History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

No brakes, no gear, no fear: 2022

There is something about speedway that reflects Polish national soul and spirit. The Speedway Ekstraliga is the top division of motorcycle speedway in Poland. It has been called the "richest and most popular speedway league in the world", and attracts riders from all over the world. The Ekstraliga has the highest average attendances for any sport in Poland.

In the photo we see one of the races of the 2022 Poland vs The Rest of the World match, won comfortably by Poland (51-38). Last year The Rest of the World managed to put up a better fight and they lost only 42:48.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

@Bobko

Westerplatte, alongside the defence of Wizna and cavalry counter-attack at Mokra, is one of the most legendary battles of September 1939...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Westerplatte

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Welcome home, Colonel: 2023

After 75 years the ashes of colonel Wincenty Sobociński came back to Poland. In the morning of 31st August 1939 Sobociński obtained information about the incoming German attack on Westerplatte but transmitting this information on the radio was not possible. He decided to go on a risky mission, and drive through the area where German troops were already preparing for the attack, to warn the garrison. Sobociński also knew that the intervention corps (27th and 13th Infantry Divisions) which was supposed to relieve the defenders was disbanded and that the 2nd Sea Riflemen Batallion, that was supposed to land in Westerplatte, won't be able to come to their aid either. He managed to talk to Westerplatte's commander, major Sucharski, at 2 pm. At 4.45 am next morning the German attack commenced. The defenders, warned by the heroic colonel, were prepared and put up a legendary defense: under the fire of artillery and Schleswig-Holstein battleship, under the bombs of Luftwaffe, facing 20-1 enemy advantage. They were supposed to last 12 hours. They held out for six days.

After Poland's defeat Sobociński fought in Polish armed forces in the West, and after the war emigrated to Argentina. His great dream was to be buried in his Fatherland. Last year this dream came true. Colonel Sobociński's ashes were laid to rest in St. Bridget's church in Gdańsk on 23rd December 2023.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Hmm... I think that, apart from exaggerating a bit about this particular building, Iron is definitely onto something here. There was a Catholic Welsh poet, David Jones, who had this theory about "the utile" and "the gratuitous". Basically, he claimed that a thing - a building for example - cannot be totally utile, made only with the thought of its functionality, but it has to contain something extra, something gratuitous, something that adds beauty to it. Only then it becomes fully human.

Check this out, Iron...

flashpointmag.com/robichaud.pdf

I definitely agree with Jones on that, but I wouldn't be so harsh on the Pixel building; it was definitely built with functionality in mind, but the wooden elements there and the trees all around it (the photo was taken in Autumn, so there are no leaves, but normally there's a lot of lovely green colour around there), as well as the rooftop terraces provide the human element and beauty. So there's both usefulness and beauty in the building. Admittedly not in a classical style but still.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


I'd rather say: interesting, creative and different. Not everything can be built in a gothic or baroque style, Iron. ;)

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Creative architecture: 2014

Those of us who remember the uniformity of socialist architecture (there were exceptions but few and far between) can really appreciate the creativity of today's architects. The building in the photo is the Pixel office building in Poznań; it has 7 floors and about 12,000 sq metres of office area. It used to host the Allegro Group before they moved, in 2022, to an even larger and more modern office complex (14 floors, 26,000 sq m) at Wierzbięcice 1B.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


:(

And he had such a cool name (and surname!), absolutely perfect for a rebel. Oh, well...


Not at all. I'm glad you like it. :)

Za mundurem panny sznurem?: 1962

Ladies love a man in uniform... or is it the other way around? The lady sitting on a bench in one of many Warsaw parks doesn't seem overly impressed (and anyway, according to Jeff Shaw, the real reason women love a man in uniform is because it means he knows how to do laundry). ;)

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Thanks, Anti. I realise this thread is a bit uneven. Sometimes I manage to find a really interesting photo, and sometimes I don't have any great idea and just find something quotidian.


