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

Thank you so much to everybody who answered this thread, I guess I will be heading to school there without any worry! Yay!

HEY SWEETMESELF. I can recommend one thing, to do your own independant research before going to Poland about what society and culture is like, never trust what people say on the internet. There is government data you can access that has census data on income, religion, demographics. There are plenty of resources available, you just have to search them out. Don't just make a decision based on what people on an internet chat board say. One thing I'd like to say is that there seems to be a lot of bias on this forum making Poland out to be some type of hardcore anarchist society with all atheists and drug addicts everywhere. These people want Poland to be in anarchy and hate their own race or their own countries traditions, but the truth is that Poland according to the Polish governments own census data is 98% Catholic, meaning they are very traditional people. I'm not saying you will not encounter some bad things or bad people in Poland, all i'm saying is that it is mostly clean, mostly cities are clean, people are nice, and mostly quality of life is actually one of the best in the world and even better than U.S.A. because crime is very low and everything is kept clean there is no litters or dirty streets with homeless beggars like in New York City. There are extremists in every country, no country is perfect but in general Poland is higher quality of life than Europe and U.S. when not considering economy and so forth, obviously U.S. and some european countries have more developed economy but that does not necessarily translate into higher quality of life. Most older Poles who work hard and have families are not looking to commit hate crimes and get introuble with the law, they just want to earn money and have good life for themselves and their family. Don't let people here intimidate you, Poland is a very nice country and one of the few countries in the world that has managed to keep their traditions alive and prevent globalization like in U.K. or U.S.A. or other countries. Use your common sense as you would in U.S.A. or any other country, such as not travelling alone at night in secluded areas of a city. Enjoy Poland!

Merged: Studying and Living in Poznan - is it safe place for Indians or Asians?

I wish to study in Poznan at Poznan university of economics.
So is Poznan safe for Indians or Asian? Is there any recent racism attack there?

You won't be physically attacked (unless hanging around alcoholics and some lousy neighborhoods) but expect dirty looks, nasty comments (but since you won't understand Polish, it won't matter too much). Be aware that 99% of Poles have never met someone "different" and thus they are not open. Personaly, if I were "different", I would not set a foot in Poland and in Central/Eastern Europe - worst racism and xenophobia in all Europe. Why don't you try to go to a "foreigner-friendlier" country? You'll say that in Poland it's cheaper, might be but is it really worth it???? I doubt it or maybe you see Poland as an easy way to get into EU to move further west .... If you are muslim, just forget it as they are seen here as potential terrorists (to get a slight idea, check threads re muslims in PF) and blacks are commonly called 'monkeys" in this part of Europe. Very sad but unfortunately true!

PS: since you are asking the question, it is obvious that you have read/heard a lot of comments re xenophobia and racism in Poland

Gosc, kindly stop spreading this bu11$hit.

I'm neither Muslim nor black. I am brown.. than why don't you recommend me some foreigners friendly country.

Poznan is fine, plenty of people from other continents, especially at the universities. Warsaw is even better.

I have been living in Poznan for many many years now as a student and I'm Asian....

Poznan is a very safe city if you compare to other Polish cities just because people from Poznan come in contact with foreigners pretty often since it's one of the most "international cities" in Poland.

Though the neighborhood our Dean's office is located is rated the most dangerous neighborhood in the whole entire Poland! It's called "Jezyce" and if you think I'm ************, then go ahead and read Polish newspapers. I'm letting you to find it yourself from different sources.

My girlfriend is from Poland and after so many years living in this country, I know this country pretty well.

Poznan compared to other cities is very safe but if you go to "less international cities", then you should pay more attention - especially if you are black or Asian or having "unique look that stands out from the rest".

Most of the time, you will just get weird stares or looks (which is not the biggest deal) but sometimes, if you are unlucky, there could be some wannabe gangsters with hooligan looks who want to mess with you, stay away from them!

This kind of racism is due to the fact that Poland is way too homogeneous and some of the Polish kids have never seen a black guy irl before in his life, that's why people get a wrong view and perception of non-white people.

Heck, even in Asia where I come from, people are also racist like crazy - mostly towards black people. But it's all about education and if the kids get the right education about society and adults in the family stop poisoning then with their terrible racist comments, then maybe we get a hope about a bright future.

TL;DR: Don't be afraid of Poznan, you should be more scared of smaller Polish cities where most people haven't never seen or interacted with a black guy or a muslim IRL and the ones they seen on TV was all about terrorists, rapists and nothing nice....

How can something be too homogeneous? There is nothing bad about being homogeneous.

