Life / Professional feminists' of Poland meet-up [631]


I care about everything that affects the family, the core of any society. Some people care only about their own, narrow, selfish, personal interests and forget the wise words of Dr Albert Schweitzer (a Protestant pastor BTW): 'Remember, you are not alone in this world. You're brother is here too.'

Life / Professional feminists' of Poland meet-up [631]

The question is: why don't they make it more representative by including Catholics women's groups, pro-family associations, etc. and not just leftists, feminists and pro-abortionists. Otherwise, they should not call it the Polish Women's Congress but Polish Feminist Forum or something along those lines.

Life / Professional feminists' of Poland meet-up [631]


Not everyone on PF is that subtle about it. A certain small but loud-mouthed clique prefer tio ride rough-shiod over the Church, Catholicism and devout Catholics. Any semblancde of respect on their part is in extremely short supply.

Life / Professional feminists' of Poland meet-up [631]


Do you contend that these feminist groups and conferences represent the views of most ordinary Polish women rather than a small caste of academics, female politicians and professional activists? This was not a question of resepct but of establishing how representative they were.

Life / Professional feminists' of Poland meet-up [631]

No-one claims no Polish women support the Środas and Szczukas of this world. But they are not representative of most Polish women. If this is important to you, maybe some CBOS poll might indicate the kind of support they enjoy. CBOS over the years has surveyed people on most every topic imaginable.

Life / Professional feminists' of Poland meet-up [631]

Do you think really think most Polish women identify with leftists, alternativists, pro-abrotionists and anticlericals?


Some are interested only in women from escort agencies. To each his own!

Language / Polish slang phrases - most popular. [606]

Different nondescript things; all and sundry; vague, unspecified things or events.

News / Original cars manufactured in Poland [64]

Merged: Poland's Beskid car veered off

Poland's Beskid, a 3-door, 5-passneger hatchback first developed in 1981. was nearly a decade ahead of its time. Its sloping bonnet and overall lines are clearly reminiscent of things to come. But unfortunately, like many, Polish projects, it got sidetracked. Did you know that both Uncle Joe Stalin and Marshal Joe Piłsudski were both instrumental in preventing the development of an indigenous Polish motor industry? Various behind the scenes pressures and manipulations led to the downfall of the CWS, an excellently designed Polish touring car, when the authorities of pre-war Poland made a deal wtih Fiat of Italy.

Am I to understand that there was a chance to start production Beskid car in Poland?

- I think that this opportunity was, is and will be. Finally The Car Factory carries on the policy , that no matter what he has to-date production and what are the possibilities and arrangements with foreign parties , is working to have its own model for implementation under this angle also still modify the Beskid . It is difficult to say what will be the conditions in the early nineties . It is known only that every factory properly developing , sooner or later, must rely on their own designs. Beskid is the way to do it.

Genealogy / Motyl - Tracing My Polish Roots for the 1st time [28]

Try contacting: polish genealogy@rubikon .pl

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

DROZDOWSKI: Root-word drozd (thrush, a songbird); nearly all surnames ending in -owski are of toponymic origin (derived from place-names) and yours would have originated to identify an inhabitant of Drozdów or Drozdowo (Thrushville).

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

SZPALA: possibly derived from spalać (to burn), the sz being a dialectal pronuciation. That would rank it amongst verb-derived names such as Migała, Biegała, Gwizdała, etc.

Language / -ski/-ska, -scy/ski, -wicz - Polish surnames help [185]

KASIKOWICZ would be the pOlish spelling. The -wicz is a purely patronmyic (son of somebody) ending. The basic root migth have been Kazik (pet form of Kazimierz).

KOZAKIEWICZ: would mean the Cossack's son, as kozak is the Polish for Cossack.

KASIEWICZ: could have been derived from Kasia (pet form of Katarzyna/Cahterine).

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

MARCZYŃSKI: Possibly a patronymic derived from Marek (Mark) meaning 'son of mark'; Eng. equivalent: Marcusson. But snce most -ski ending names are of toponymic origin, perhaps it traces back to some locality such as Marczyce.

There were nobles amongst the Marczyńskis entitled to use the Mściszewski coat of arms.

KUCZERA: Probably from kuczer~koczer (coachman). It was a borrwing from french cocher (coachman).

I can give your surname a go even if it isn't Polish. Free of charge!

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

Only 5 people in Poland use the Ledwina (Polish spelling) surname, and all live in Lower Silesia, the Polish region closest to Bohemia

STANKIEWICZ: This could have originated as both a patronymic nickname from Stanek (endearing form of Stanisław) as well as a toponymic tag for someone from Stanki, Stankowo, Stankuny ro similar. Names such as Stankiewicz have been used by Gypsies, Jews, Germans and whoever but the name itself is Polish-Slavonic.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

ŚLIWIŃSKI: Slivinski is an Anglicized spelling. Root-word śliwa (plum tree); probably arose as a toponymic tag to identify someone from Śliwiny (Plumville) or similar.

USA, Canada / Anglo-mangling of Polish surnames in the US/Canada [22]

Lyzko
What is the proper Welsh pronunciation of Llewelyn?

Genealogy / All Future Polish Genealogy Researchers: Please Read before you start a thread [45]

Poland was divided up into three partitions or occupation zones ruled by Russia, Prussia and Austria from the late 1700s until 1918. It becmae a kibn of shortcut to speak of Russian Poland, Prussian or German Poland and Austrian or Austro-Hungarian Poland. The latter was also referred to as Galicja.

