Love / Foreign Older vs Younger Relationships In Poland [20]


They can't, nor will they want to. Family ties are important here, and no mother is going to take her child / children away from their grandparents.

History / History of two Neighbors: Poland - Germany Interrelations [283]


So, it's in every Polish person's interest to oppose the AfD and what they stand for.

Genealogy / The typical Polish look, or all Eastern Europeans [656]


You have almost no-one of working age in those states full stop. I've been to Rostock on a Saturday night and I was shocked by the absence of people and nightlife.

History / History of two Neighbors: Poland - Germany Interrelations [283]

I know, I know ;)

But I like these alternate-history scenarios, and I've spent way too many hours contemplating what would have happened in 1989-1990 if the SPD were ruling in West Germany and if the Allianz didn't win in East Germany in 1990. Would an SPD-led government in East Germany be so quick to move towards unification?

History / History of two Neighbors: Poland - Germany Interrelations [283]


How else could you do it without keeping border controls?

I've read so much on the topic, and in all fairness, it's impossible to see how the DDR could have survived unless the BRD agreed to close the door in some way.

History / History of two Neighbors: Poland - Germany Interrelations [283]


Ziemowit, this is one of my favourite topics! I've done a lot of research on the unification process, and I broadly agree with you on this one.

If I could go back and run things as an absolute dictator, I would have found a way (similar to Poland) to get debt relief on the huge amounts of money that they owed, while implementing Polish-style shock therapy to dismantle the old SED structures. It would have been painful, but with West Germany pushing quickly to reform the DDR and get them into the EEC/EC/EU, it's likely we would see quick economic recovery.

The two Germanies would be free to cooperate, while Berlin would become a kind of free city - under dual BRD/DDR ownership, but with an elected city government responsible for the whole city and with their own institutions. There's a parallel with the modern day Brcko district in Bosnia-Hercegovina as to how this can work.

For me, West Germany effectively looted East Germany.

History / Cursed soldiers controvercy - not all Poles respect them [282]


As I said - I'm against extra-judicial killings. War is not an excuse for abandoning humanity.

History / Cursed soldiers controvercy - not all Poles respect them [282]


For being against extrajudicial assassinations of Polish citizens?

History / Cursed soldiers controvercy - not all Poles respect them [282]

Define a traitor. Is someone a traitor because they were working to rebuild Poland?

History / Cursed soldiers controvercy - not all Poles respect them [282]

That's my problem with them. If they had been killing Soviets in ranking positions, it's understandable, but killing Polish citizens could never be acceptable in such circumstances, even if they were turncoats.


Pawian, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Poland was never formally at war with the USSR, hence there could be no peace treaty.

As for the Polish government, the one in charge then was recognised as the Polish government by the international community. There's a reason why the III RP takes its legal continuity from the PRL and not from the II RP.

History / Cursed soldiers controvercy - not all Poles respect them [282]


We tend to frown upon extra-judicial assassinations, you know.

History / Cursed soldiers controvercy - not all Poles respect them [282]

Indeed. Even the ICTY trials made it crystal clear that following orders was no defence, so nothing has changed in international law in this respect.

Surely Ironside can't be advocating that following orders is a defence?

History / Cursed soldiers controvercy - not all Poles respect them [282]


Nuremburg established beyond all doubt that following orders is not a defence when it comes to war crimes and acts of genocide.

Genealogy / The typical Polish look, or all Eastern Europeans [656]


Same in Poland. The minister of defence is a history graduate and career bureaucrat who has never worked in any military-related capacity before.

History / History of two Neighbors: Poland - Germany Interrelations [283]

I actually think Europe is in trouble for this reason. Lukashenko is perhaps the best example - he kept paying pensions, while crushing opposition.

Law / Custody Issue and Travel Abroad of my Girlfriend from Poland [28]

May I ask - why don't you move to Poland? If you marry her, you'll have the right of legal residency in Poland.

News / Petition for War Crimes Reparations for Poland [126]

Only when you give Jewish people the cash they deserve in repatriations.

News / Polish Lithuanian Diplomatic War? At last. [533]


Hang on, aren't Tomaszewski's goons part of the government there?

Genealogy / What are common Polish character traits? [417]


Coffee all over my monitor. Thank you, Torq ;)

News / Poland and USA vs Iran and the EU [38]


A long hike, preferably.