@Merc: 100% agreed with you! 99% of Poles have seen people looking different only on TV and beleive that muslims = terrorists and blacks = monkeys. Saying the opposite like some want to pretend is telling lies or refusing to see reality as obviously they are not personally concerned.

As to so callled "international" aspect of cities, the few hundreds of international students and/or expats in each city don't make these cities "international". If one wants to see genuine international cities, it is not in Poland that one needs to go. Even in those so called "international" cities, I daresay at least 98% of Poles have never interacted with foreigners.

2 or 3 days ago, Gazeta Wyborcza published a study on racism and Poland came 32 in 41 countries and is one of the worst in Europe.

Those in PF claiming that everything is rosy in Poland are white Britons who of course don't need to deal with xenophobia and with racism.

Personally, should I not be white and European, I would never set a foot in Poland.

Honestly when "different", Poland is not the place to be. Although some problems, Western Europe, North America, Australia are the places to go.

It is extremely difficult to be stigmatised, to be given dirty looks, to hear nasty comments simply because one is different. And this is the reality of Poland.

@Wulkan: I once had a colleague from NY who felt claustrophobic in Warsaw as he was used to multi cultural international cities.

PS: when we see the big fuss Poles make about the some 1,800 refugees EU want Poland to accept, we can call it a proof of Poland not being open and tolerant.

They portray blacks as a monkeys in the Polish TV these days? wow, I didn't know how much I missed since I stopped watching TV many years ago.


That makes perfect sense! homogeneity should be banned in all the major cities in the world then. Would he still get claustrophobic if he went to Kampala - the capital of Uganda?

@Wulkan: have I said ON TV? No, so don't read what people don't write. Yes, a lot of Poles call blacks "apes" and consider Muslims as terrorists. This is unfortunately the truth and hiding your head in the sand like you do does not change reality.

And what about all the nasty anti Jewish comments most Poles make? Most Poles of course have never met a Jew but it does not prevent them from nasty comments.

Where I am from, racism, xenophobia, homophobia are punished (3 years in jail and 75,000 euro fine) and therefore I am shocked by comments made by too many Poles.

Since Poles are not used to see and to deal with different people, Poland is a closed society and by definition it cannot be tolerant.

I was raised in multi cultural society, I have been to school and lived with probably more than 30 different nationalities (all religions too) and yes, it is easy to say that Poland is NOT international. If one considers the number of foreigners and the number of Poles in Poland, it is obvious that most Poles have never interacted with any (simple maths). When here, I tell them that most muslims live the way I do and are decent people, that blacks are decent people too, I often get weird looks (I hang around educated people in Warsaw, not idiots in small village).

Denying situation does not change it. Pretending that Poland is "international" is a lie. Go West and you'll see "international" societies. Poland is 98% catholic and racially most homogenous, which means that it cannot be open to others.

PS: that American colleague I'm talking about since coming from NY is used to international places, with different cultures and thus it is normal that he had trouble to get used to Warsaw where 99.99% of people are Polish. Poland is a monocultural society.

Hahaha, no. It's hipster-ville now, and not dangerous in the slightest. Anyone that claims Jezyce is "dangerous" has led a very sheltered life.

The fact that some highly irritating Nigerian is leading constant "ministry" in his flat in Jezyce tells you all you need to know about how safe it is.

@Delphi: if so many people ask about racism and xenophobia in Poland, it's obviously because Poland has a bad reputation (3 days ago GW published the result of an international study done in 41 countries and Poland came 32) and nobody can deny the reality. Poland is 98% catholic, monoethnic monocultural so most Poles have never met anyone different. Sorry, it's not because you have a couple of hundreds students from abroad that it makes the place "international". Of course, for instance Warsaw is more "international" than let's say Kielce or Sosnowieć but I would not consider Warsaw "international" in comparison with Western capitals. What's the % of foreigners living (I am no saying spending a few months as Erasmus or executives on a temporary basis) in Poland, or in Warsaw? Most probably less than 1%.-

How is this racist?

So where is this coming from if 99% of them know blacks only from the TV as you stated? Or is it coming from that 1% who met black people in real?


Personally, should I not be black and African, I would never set a foot in Lagos - Nigeria.


I suggest you to stop reading the least reliable source of information in Poland that is "Gazeta Wybiórcza"

Jezyce is a fairly safe neighbourhood. If there's any racial violence in Poznan, it isn't in that part of town.

Personally I'm black not African-American either and I would never set foot in Lagos either! I have been to little villages in Poland and quite frankly feel safer there then in my own town of Los Angeles, California.