Language / Slavic languages words similarities with Polish [238]

Never say 'Ja ciebie szukam' to a czech!

USA, Canada / Anglo-mangling of Polish surnames in the US/Canada [22]

Very interesting. Of course, all countries have problems with foreign namews. In Argentina Koszucki (kaw-SHOOT-ski) comes out sounding like ko-SOO-gee. The Chinese will break up your surname into syllables, so Prudnicki might sound something like pu-ru-du-neet-si.

And in the US Army someone named Chrzęszczykiewicz often evoked: 'Hey, alphabet, get over her on the double!' John Grzycz was often called 'John needs some vowels'. A common practice has been to call Mrs Tomczykiewicz Mrs T or Mr Przybyszewski -- Mr P.

A lot depends on the surname itslef. People named Sobek, Poremba (as long as it's not spelt with the 'ę'), Talaga and Tanalski usually encounter no problems.

Language / Slavic languages words similarities with Polish [238]

Wow! That's quite a list! Incidentally, the normal word in Russian for horse is łoszad' and for dog -- sobaka.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

Bugaczawicz

KASTUCEWICZ: the -wicz ending is clearly patronymic, but the base is less easily definable. Possibly from an endearing form of the first name Konstanty such as Kostuś or Kastuś in the Belarusian drawl. Not used in today's Poland.

GRZEGORZEWSKI: a clear-cut toponymic tag for someone from Grzegorzewo (Gregoryville, Gregton, etc.).

MISAWICZ: again a patronymic, possibly from Miś (bear or short for Michał). Not used in today's Poland.

ORKLIK: eaglet or toponymic from Orlik or Orlikowo (Eagletville).

ORZAB: (???) There was once an archaic Polish word orzba (ploughing); perhaps some semi-literate scribe misliterated it. Not used in today's Poland.

Genealogy / Last name History or help please: BREJ surname [20]

NIEŻYJE: this means 'not alive', so it's difficult to imagine how this nickname-turned-surname might have arisen; unless as a toponymic tag for someone from Nieżywięc.

BREJA: Polish word for mush, mash, porridge or caudle, a borrowing from the German Brei.

USA, Canada / Poles in America: How do you pronounce your Polish surname? [128]

Correct pronunciaton is ***********. The rz has the sound of ż (like z in English azure), but after a p it takes on the sh sound.
Re nobility, yes and no. More well-born have surnames ending in -ski, -cki and -dzki than any other, but that does not automatically denote gentry status. Therre were two separate noble lines amongst the bearers of hte Kasprzycki surname, one of which belonged to the Noble Clan of Starykoń.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

BUJAK: this term was once a common nickname for the village brawler; but it could also have emerged as a toponymic tag to identify someone from such localiteis as Bujak, Bujaki or Bujaków.

KUCZAJ: possible etymology kucza (shepherd's hut); or a toponymic tag for a resident of Kucze or Kuczki.

DZIEDZIC: surname means heir or squire, but more likely than not it arose as a toponymic to identify a native of Dziedzice (several such localities in Poland).

WYRĘBEK: derived from verb wyrąbać (to clear land of timber); possibly a toponmyic tag from such localities as Wyrąb, Wyręba or Wyrębin.

TOPA: most likely derived from verb topić (to drown); could it have been applied to someone known locally as the drowner?; as a toponymic niccpossibly linekd to such loclalities as Topiło ,Topilec or Topiąca.

Life / Showing respect and appreciation by Polish people, forms of greetings in Poland. [31]

Different gestures are displayed in Poland to greet or show respect to others. These include:
--the handshake - much more frequent and common than in Anglo-Saxon culture; workmates often shake hands when they come to work each day;
--ladies first - when greeting a group of people the ladies are greeted first in order of age; ladies are also served first in restaurants; women (except for feisty, two-fisted feminists) still have their doors opened, cigarettes lit and chairs pushed in;

--hand-kissing - this was the normal way of greeting females until recently; traditionalists and the older generation still practice this gesture; trendy PM Tusk shakes women's hands, his chief opponent Kaczyński kisses their hands;

--nodding, hat tipping: when greeting someone on the street, even at a distance where hand-shaking is impossible, it is customary to tip one's hat or (if hatless) nod and say 'dzień dobry'; devout Catholic males tip their hat when passing a church;

--hat removal: when entering someone's home or church and at graveside men remove their hats in a sign of respect, whilst women do not.

NOTE: Throughout the West these and other polite practices are gradually giving way to the crude, 'cool' and casual 'slob chic', where even the concept of 'respect' is becoming increasingly rare, esepcially among the younger generations. In that respect, Poland is no exception.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

HALIK: possible topographic tag derived from hala (mountain pasture); or a toponymic for an inhabitant of Halicz (now in Ukraine) or Halickie (Podlasie).

ROSZPOND: Possibly dervied from roszponka (lamb's lettuce) or from a Polonised verison of Rospuda (a town in Podlasie).

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

SIANKOWSKI: root-word sianko, diminutive of siano (hay). Nearly all surnames ending in -owski originated as toponymic tags. This one from some loclaity called Sianków or Siankowo (rough English equivalents Hayville, Haybury, Hayton, Hayfield etc.)

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

WOLNIK: May have originated as a patronymic nick from the old first name Wolimir or as a toponymic tag for a resident of Wolne or Wolnica.