very traditional, and are usually friendly to strangers if they see the strangers are not hostile or have bad manners, or are imposing on them their way of life or their culture. Polish people tend to be sensitive to others who look down on them because the last 100 years Poland and Polish people have been made fun of and have been invaded so they don't like it when foreigners come to their country and impose their way of life on them or think they are better then them. I have been in every Polish city, and there are some cities which have worse neighborhoods then others just like in any country. However you should anticipate that you will get stared at, or get bizarre looks, thats just because Poland is 99% catholic and 99% white, if they see a black person or a spanish or muslim person or meditteranean they stand out like sore thumb and Polish people immediately can point them out. This is just profiling, everyone profiles, they look at someone based on their religion and country and can figure out what they are like. Most Polish people are educated and are not isolated from the world and are not dumb, they know about politics, what is going on in the world, and about other religions. I would not worry if I were you, however there is always a chance that you can run into a group of young Polish punks who were not raised properly and sell and abuse drugs, there are sometimes small gangs like that of punks age 18-35 that run around local towns and areas and sell drugs and in general are just scum. Some of them either can't find work or are just lazy. I would worry more about having your car stolen or possessions stolen then hate crime.

Grzegorz's view is the encyclopedic one: now the (one of many, I hope) view from the ground.

In general, you have nothing to worry about here that you wouldn't worry about anywhere else. The centre of town is usually pretty active till late, and you're unlikely to find yurself alone on a dark street, even in winter. Ah yes, winter. Anyone I know of Hispanic extraction will find it so bloody cold you're going to end up ordering a taxi anyway.

So, just apply the usual rules:

- Don't be alone where there are few other people;
- avoid certain areas of town (Wilda & Zawady are the ones that springs to mind);
- travel home with someone you know or taxi after dark (let your flatmate know when you'll be coming back, they can meet you).

Do you know what area you'll be living in yet? And where's the school? No need to tell us all here if you don't want, but it'll help you to plan a route. PM if you want further advice.

Alex (white, English, lived here on and off for years)

@GrzegorzKoziol
"(..)But 3/4 of Polish people are very religious, very traditional(..)"
bullshit

@sweetmeself123
there is nothing to be afraid of.

eyy, don't ruin his dream! Poor sod hopes it is like that ;P

Ahahaha. Actually, one problem in Poland is that many devout "Catholics" treat women quite badly.


If anything, your only problem is that you're going to find the local guys will be interested in you.

Poznan is a safe place - even the areas mentioned by alex (Zawady/Wilda) are nothing compared to many American districts.

What should be more of a concern for you is the school itself - what one do you plan to attend? I'll let you know yay or nay when it comes to decent education :)

(for what it's worth : plenty of Asians and black people here)

Just keep a gun handy :)

GrzegorzKoziol
"I would worry more about having your car stolen or possessions stolen then hate crime"

bullshit

Well, I don't really mind the cold weather. I am somewhat allergic to the sun and heat and I have lived in Alaska, I guess I take after my mom in the sensitivity to light department. So it would be more likely of me to walk or take the bus in winter than in the summer hah! But I guess I should just plan on taking a cab late at night by what you said, do you have to call cabs or are they readily available outside from places?



To answer the both of you, I am applying to the 6 year MD program at Poznan University of Medical Sciences. I am planning on possibly getting a flat if I do go to Poznan near that school.


Well, that is good to know! I won't be feeling so alone.


Are you serious?!


Well, I am so not getting a car now.

You'll be just fine.

Your tan color could be a great help in Poland, since they will know that you are not from there, and they will all want to help you.

Poland is one of the most careing place I have ever been to.
You will love it, and her people will help you.

Mike

Yes, there were racial problems in Poznań recently but they concerned gypsies.

Pubs in Poznan kick out Roma?

You'll be fine there - there's a lot of multinational students, including 200 Norwegians and an endless amount of black/Asian people there too. If you do come, there's plenty of accommodation nearby - but I'd actually recommend living in the city centre instead. For what it's worth, the worst trouble I've ever seen with medical students wasn't with Poles, but with rude and drunk medical school students.


