Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]

@kaprys,

Sadly, I'm certain you must be right in various industries. However, working in any country without at least knowing the basics of the national language would have to be agonizingly self defeating, sitting alongside one's colleagues at an office or factory and not really catching what they mean!

But hey, whatever floats yer boat:-)

History / Roman Dmowski-Patriot, Nationalist, Anti-Semite? [252]

Likewise, Ironside! Is that how you answer a debate topic by responding "Take a hike!"? Pretty sophomoric, I must say.

You clearly missed my point that the article by a well-known Polish historian, I take it, presented a very clear overview of the man and his career, yet offered no opinion concerning some of Dmowski's clear anti-Jewish bias, that's all.

Why such umbrage?

History / Roman Dmowski-Patriot, Nationalist, Anti-Semite? [252]

@Bieganski,

I'm not "guilty" of much of anything, other than expressing my concern, at least my observation, that the article which I read was strangely uncritical of Dmowski.

Don't know where on G_d's Green Earth you get that I'm somehow linking Dmowski with "Polish Concentration Camps" or post-War anti-Jewish hostility et al. but I think you ought to be examined, personally:-)

History / Roman Dmowski-Patriot, Nationalist, Anti-Semite? [252]

Merged:

Roman Dmowski being re-examined

In the light of the emergence of a new-found nationalism throughout Europe, on the heels of slow burning disillusionment with misguided liberal policies, the early 20th century Polish politician and nationalist theorist, Roman Dmowski, is now being looked at in a new, if alarmingly, positive light.

A recent article in our local Polish journal "Nowy Dziennik", seemed to omit mention of his once infamous "Kwestia Zydowska" (The Jewish Question) and treated his clear anti-Semitism along with pro-Polophilism and the need for a strong Catholic Poland, with a somewhat objective, dispassionate resignation.

Any comments from the group?

Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]

Always better to learn the language of the country if you want any sort of respectable (paid) employment.

News / Israel opposing potential new Polish law to criminalise term 'Polish death camps' [1539]

In fact, they were GERMAN death camps which happened to be located on present-day Polish soil, at that time occupied by the German Reich.

History / Poles and (Polish) Jews... Victims of war... and beyond [380]

Trust Mr. Trump won't forget to mention Jewish victims as well, rather than being so conveniently general:-)

History / POLISH AND RUSSIAN FRIENDSHIP WILL LAST FOREVER [513]

@ktos, you're correct! The topic is about politics, not beverages:-)
lol

History / POLISH AND RUSSIAN FRIENDSHIP WILL LAST FOREVER [513]

@kaprys,

You make a good point! Indeed, the young woman in question doubtless had never met any Jews prior, Polish born or otherwise, therefore, was more than slightly flustered by my question, NOT by my English, as hers was frankly just about perfect, if I do say so myself!

@Bieganski,

I take it you're just be sarky as usualisLOL

@ktos,

Jews were seen as a threat, this is true! Having been excluded from gentile society on the whole, it was both human as well as completely natural, that they too would seek their "place" with that society, having to fight the majority culture pushing them back every step of the way.....unless of course, it was felt that certain "Jewish skills" were needed.

Guess though, as an American, if people are born in a country (despite the national origin of their immediate ancestors), go to primary school up through university there, are raised SOLELY in the national language, even if they might know the language of their parents, adopt the mores and are even allowed to serve in the military, are basically indistinguishable from the rest of the majority, duhhh now, I guess that makes them European nationals. Seems a no brainer, don;t you think?

Suppose other nationalities see things differently.

History / POLISH AND RUSSIAN FRIENDSHIP WILL LAST FOREVER [513]

Until rather recently, I believe that Jews during the days of the Soviet Union had no Russian nationality so to speak, but instead, were treated to a nice big "Z" atop their travel documents such as their passport, in order to identify them as "Jewish" (Zyd), and not "Russian".

Such is not uncommon in any number of European countries!. Approx. ten years ago when I was teaching English to a group of Polish university students in New York at a language school near the UN, the subject of integrating foreigners came up as a discussion topic. One woman from the Catholic University of Lublin where she was studying business management replied to my question concerning the minority status of Jews identified as such in Poland as follows.

When I asked whether she knew of any Polish-Jewish students attending the university, she paused and responded thoughtfully enough that they probably would only be in the section for foreigners, rather than Poles.

Plus ca change, n'est pas?

History / POLISH AND RUSSIAN FRIENDSHIP WILL LAST FOREVER [513]

@jon, politics makes strange bedfellows. Yesterday's sworn "enemy" is today's best "friend"LOL

@ktos, The Chinese have an even older civilization than the Egyptians, much less the ancient Slavs:-)

Genealogy / Mongolian the Golden Horde - do Poles have Mongolian ancestry? [256]

I've always maintained the Poles, more than the Czechs or certainly the Southern Slavs, have a distinctly Asiatic cast to their faces. Just look at a majority in profile and it's as plain as day. The high cheekbones and tightly-drawn skin, plus the often course hair, all bear clear Asian similarity. They're to be sure a mixture of the Germanic (as stated many times before), the Slavic, the Baltic and, of course, that of their more Eastern cousins:-)

Polonia / How do Poles feel about Romanians and Bulgarians? [27]

Bulgaria, much as Albania (I believe), did in fact allow Jews safe haven during WWII, whereas the majority of countries, including those occupied, didn't. Sweden remained "neutral", as did Switzerland (HA!!!). Finland and Norway (despite the "Heroes of Telemark") sided with the German enemy, even if not for the same reasons:-)

Addendum. Technically, Bulgaria WAS on the Axis side, however, unlike supposedly neutral neighbors, Bulgaria didn't automatically hand over her Jews. In that sense, she didn't follow Berlin's orders.

