History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

The City of Kings

The first capital of Poland, Gniezno, stands proudly among forests and hills of Greater Poland Lake District. In the upper photo you see the view from the marketplace towards the Royal Gniezno Cathedral (full name: The Primatial Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Shrine of St. Adalbert). If you ever find yourself in this ancient eagle's nest then, apart from the Cathedral, make sure to visit the Polish Origins Museum (Muzeum Początków Państwa Polskiego), the Royal Route (Trakt Królewski) and - last but not least - Dobry Browar (The Good Brewery). :)

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Unfortunately, there is legal continuity between PRL and the Holiest Republic, just as there is one between USSR and Russia, Third Reich and Bundesrepublik etc. etc. Hence, the use of "we" is justified, even if it weren't literally "we".

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

An embarassing mistake: 1968



In August 1968 Poland made an embarassing mistake. We were supposed to send Red Guitars band on tour to Czechoslovakia, but someone made a mistake and we sent Red Berets instead. Some Czechs still haven't forgiven us this little misunderstanding.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

It's half a century already!: 1974

In July this year it will have been 50 years since Grzegorz Lato became FIFA World Cup top goalscorer. Lato, who will be 74 in April, was a beast of a forward - fast, strong and aggressive, he could take on several opponents and dribble through them as if he were a senior player teasing U-15s. He might not have had Robert Lewandowski's killer instinct in front of the goal but he had the grit, he had the pace, and he had a much stronger team behind him to facilitate his success. He remains until today the only Polish player to win the top goalscorer World Cup crown.

News / Reactions in Poland to Alexei Navalny's death [128]


I knew what to expect from Tusk but it is Kosiniak-Kamysz and PSL in general that dissappoint me. They were supposed to be neither PiS nor PO - the voice of reason and common sense. Alas, they seem way too passive and complacent. And why on Earth is Kosiniak-Kamysz the defence minister? The guy knows nothing about the job.

Strange times...

News / Reactions in Poland to Alexei Navalny's death [128]



There's no problem. Nothing changed.

My point is that such high rank politicians as Tusk and Hołownia should refrain from making strong, condemning, emotional statements like they did, when they - in fact - had no certain information about the cause of Nawalny's death. It's a question of state-level credibility. Prime ministers and parliament speakers should attempt to keep at least tiny shards of credibility.

News / Reactions in Poland to Alexei Navalny's death [128]

Chief of Ukraine's military intelligence, Kyryło Budanow, says that according to his best information Alexei Navalny did indeed die of natural causes.

wiadomosci.onet.pl/swiat/ukrainski-wywiad-o-przyczynach-smierci-aleksieja-nawalnego-musze-cie-rozczarowac/tgmgw0j?utm_source=livebar&utm_campaign=newsy_sg

I wonder how Tusk and Hołownia (among others) feel at the moment after their emotional, girlie outbursts. I mean, Hołownia with his crying over constitution etc. has always been a bit of a half-wit, but Tusk should have known better.

News / Britain - problem for Poland and Poles? [121]


Nothing is ever unconditional, especially in politics.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

See how successful a country Poland is? Even idiots can afford John Deere tractors. ;)


Perhaps, but they are neomarxists culturally; besides, "marxist" is an excellent general insult and I use it as such.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Well, I should have written neo-Marxists.


... and surprisingly many people are talking openly about it these days.


You're right. Calling them geniuses was going too far. :)

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Farmers' Rage: 2024

"Down with the EU's climate policy", "Let EU maniacs eat worms themselves" - says the banner on this farmer's tractor. Farmers' protests, caused by the EU attempts at cooking the frog a bit too fast, continue all over Poland. EU geniuses decided to destroy European farming and at the same time import food from huge, owned by international concerns, farms in South America and Ukraine (where EU farming laws don't apply and the European norms for pesticide use are very often exceeded twentyfold (!)). Polish farming can feed 120 million people and it's a strategic resource of primary importance for Poland.

It's a bit ironic that the group that benefited the most from Poland's EU membership is at the moment the most euroskeptical (to put it very mildly). If only the Marxists ruling the EU could possibly go a bit easier on their leftard agenda, all this could have been avoided. Alas, leftards will leftard.

Perhaps the Brits knew what they were doing when they left the Union?

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Yes, not all familoki are multi storey blocks of flats...

... but, as you said, they are made of red brick, so will last for centuries (and already did!) if properly taken care of.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Supplement to the above

Alas, not all the familoki are as charming as those in Nikiszowiec. Some of them, like the ones in Ruda Śląska below, are very often in deplorable condition and are being demolished all over Silesia...

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Industrial tenements: late XIX century - today

When the Industrial Revolution reached Silesia many tenements were built to house working-class families, many of whom were moving to cities to work manufacturing jobs. They were called familoki (from German Familien-Block) and many of them are still inhabited today even in places where there are no longer factories, coal mines or steelworks. In the photos here you can see the famous redbrick familoki of Nikiszowiec in Katowice.

Bird's eye view on Nikiszowiec in the evening...