I haven't found a single person who supports paying these organisations a thing. It appears to be one big racket - these groups get huge amounts of cash, and very little of it actually gets spent on Jewish people. I found quite a few references in the Israeli media how the money isn't finding its way to Israel, but into the pockets of the people behind it.


I just cannot understand this. When did Iran do anything but be nice to Poland?

History / Polish and German Borders-Justice for Both Countries or not? [37]

I should! I'm quite fond of exploring these small towns :)

google.com/maps/@51.0238924,15.0647153,3a,75y,336.1h,96.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1stt9h951QBnHl3o3MS--2iQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 - quite a shock visiting here after previously being in some very pretty Podlasian villages on the way to Terespol :)

(remind me to tell you about Łuków in Podlasie on a Sunday morning while starving and hungover...)

News / Poland and USA vs Iran and the EU [38]


Stuff like this just turns people against NATO. It looks like a totally one sided and unfair deal, and even from my liberal perspective, it's strange that they chose such a forum to very publicly demand property restitution. For what it's worth, I'm 100% against property restitution in all cases.


I don't understand it as well. Iran never did a thing to Poland, and all this does is make Poland into a new target. If it had been a genuine conference, I could understand it, but it appears to have been nothing other than America turning up and making demands.

History / Polish and German Borders-Justice for Both Countries or not? [37]


Kunowice (near the Oder) was also well known for being the site of the railway border control between Poland and Germany before Schengen.

I had an amusing experience there a few years ago. The old train station was up for sale, and I got to meet one foreign investor who was looking for a place to act as a Polish base for his German company. I was going to Frankfurt (Oder) anyway, so I offered to have a look at some properties in the borderland there - he offered to cover my petrol/motorway costs in exchange, so it was a win-win for both of us.

Anyway, I turned up at Kunowice train station quite late at night, and some security guard was there. I explained the situation and asked to have a look inside, and if he would turn on the lights so I could take some photos. He got quite angry and upset, so I asked him what the matter was. It turned out that he was working nights in the station, but that it was closed permanently and that there was no power supply. From what I understood, PKP were saving money by not heating the place and not providing power, and so he was stuck inside this cold and dark building all night.

I gave him some money in exchange for getting to look inside, and to his credit, he showed me everything there was to see about the building. He saw the funny side after a while, and he explained that he had constant trouble with vandals coming to try and break windows/etc late at night.

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

If they initiate it, of course it's fine. Just don't grab their hands and slobber all over it unless they physically present it to you for a kiss (and even then, you're supposed to air kiss, not actually make contact).

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

It's a faux pas in Poland among liberal circles these days. It's seen as a rather disgusting and forceful thing to do unless the lady offers her hand.

History / Polish and German Borders-Justice for Both Countries or not? [37]


Ziemowit, how was the border control?

(in general, please tell us more about East Germany, it's one of my huge passions in life)

News / Poland and USA vs Iran and the EU [38]


The conspiracy theorists are suggesting that the real intention is to present a bill to Poland for property restitution. In essence, an ultimatum will be given - pay the Jews and the USA will build a permanent security base here. Don't pay them, and no base.

For me, it seems rather as if it's about the USA taking advantage of Polish stupidity and historical ignorance.

Law / Getting a Polish drivers license / Poland's residence permit (how long it might take to get?) [28]

You should appeal first to the director of the department responsible for issuing driving licences. There will be something like "wydział spraw obywatelskich" - that's who you want to appeal to first and foremost. If that fails, then you should file a claim in the administrative courts.

History / Polish and German Borders-Justice for Both Countries or not? [37]


I agree, but some places are just so badly ruined that it's a painful experience to see. Have you ever been to the area around Bogatynia? It's such a wealthy area because of the mine there, yet some of the border towns are in such terrible condition close to it. My "favourite" is a place called Zawidów - it paints Poland in such an awful way, though the Czech side of the border isn't much better.


I do like Jelenia Góra, and there are so many interesting things within an hour or so of the city. The whole Karkonosze range is by far my favourite Polish mountain range too.

History / Polish and German Borders-Justice for Both Countries or not? [37]


It can be quite a sad experience, as many pre-war buildings are in a state of ruin.

Was she one of the ethnic Germans expelled after the war?