Heck, if you come, give me a shout and I'll introduce you to many different people :)


Please stop talking nonsense - seriously. No-one is going to care less about her colour - except perhaps Polish guys that are interested in something "exotic".


Caring, Poland?

Are you sure you didn't visit a different Poland?


Some might argue that this wasn't a problem.

Me, I'm sitting on the fence - although the easiest way to deal with it would be to simply ban the use of hair gel ;)

No problem at all in my opinion.

1. Generally Poles treat "hispanic" people (unless they are very dark) more like a subgroup of white people than "people of colour". In Poland racism is directed mostly at black/arab people, Latin and largly also Asian (Chinese, Japanese etc.) people have not much to worry about.

2. In case of "people of colour" men rather experience much more problems than women.

For once i'll have to agree with Delphie. But it's just that these conservative Catholic men have a traditional family view where a man is boss, not necessarily mistreat women.

Nah, everyone is cool there except for maybe 1%. That is, unless your color is purple.


My papa was a grizzly bear and my mama was a Panda. Oh, I'm a Catholic fall-off and my forearms are made of Polish steel.


Yes, sometimes Polish husbands say "no" to their wives. But in the U.S. this is how Polish-Americans treat their women.

youtube.com/watch?v=S1A0p0F_iH8
Go to Poland, study; meet a nice Polish boy and make some Polspanics.

HEY SWEETMESELF. Poland is pretty far north on the earth so if you don't like like a lot of lighy. Poland is pretty cold winters and cool dry summers it ranges between 49 to 56 degrees latitude, which is the equivalent of Canada (not too far from Alaska) What part of alaska are you from? If you lived in southern Alaskan like Anchorage or Juneau areas then it will only be slight difference from Poland. Poznan is at 52 degrees North, so maybe only 30 -45 minutes difference in daylight hours between Poznan and coastal Alaska

I lived in Talkeetna, AK. Anchorage has descent weather, so I might enjoy Poznan.


LOL! Polspanics, well they would be all mutts. I am hispanic because of the place I was born and raised, my background is more like basque with german with greek with black caribbean... such a nice mix my poor child would be


lol I see you're quite a mix.. but I doubt a panda could interbreed with a bear, but that is rather interesting and fun what you said.


Well, I was once purple... long story though.


Well, that's nice to hear. I am a light skinned hispanic haha, but I am still paranoid because I don't even know. But I guess I shouldn't worry about it much.

GTFO of here Koziol you know as much about Poland and Poznan as a pig knows about stars.

why do you recommend the centre? I have heard that there's a lot of robberies going on there. Wouldn't I need a car if I live that far? I don't plan on buying a car since I have read that there are a lot of crazy drivers over there lol.


alright! lol

Really? where did you hear that?

read that at an international student forum hah, I guess it isn't that reliable huh?

Are you sure the people posting there have actually visited the place?
Look if your thinking about spending there 6 years,why not visit Poznan for a week or two before you make a decision?Ain't no big deal.

They've said so, so is this not true?

I used to live there for 5 years (still own an apartament there) and very often used to walk (when I didn't feel like waiting for a tram)after 1 a.m from a train station to Hetmanska street (which is quite a distance) with a huge backpack and a big bag on my shoulder and never ever had any problems.Now,I am not a small guy but with a 60 pounds backpack on my back I think i was a pretty easy target.Oh, and my way I had to pass Rynek £azarski which is considered one of the worst areas of Poznan.

How long ago was this? well, by what you're telling me it is safe. Walking alone at 1am being big or not big haha it is still dangerous especially with a heavy backpack. Thanks for the insight.

It was in years 2000-2004.The city transit runs 24h but at night the trams were running every 30 minutes ,I hate to have to wait at the bus or tram stop and the walk was taking me 30-40 minutes.


I don't know maybe I was just lucky but believe me I was taking chances all the time.Over the 5 years I got involved in only 1 fight and that was at the club.

hate crime against coloured people?

What is that ?Do you mean to say that there is love crime ?

Only if your name's Jarnowa.

Don't worry, there are many colored people in poland. :) And where I came from Poland as a kid I had a colored friends, we all treated him like we treated each other. :)