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

I'm a Skat-man: 2023

The photo above was taken during last year's individual skat Polish Cup in Katowice. Skat is a card game that originated in Germany but gained a lot of popularity in Poland, especially in Upper Silesia (it is sometimes called "Silesian bridge") and Kashubia. The game is complicated and fascinating from mathematical point of view; it develops strategic thinking and, according to Krzysztof Kołodziejczyk - the president of Polish Skat Association, it helps junior players achieve much better results in mathematics at school.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Your reading comprehension is absolutely abysmal. Ask Russians here if they think I'm an arse licker ha ha :)

News / How will Poland be affected by WW3 which has now started [559]


Exactly. People are so easily outraged these days. :)

News / How will Poland be affected by WW3 which has now started [559]

Meanwhile, Duda causes outrage in Ukraine...

wydarzenia.interia.pl/raport-ukraina-rosja/news-andrzej-duda-mowil-o-okupowanym-krymie-reaguje-ukrainski-amb,nId,7309846

... use your favourite online translator. :)

Off-Topic / Pop A Cork - Wine [440]


Yeah, yeah. Maybe (just maybe) when one day you finally decide to grow some balls, Alien, you will be ready for the ultimate pleasure - Chateau de Potato...


OK, that does it. You are now officially homosexual.

Work / Are Poles workaholics? [164]


Like all of us here. The question is: why do we do it? If I ever find out, I'll let you know.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


:)

If you say so, Alien. If you say so.

Sssshh...

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Polish-Persian brotherhood: 1942

Polish-Iranian friendship started much earlier than... polishforums.com/history/pol-shorpy-photo-88175/15/#msg1951117.
For thousands of Polish refugees from USSR during WW2, Iran became a home away from home.

Writer Ryszard Antolak noted, "The deepest imprint of the Polish sojourn in Iran can be found in the memoirs and narratives of those who lived through it. The debt and gratitude felt by the exiles towards their host country echoes warmly throughout all literature. The kindness and sympathy of the ordinary Iranian population towards the Poles is everywhere spoken of".

Iranians truly set an example of hospitality which has not been forgotten in Poland until this very day.

News / How will Poland be affected by WW3 which has now started [559]


Sure. Finns are tough bastards and maybe Swedes are still not 100% pussified, who knows. Good idea.


That's true. Why there hasn't been a full mobilisation in Ukraine yet is beyond me. This whole war is strange as f*ck.

News / How will Poland be affected by WW3 which has now started [559]


The green fascism, at first glance, is just blunt doctrinarism, especially when the rest of the world outside the EU doesn't give a flying f*ck about CO2 emission limits, but with the coming war, when we need industry and economy in general at full revs, it's pure idiotism.


Sorry, Iron. I'm not very much into useless, exotic languages. I knew a little bit from school but luckily I already forgot. Especially after spending some time on Passion-histoire forum long time ago (that's when I decided to forget French completely).


Well, I'm not an optimist - remember how all the countries in Europe did everything to divert Hitler's first strike from themselves and direct it at somebody else? All the countries except Poland. Bring it on b*tches and "two weeks in Berlin" was the general attitude. Not to mention "nie oddamy ani guzika". When Ukraine falls, the Baltics won't last a week (even with their cute new Maginot line *rolls eyes*) and guess which is Putin's next most obvious target. I'll give you a hint: it starts with "Pol" and ends with "ska". That's why it's vital for Ukraine to survive, but in the US there's internal bickering and the EU has just decided to aid Ukraine with 0.08% of European GDP over the next four years. Brilliant, kurwa, brilliant.

News / How will Poland be affected by WW3 which has now started [559]


No problem.

What sauce would you like with it, wariacie?

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Three brothers: so long ago that even Novi wasn't born yet

Long time ago three brothers - Lech, Czech and Rus - set out on a perilous quest. Yes, yes... we all know the story, but did you know that in the original version of the legend there were not three but two brothers? In the first version, written by Jan Długosz, there were two brothers - Lech and Czech - and Rus appears much later in the story as the son of Lech. That would, of course, confirm Crow's theory of Poland being the Great Mother of All Slavia. :)

News / How will Poland be affected by WW3 which has now started [559]


... also, Russia - in their current war-time production mode - can manufacture 2 million artillery shells a year. The EU promised Ukraine 1 million shells; however, it is now apparent that they will get no more than 600 thousand, with a bit of luck. Also, after much debate, the EU gives Ukraine 0.08% of their GDP in aid over four years.

Again: what conclusions should Ukraine, and then Poland, draw? What actions should Ukraine, and then Poland, take?

I would be interested to know your opinion, guys. What should Ukraine and Poland do, now that the US is likely to withdraw from Europe and the EU wants Ukraine to lose (but is trying to keep up some minimal appearances with some peanuts money). Please, tell me.

News / How will Poland be affected by WW3 which has now started [559]

Guys... don't you see what's happening?

The EU has just decided to give Ukraine 50 billion euro... in four years. Of course, to do this Orban had to be bribed but that's a detail. Anyways, 50 billion euro in 4 years is about 0.08% of the combined EU GDP. Yes, it's not a typo, 0.08%. 15 times more was spent on coronavirus recovery fund. :D One day of war, by the way, costs Ukraine about $100 million.

So, there are two possibilities:

a) the EU are complete and utter retards for whom their safety and pushing Russia further away from their borders is worth 0.08% of their budget;

b) the EU wants Ukraine to lose the war but has to keep up minimal appearances.

I think we can safely say that the EU are not retards (well, not technically anyway). We are left then with b).

When Ukraine falls, it will be the Baltics' and Poland's turn. We can expect the EU to be similarly generous then. What are the conclusions, therefore, that Poland should draw?

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

OK, OK... Saxon Gardens. Geez...

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


Sh*t me it goes around. Gówno mnie to obchodzi.

It's "ogród" not "ogrody". So there.