That is because it is actually safer there, it's not just a feeling. There are whole neighbourhoods and areas in the usa that I certainly would not go or if I did it would be a mistake, possibly my last mistake. Compared to what I know from being in other places Polska is safe, that report placing it 32'nd I would use as toilet paper.

Yep, "Gazeta Wybiórcza" is nothing more than a toilet paper.

Yes, I imagine so. I mean, it has nothing in common with the biggest selling Polish newspaper, does it?

Anyway, Poland is what it is. It's not a multicultural paradise, but it's not some neo-Nazi hell as well.

Doesn't matter how much they sell it if it's worth no more than the cheap roll of toilet paper.

Gazeta Wyborcza sells about 150 thousand copies daily - significant number of these is prescription from various public institutions - and well Gazeta Wyborcza is known to twist or even make up their 'facts' - what is more Gazeta Wyborcza earns a lot from the addvertising from state-owned business and public institutions - when these dry up the cost of a copy will soar

Question. Lech Poznan is currently in some trouble with UEFA for a banner they had up during a football match in Sarajevo. The banner said 'Legion Piłakrew naszej rasy.' Apparently there is some debate as to whether it was racist or not. Could somebody translate this for me as I don't understand what it means.

Legion Piła (Piła is a city north of Poznań) - blood of our race

Oh Okay. Thanks for that. Yeah I know 'krew naszej rasy' is 'blood of our race' or 'our race's blood,' but I was confused about the Legion Piła part. What does the Legion part refer to then. That they are a legion from that city?

yes

I have spent time in Polish cities like Krakow, Poznan, Gdansk and Wroclaw. I'm from India and look like a Colombian/Brazilian, that's what Americans tell me all the time.

Coming to Poland, I wouldn't go so far as saying that Polish people are xenophobic but they're certainly a tad ethno-centric. I'm not saying it's a bad thing: to each their own. I mean many Brits are ethnocentric too but the overall British culture is similar to US/Canada/Australia. Even in my home country, being ethnocentric is seen as rude and no-one cares about ethnic pride except the Punjabis but they don't really mean it either. Poles wear their national pride on their sleeves (which is not a bad thing) hat doesn't mean they can't be friendly, in fact I met more friendly Poles than any other nationality in Europe. If you behave nicely and joke with them in good spirit, they warm up to you quickly.

That being said, Poland is a wonderful country and have a lot to be proud of. Me personally, I prefer the Polish to Germans or Swiss or French anyday. The Polish would be my 2nd favourite nationality in Europe after the British, in terms of people with whom I get along well.

I had vodka with many random Poles. In Poland, they tend to drink hard alcoholic beverages without concern for their health. I know not everyone's like that but there is definitely a drinking problem in Poland. I could not refuse in order to appear polite and to show friendship. But too much alcohol messes my digestion system. I don't like anything else apart from beer and wine. My doctor has advised me to stop liquor consumption, period.

Poland does have a problem with some probably racist skinheads although it's not mainstream culture, but just a fringe. I came across more than a few shaved heads but for some reason, they didn't give me any bother. I figured out that if you leave them alone and just mind your own business, they won't harm you. But that doesn't mean I wasn't scared a bit. I mean these boys were in large groups and had swastikas on their shaved heads. This was the first time I saw real skinheads in my life. So far I thought they only existed in books and TV shows. And here, I was all alone in the presence of people who are supposed to hate me for my skin colour.

Anyway, my overall impression of Poland is very positive. Polish people are trustworthy, honest and have excellent work ethic.

Poland is quite xenophobic due to it's history and the fact that it's been for many years rather isolated. However, an increasing amount of people, especially the young that seem keen on more integration with western Europe, are more tolerant of others.

Poland is a very homogeneous country - the vast majority are Roman Catholic Polish people. It's not a mixed society like England, France, Belgium or the US. A lot of people have preconceived notions about certain races and religions and may come off as xenophobic or stereotype because they just simply aren't as exposed to other cultures as other countries' citizens.

Again though, that is changing pretty rapidly with the population. If you're in a large city like Warsaw or even Poznan you should be fine. Just stay away from the bad neighborhoods and avoid the soccer hooligans, many of whom are neo-Nazis and you won't get beat up.

In the university though people are going to be much more open and you may actually find that you'll make more friends and be more popular as a foreigner since again the society is homogeneous. If you do encounter racism, it might be like someone shouting at you from a car as they pass by or stares from older Poles, but it's unlikely that you'll encounter violence unless you like walk into certain neighborhoods and are hanging around the bloki where neo-Nazis are known to reside.

Overall though, I doubt you'll have a problem with safety in Poznan, especially as a university student.