Polonia / How do Poles feel about Romanians and Bulgarians? [27]

Bulgarians and Romanians belong to two totally separate ethnicities, therefore the only thing they share is a common history of Communism, but little else.
During the Second World War, Bulgaria was on the Allies' side, whereas Romania (like Hungary along with several others) was on the Axis side.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

@Tacitus, please confirm you received my reply. I'm not able to access your mailbox.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

I repeat, who pray are the Hamburgericans? Do you mean perhaps butt-kissing Germans who tow the party line of the West, chiefly the States??!
If yes, then say so plainly:-)

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

Used to be during the Sputnik Era, Russian (more then German, even more than English) was the glue which held communication between most Slavs together. Much later during the '90's after the fall of the Wall, English of course took over (German though overtaking in certain sectors among the Poles).

Today, I personally know any number of youngish Poles terribly curious about Czech Republic as well as the Czech language. Vice-versa though, I really couldn't say.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

Poles and Czechs are nonetheless Slavs, much as the Portuguese and the French are technically Latins and therefore will share certain common tendencies (linguistically, for instance), even though they might indeed have little to do with one another on a practical daily basis:-)

As far as the rest of what I've posted, I consider my remarks both appropriate as well as historically accurate.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

@kaprys,

You choose only the most extreme examples to prove your premise. Why not simply come out and admit that many Poles during the War agreed with Hitler that the Jews were less than worthy of saving, if only for different reasons.

Study the history of anti-Semitism some time and learn how the Church taught the heresy for centuries that the Jews killed Christ.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

Like way too many Polish gentiles, Jews such as your Rumkowsky examples, and the kapos you mention were also forced into committing heinous acts to save their own skin. The difference of course between the latter and the actual Nazis or their collaborators is that no Jew purposely or voluntarily sought to exterminate their own people.

Come on there, kaprys, let's quit rationalizing, shall we.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

And Poland was just a bunch of little angels, huh? There WAS a Czech resistance as well, you know!! Not all of Czechoslovakia was composed of Dr. Hachas and their ilk.

How about Masaryk and Benes.
:-)

News / North Koreans working in Poland and in Denmark [36]

With Trump in power, they will undoubtedly only become more numerous!

News / North Koreans working in Poland and in Denmark [36]

Makes sense, jon. Spot on, sir!

Language / Spelling "aunt" in Polish [142]

Informative as always, DominicB! Many thanks:-)

Language / Spelling "aunt" in Polish [142]

Wondering whether the "Huzulen" are identical to the Ruthenians.

News / North Koreans working in Poland and in Denmark [36]

@jon, I hate to contradict you, but I read recently in "The Journal of International Affairs" published by Princeton, I believe, that of all the nations in the developed world, North Korea has practically the lowest functional ability in English.

Can you imagine a conversation between a simple North Korean day laborer and their Polish supervisor??
Although somehow it seems to work, this is nonetheless the stuff of high comedy!

Off-Topic / American Jew Voice in Poland [93]

Be careful with nomenclature, Wielki! "White" refers more to the perceived skin color than it does to the racial ethnicity. For example, Hispanics, Berbers and Hindus among various other nationalities belong technically to the Caucausian race, although they are usually a good deal darker than Germans, Swedes or Brits, although the latter are all under the umbrella of "Caucasian", even if not superficially "white".

:-)

Off-Topic / American Jew Voice in Poland [93]

One can be Polish and "ethnically" Slavic or Jewish and ethnically "Semitic":-) The Semites, Slavs, Teutons, and Mongoloids, for instance all are their own ethnic group belonging to separate races, among whom the Semites, Slavs and Teutons are "Caucasian" vs. "Asiatic" (Mongoloids) or "Negroid" (native Ghanans, along with a host of other "black" Africans).

Make sense now?

Off-Topic / American Jew Voice in Poland [93]

WielkiPolak, I consider myself a Caucasian American of the Jewish faith, as you are a Pole of the Catholic faith. Some people are Jews in Poland, others Catholic, still others atheists etc. The main thing is that any Pole despite their religion is still considered Polish.

Some people think that there's a Jewish race. This is xenophobic nonsense and must be set to rights. Do you, WielkiPolak, consider yourself of the Polish "race"??? Of course, not. You're a Pole because you were born in Poland, although an ex-pat, speak the language, and were raised in Poland. Your parents might be Ghanian, like John Godson, yet you still consider yourself Polish, no?