Here's another interesting fact then: after Franciszek Łoś became a Russian POW, he was exiled to - now get this - Udmurtia, somewhere by the Вятка river. However, he was an Austrian subject not Russian (so he was not considered a rebel but a foreign POW), so his exile was quite short; he was released in 1832 and came back to Galicja.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


I think the year is 1919 (56 years after the Uprising started). It was the year when the insurgents received their privileges and visited Piłsudski for the first time for official state celebrations.

I'm not sure about the second photo though.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


He died in Lwów and is buried in Cmentarz Łyczakowski.

P.S. Additional information: he was decorated with Golden Cross of Virtuti Militari...

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

This man saw the Third Partition!: 1870

Well, maybe "saw" is an exaggeration but he was born in 1795. Count Franciszek S. Łoś, was a soldier of Duchy of Warsaw and an officer of Kingdom of Poland. He took part in the November Uprising (1830-31). The photo, taken 5 years before the count's death, has a watermark of the State Archive in Lublin.

His obituary from 1875 calls him a major of "former Polish army"...

... he was born in the year of 3rd partition... fought in the unsuccessful November Uprising, then saw the defeat of January Uprising, and when he died long before Poland regained independence he was called a major of former Polish army. :( The January insurgents from the previous post at least saw the Rebirth of Poland; thousands of freedom fighters from previous generations didn't have such luck. Eternal glory to the heroes.

News / Poland says no to flood of Immigrants [670]


"Countries" might not have complained - politicians are after all mostly venal wh0res. However, people in many countries definitely have complained (e.g. in Slovakia and Croatia). As for older Eurozone members...

... you can see who benefits. Politicians won't complain (their salaries are good :)) but ordinary people in most eurozone countries would be better off with their own currencies.


Oh, yes - Czech polticians are also open to be bought, I'm sure. It is ordinary Czechs that I worry about.

News / Poland says no to flood of Immigrants [670]


Who's "we"?

The ability to issue one's own currency is an important hallmark of an independent country. There are no visible benefits at the moment (only three Euro zone countries: Germany, Austria and the Netherlands benefited from the common currency) for Poland to waive this right and privilege.

News / Poland says no to flood of Immigrants [670]


Everything is possible.

If wokism, LGBTism, and mass third-world immigration will continue to be shoved down our throats, then it is quite possible that the time will come to shift alliances towards something more commonsensical, traditional and godly.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Brothers in Arms: 1919

January Uprising against the Russian Empire lasted from January 1863 until Autumn 1864; despite ending with a Polish defeat it awakened and renewed the Polish spirit, and it's remembered until this day as an act of glorious heroism. In the photo we see the veterans of the uprising: Wiktor Malewski (sitting), Antoni Suss, Mamert Wandali, Walenty Milczarski (standing, from the left).

Shortly after regaining independence, in January 1919, by the decision of Józef Piłsudski, all the veterans (by then there were 3644 of them still alive) were counted into the ranks of Wojsko Polskie, awarded a full life-time pension and promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Special uniforms were designed for them and soldiers saluted them as they would active duty officers...

... they were awarded renewed Virtuti Military and Independence Cross with Swords. The last anniversary celebrations with the participation of veterans took place in 1938 (52 were still alive but only 16 healthy enough to take part). The last insurgent, 100-year-old Feliks Bartczuk, died in 1946.

Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]


It's just a comedy series, dobri brate. I doubt if the aim of its creators was historical accuracy.

Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]


It mentioned Sarmats which is the same thing, isn't it? ;)

Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]

I watched the first episode of 1670 and I love it and hate it at the same time.

I think I'll watch the rest. :)

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


The works were still in progress during our visit, so we stayed away from the main square. They are supposed to finish soon, aren't they?

Edit: maybe they have finished already...

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Smart guy!

