What made Poland into the country it is today?

I agree. You are stupid.

But this makes no sense, Rich! You'RE projecting again.

Back to what made Poland into the country it is today.

1.Solidarnosc.
2.Pope John Paul 2nd.
3.Joining the EU.
4.Joining NATO.
5.Polish energy to transform their country with all the benefits my previous posts gave them.

You forgot Americanization of Poland.

You can easily live in Poland without speaking Polish. Just avoid random people over 30. Tourist-type places are all English.

I love it.

Also shopping malls - just like the ones here...KC, BK, McD...raj na ziemi if you have a death wish ...

You can order coffee without sugar and a salad

What the f*ck...

Aren't you a son of some big Polish patriot? I'm not Polish and I knew immediately what 966 meant. I'm pretty sure Velund knows too.

You seem to be about as Polish as Johnny Reb.


Let's look at your points, critically.

1) Solidarnost' - an expression of Poland's innate democratic instincts. Did this appear suddenly in the 1980s, or was it something that had defined Poland over a much longer period of time?

2) Pope John Paul II - Poland is defined by its almost "extreme" Catholicism. While tremendously popular in Poland, and a point of national pride, John Paul II likely had little to do with making Poland such a religious society. This probably took root much earlier, and for other reasons.

3) Joining the EU - Poland joined the EU in 2004. Half the Poles on this forum are Eurosceptics, like Ironside or Korvinus. Joining the EU led to a huge improvement in incomes and infrastructure, but it hasn't changed who Poles are. In the same way that Spaniards are still Spaniards, and Italians are still Italians.

4) Joining NATO - this one just leaves me scratching my head. In what way has joining NATO shaped what Poland is today? Are you under NATO occupation?

5) Polish energy to transform - what?


Thanks Rich, like I have nothing better to do... Wait - I don't, haha!

I think Rich's answer was good, and actually a bit surprising to hear coming from him. He usually talks about Poland in disparaging terms, and how happy he was to leave it. So it was unexpected to see him provide a no-nonsense response, grounded in Polish historical fact, without any insults peppered in.

So, why does everything since 966 matter?

At least because in 966 the Pole Mieszko accepted Christianity from the priests in Rome. In 988 the Russian Vladimir accepted Christianity from the Greeks, coming from Constantinople. To this day Poland is Catholic, and Russia is Orthodox.

Not so fast, Boby, 50% Polish is greater than 100% let's say CMS, in my view entanglement in the details is not needed, let's declare you 100% Polish and get done with nitpicking :::)))

Please... Appreciated, but not necessary :)

I think maybe I am unfair towards characters like Lyzko and Milo.

Russians know what 966 means, because the separation of Czechs, Poles, and Russians is an important part of the mythology of Slavs. Lech, Czech, Rus - and all that stuff. Also, any Russian that gets curious about how Christianity came to Russia, will probably next try to understand how it happened for the Poles and Czechs.

I save those for better occasions. This thread was not that occasion.

After all, Poland is where I was born and got everything I needed to one day land in NYC and start my American dream.

Socialism and communism had a significant impact on Poland, and even today, many older people nostalgically refer to the "good old times" of the socialist era, contrasting it with today. It's true that back then, people were more connected to one another and less focused on accumulating wealth-like buying a third car. But those times are gone, and they're not coming back.

I liked it until I got my first paycheck after graduation from WUT.

When it was all gone by the 10th, I didn't.

The message that came with it: GTO. So I promptly did just that.

From the first day in America, I was in love with the blood-sucking greedy capitalists. Thanks, guys...

Did you know English when you moved to the US? How did you get a high-paying job if you didn't know English?

My English is a mystery to me. I didn't study English but was able to translate a book from English to Polish back in 1966.

primo-48tuw.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/search?query=any,contains,Julius%20T%20Tou&tab=default_tab&search_scope=primo_all_scope&sortby=date&vid=48TUW_VIEW&facet=frbrgroupid,include,850951326&lang=en_US&mode=basic&offset=0

I guess if you love skating you learn how to skate quickly and effortlessly.

Before I landed in NY in 1967, I spent 9 months in the Netherlands and spoke only English - well enough to immediately go to the US Consulate and apply to immigrate.

Ok that makes sense and shows you were very talented; otherwise, you'd not succeed in the US as an immigrant back then. Still, I mostly meant the social life back then in Poland. Of course, from an economic point of view it was a poor quality of life, but people experienced life in a different, better way. We were poor but happy, healthy, and had big dreams. Today, it's quite the opposite.

That is a very interesting comment. I would like to come back to it later...

I have never said I was the son of a big Polish patriot.The year 966 meant nothing to me, 960 was far more important.


It was an expression of Poland's innate democratic instincts that had been repressed by Russians for decades.


As usual, you are missing the point completely.After years of Russian oppression he was an obvious guiding light for Poles,to bring themselves out of their misery.


Of course they are!You obviously do not understand Poles! Whilst Poland is benefiting from the EU they will continue to be happy members, but when they have to start paying to support poorer members a Polexit campaign will start.


Keep scratching my poor Russian friend,this means Poland is safe.


Their economy dumbo......... there, I have addressed all your stupid points.

Now you can start crying about Russia being humiliated in Ukraine and watch their economy tank!

Russia is epitome of political oppression with its 5 parties in Duma. It causes confusion and headaches - all these unnecessary choices...

In the US, a true democracy, with the low-IQ voters in mind, we simplified this thing to just two parties.

Bravely, they made sure that no subversive third party had any chance to lie to the voters. The existing parties can do it very well, thank you very much...

Cynics - rot in hell - call them Demoplicans and see them as one. Unity first.

No one would notice if they didn't exist.

I agree.

You are no one.

Are you The One?

This is why Poland is the country it is today;

More things that made Poland the country it is today.

I am sure that most of you have seen the video this guy is reviewing, and if you haven't, you need to watch it soon.
Very interesting to see a young German seeing Polish history and being reduced to tears,mainly because of how Germans treated Poles.

I loved that video. I learned things I didn't know or forgot so I appreciate it.

Now why did Poland survived and why is it the envy of Western bootlickers ...To me it's actually very simple. Not easy...just simple:

While inviting Jews was a terrible mistake, Poles were never multicultural in the classical woke meaning of the word.

If they were, they would never coalesce into the nearly homogenous state Poland is today.

Today, their policy is: No migrants. No Muslims.

One day, they will regret accepting Ukrainians - with the buyer's remorse clearly visible already - unless their numbers will start going down soon. For this reason, Poland should try to end the war rather than prolong it.

Thanks for the video.


The surest way to prevent tears later is by not trusting anyone now.

That's exactly what it's doing. Unfortunately, "Ukraine can stick yesterday's truce proposals deep up its"... that was the official russian response. Trump also got angry at the russians.

When the Americans get angry at the Russians, the Russians must be doing something good for Russia - unless you have a better explanation...

The same applies to Euros and Trump...When you get angry at Trump, we know we made the right choice.

Thanks for the confirmation.

You do remember where that fake concern about the US should be placed. Right?

He and Vance are permanently angry. Fortunately nobody cares.


Medvedev is funny sometimes however he forgot one key thing. These aren't "proposals"; they are an ultimatum.

Let me see...You interviewed the heads of 200 countries and all of them said "We don't care".

Or "nobody" means you...That would be an extreme case of narcissism...


Do this or we will not play with you is not an ultimatum.

Surreneder or die is an ultimatum.

Learn English or you will make a fool of yourself is not an ultimatum. It's a heart-felt piece of good advice...

Yes, that's it.

Ukraine will NEVER surrender..... they are proper Slavs.