History / Polish history is 100% glorious [297]

IS, some additional glorious facts in your history:

- The Konfederacja Targowicka, where basically your aristocracy sold the country to the Russians.You have to be proud of that
- The invasion by the Polish Army of Czechslovakia on 1 October 1938, in coordination and cooperation with Nazi Germany. Occupying the Czech district of Cieszyn
- The Kielce Pogrom

History / Polish history is 100% glorious [297]


I think the cross aliens and IS do believe it is the true word of their God.
Nationalistic simpletons taking over Krakowskie these days.

P.S. I think Lech is great beer, especially when drunk cold.

History / Polish history is 100% glorious [297]

IS, you would not hot have your personal copy of 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" in your bookcase? Perhaps a shared one with Nasz Dziennik?

History / Polish history is 100% glorious [297]


Actually I read I think basically all books about Polish history published in Polish and Dutch. I am historian from education - be it Medieval History -.

What must I, or for that matter MG - dare? To serve you a few unsavoury facts of recent Polish history?

Hmmm my connection with Poland... let me see...my wife is Polish, I live in the city state of Warsaw... I came first time to Poland in 1989...

And my Flemish village was liberated by the First Polish Armoured Division in 1944.
(I have disappointing news for you on that front - there were quite a few Polish jews serving in the division as well - see the Polish Military Cemetary in Lommel, Belgium)

But I refuse to accept your Dmowski-edition of Polish history.

History / Polish history is 100% glorious [297]

So you mean your ancestors were part of this outfit? Or maybe of the Blue Police ?(oh yes another part of the recent glorious past)

History / Polish history is 100% glorious [297]

Got some ancestors who belonged to the glorious Świętokrzyskie brigade of the NSZ? You know, that another glorious part of Polish recent history. They devoted as much time killing Jews as collaborating with the Nazis and as such escaping Soviet wrath.

With the AK having issued death sentences on part of them because of their atrocious behave.

History / Polish history is 100% glorious [297]

Yes, each time the Warsaw Insurrection is remembered, they forget to omit that for example General Anders thought it was a foolish enterprise, and during the Insurrection some "patriots" found the time to murder jews which had survived the Ghetto Uprising in 1943.

Food / What's your favorite Polish coffee? [73]

I guess it also depends on your way of life...
I am drinking coffee in the morning - running from the shower to the kitchen, brewing tea for my wife who is on "mummy mode" in the morning...

So it is a typical waking-up and get-to-work brew.
In the meantime taking care of our cats who do expect that :)
So the sound of the percolator processing coffee is most welcome :)

In the weekend I prefer to read my Wyborcza at home and drink coffee equally at home, sitting near my loved one...No Nowy Swiat can beat that.

Never understood people who can invest half a mortgage in an Italian espresso machine.
As I said, way of life :)

Food / What's your favorite Polish coffee? [73]

I only drink coffee in the morning (percolator) with milk and sugar....So enlighten me... what is "ice coffee"? How do you prepare that?

And Nescafe/Jacobs atr work until midday.

I am never going to Starbucks - epitome of Americanism in this world - but I have friends here in Warsaw who are seduced by their free WiFi.

Food / What's your favorite Polish coffee? [73]

I am living here in Warsaw six years, coming to Poland since 1989....And I find Polish coffee genuinely horribly.
Or you get the German brands (half of them Unilever-owned) dumping (as it seems to me but I could be mistaken) their worst and third-choice products here (Tchibo, Jacobs) for a meagre price. Or you pay crazy over-inflated prices for Italian brands. Or Dutch DE pretending to be Italian and selling at the same idiot prices.

Every time I go home to Flanders - I stock up at my coffee for the next few months and I survive :)

By the way I tink the typical Polish way of making coffee of pouring boiling water on ground coffee in a glass might be a bit of the past. Nobody in my wife's family, nor in my social circle is doing that still. (They are using or a typical percolator or an expresso machine). But I remember that kind of coffee. It was or mind-boggling strong or just coloured water - depending on the host :)

History / Quotes of Polish or German kings, generals [41]


For me it ranks in the same league as some other decisive battles such as the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, Battle of Tours/Poitiers in 732 and the 451. All of them were lead by competent generals, all saving Western Civilization from the barbarians.

So whether he adapted Caesar's quote a bit... not so important :)

History / Quotes of Polish or German kings, generals [41]

Still a great victory though

History / Quotes of Polish or German kings, generals [41]

"Veni, Vidi, Deus Vicit" or "I came, I saw, God conquered"
by Jan Sobieski III after his hussars routed the Turks before Vienna on 12 september 1683.

History / Poles should emulate Jews? [153]


About not living in Warsaw - I agree :)
I do not know anybody at all who ever mentioned something about a "Jewish Question" in my social circle, nor at work. Perhaps I did not meet any "Nasz Dziennik" readers yet :)

For that matter, hardly anybody is mentioning the elections as well.

History / Poles should emulate Jews? [153]

Could we not talk about Summer topics.... outdoor drinking in Warsaw... where to sit in the shade and not melt these days....
But please not yet another dreary same-subject topic :(

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

Girls in my company systematically take their husbands' names.

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

I know in my native Flanders the fact that women's surnames change gramatically - "a" on the end in most cases - at times confuses people in the administration.