I wonder if it elevates you to the status of a Plastic Pole (or at least a half-Plastic one) or are you still just an American. Hmm... a complicated issue. I will have to ask the rabbi... oh, I mean the parish priest. ;)

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


I took the family to Poznań for a couple of days this summer (there was a huge cosplay convention that my daughter took part in), and we visited Cytadela too; a very interesting place, with the museum and all the military equipment. And of course the city itself is lovely - I can see why you love the place (apart from the most obvious reason ;)).

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Big fish: 2023

Fishing is a popular pastime in Poland; Polish Fishing Association has 634 thousand members within its ranks. This monster of a carp (37.76 kg, official fishing rod record of Poland) was caught by Krzysztof Lewandowski from Lędziny.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Back to Life: 1945 - now

After the war, with enormous sacrifice and cost, Poznań was raised from ruins...

... and today it remains a true gem and pride of the Republic of Poland.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Posnania - semper fidelis: 1945

Staggering 55% of Poznań was in ruins after WW2. The old market square, Raczyński's Library, old churches - the losses were ineffable. In the photo we see ruins of the famous Bazar Hotel at Al. Marcinkowskiego. Germans - who already knew they lost in 1945 - declared Poznań a "Festung" and a horrible battle raged there in January and February. Eventually, the nazis were defeated by the Russian 8th Guards Army (aided by local people who carried ammunition and helped to build moat crossings in Winiary Fort). Even then, while withdrawing, the Germans kept on destroying many buildings (including Dom Żołnierza, blown up by a SS unit).

Poznań remembers the events until today, and even after the outbreak of Russian-Ukrainian war Poznań's authorities declined to remove Polish-Russian friendship sculpture at Ratajczaka street...

Off-Topic / Serbia etc. thread 3 [315]

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Genealogy / Former Poland PM Donald Tusk - A Kashub or a German. [71]

Of course brat Anatoly could draw from the well of ancient Polish wisdom and the theory of Great Lechia...







... the research material is practically endless.

Genealogy / Former Poland PM Donald Tusk - A Kashub or a German. [71]


Brat Anatoly is wise.

After cursorily checking online information about his extensive research, I stand corrected. There were three ancient streams of Slavia: the strongest, Polish, and two children streams, Serbian and Russian, of almost equal strength. I, therefore, retract my rushed statement about Russia being a figment of imagination.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Kaiser-Wilhelm-Denkmal: 1903

This monument of Kaiser Wilhelm was unveiled in Gdańsk on 1st September 1903, in the presence of Wilhelm II (grandson of Wilhelm I). It stood in front of Brama Wyżynna (Hohes Tor) for over four decades until, in 1945, Soviet tankists decided they didn't like the guy in the pikelhaube and toppled the monument using a rope attached to their tank. The statue lay for some time in Targ Węglowy (Kohlenmarkt) until it disappeared (it was propably melted). The remains of the monument's plinth were found in 2006 in Orunia.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Meeting of friends: 2011

In 2011, during his previous term as Poland's PM, Donald Tusk met with his Serbian counterpart Mirko Cvetković to discuss all things Sarmatian and put fear into the hearts of all enemies of Slavia.

Genealogy / Former Poland PM Donald Tusk - A Kashub or a German. [71]


Duh!

I am surprised, brate, that people these days even need to be told such obvious facts. I blame venal historians in the so-called West. Luckily not every historian sold their soul for euro/dollars - there are still honest scientists like brat Mariusz Kowalski and his book...

... in which he proves clearly that Arians, who started Iranian and Hindu civilisation and became the symbol of civilisational advantage of Europe, not only came originally from Polish lands, but also in terms of genetic similarity were closest to today's Poles.


Russia - not unlike Germany - is, by and large, a figment of people's imagination. A mass ilussion one might say. People who these days call themselves Russians are of course Poles/Serbs/Original Arians. Ancient prophecies say that when Russians finally realise their Polish (Sarmat) origin, then Kolovrat will rise over the entire world, Percival's music will play in every radio station on Earth...



... and all Turks, Americans, Brits and Germanized Serbs will require horrendous amounts of washing detergents for their trousers.