But what is think is very confusing is that the fact that women after marriage take their husband's surname - be it gramitacally adjusted -.

Honestly I also do no not understand this. In my country up to the 60's wifes added their husbands' surnames to theirs. But not giving up their own.

Genealogy / Does anyone have any relatives who served with 1st Polish Armoured Division (Gen. Maczek) [311]

They also liberated my mother's hometown in Belgium - Ghent - and played a big part in liberating the region where my dad comes from. (Merksplas - Rijkevorsel - Hoogstraten)

History / Lusatian-Sarmatic obsession of Poles [153]

Bismarck actually knew where to draw the line. He had no time for his own General Staff's plans for an assault on Russia. But he once was gone Germany's politcians became more belligerent. He realised the continuing existence of the Habsburg empire was essential for European peace.

He did not want the Balkan madmen to escape their cage and make havoc on European civilisation. Aided by Wilhelmine grandeur.
Yes he was also cynical but also believed in checks and balances.

Love / Ten things to remember when you have a Polish girlfriend [79]

I think this shows how you think about (Polish) women in general. Of course if you go to clubs where women go to pick up foreigners... Poor...

If I see if our social circle, people do not have time to go out. You go to work on normal working hours, get home very tired, Saturdays are spent making shopping, washing the car, evening going with friends to the movies... Sundays sleeping a bit longer, making a walk together in Lazienki... and then it is again Monday morning.

Life as it is.

Love / Ten things to remember when you have a Polish girlfriend [79]

What do you mean with decadence here ? I mean they are not anymore impressed by hard currency but want to pursue their own career?

Love / Ten things to remember when you have a Polish girlfriend [79]

My wife is a Goralka, so per definition a bit more strong/flamboyant than your average Polish girl. Her mother even more, so I am relieved 300 kms separate us :)

But between us religion never has been important. We sometimes go to church to the "English parish" on Radna (great priest) but besides of that? The local priest does not even bother to come here to beg for money (as they do everywhere in Poland). He tried once, never repeated it.

Though when we go to my wife's hometown we strictly observe all customs. I guess it is a matter of respect. We lead our own life in the big city, but once over there...why to make a fuss? It is not worth it. These few weekends we are there....Her mother feels at peace... we survive.

History / Lusatian-Sarmatic obsession of Poles [153]

It is still funny though. How a Serb tries to compare his backward Ottoman province to a country which is from a background completely European. (not counting any poultry here though). On the end he will tell that my beloved native Antwerp is full of Serb accents :)

History / Lusatian-Sarmatic obsession of Poles [153]

I bet you will tell soon that "zurek" (which I adore, especially the version made by my Goralka mother-in-law) and "pierogi" (which I do not eat) have also a Sarmatian/Lusatian/Serbian background? Except that Poland always was a part of the Western hemisphere.

I know "Mitteleuropa"s is heavy definition, but something is in that.
You Balkanists...Remember old Bismarck, he was not so stupid.

News / Polish PM Tusk- dictator or not? What Poles think? [422]

The Black Hand of Serbia shot Ferdinand (arguably the most progressive, farsighter and progressive of all Habsburgs).
I sorts of agree with Bismarck on this one. First that you should build a wall around the Balkan and let them sort our there own problems and second that all kinds of ugly wars are prone to start over there.

BTW, what a pretention to compare Serbia to Poland. Poland was always part of the Western hemisphere - whatever its shortcomings (Only have to quote old Winston who once told "Europe ends at the Bug").The Enlightenment never reached Serbia. Backward and Ottomanic in its past. Ever-violent and maffia in its present and future.

News / Polish PM Tusk- dictator or not? What Poles think? [422]

Sorry I stick to my point that Serbia is a backward and violent, mafia-dominated "country".
They managed to start the First World War, you have to be a pro to do that one.
I am not Polish, that much is true, but I wholeheartedly in local and European elections voted PO. I think in Poland they deliver the majority of the normal balanced politicians (with the exception of Palikot maybe).

News / Polish PM Tusk- dictator or not? What Poles think? [422]

As far as I know - I am only living six years in Poland - Donald Tusk is prime minister because his party - of which he is the party leader - won the biggest share of the votes in a democratic parlimentary election. His party is part of democratic coalition between two normal parties.

So where does the dictatorship comes in?

With the latest opinion polls, both PO and their presidential candidate enjoy a lot of support.

Speaking as a Belgian, Herman van Rompuy is not a powerful Eurocrat. He was a consensus candidate between all EU countries.

And I do not think we have to take lessons from Serbia, arguably the most backward, corrupt and violent country in the whole of Europe, prone to war crimes and mass killings.

USA, Canada / The proper behavior an American should show when visiting Poland [158]

Maybe like do not speak loudly, like you own the place?

Law / What are the bike laws in Poland? [30]

I am Belgian, live more as five years here and so got my Karta Pobytu replaced (it expired last year) by a flimsy piece of paper which is supposed to be your Permanent Residence Permit. And on that one most definitely the PESEL is mentioned. On the old Karta Pobytu it was not.

Back to the original thread, does anybody know if wearing reflecting (these bright yellow) jackets after dusk is compulsory? I heard a rumour about that one some time ago, but actually nobody is doing that.