UK, Ireland / Getting a UK state pension in Poland [37]


That's the most generous pension scheme I've ever heard of.

Polish ZUS, contrary to what most people think, actually offers a rather decent pension scheme; for example, last year the obligatory valorisation of the main account was 14% (subaccount 9%) - good luck getting that in a private scheme (most of them don't have inflation indexed valorisation at all). Of course, counting on ZUS only is rather unreasonable but if you supplement it with PPK (basic + voluntary contribution) and IKE (tax free at payout) or IKZE (max. 20k tax free contribution a year), you should be quite all right.

Some people don't like PPK because PiS introduced it, but it's a very good scheme (your employer doubles your basic contribution and the state add a bonus as well).

I'd say ZUS+PPK is the minimum of what everybody should contribute to, if you add IKE/IKZE you should be fine in retirement, and if you can afford it invest in index funds or get a safe insurance investment fund (many to choose from) on top of it. The time will fly by, so nobody should procrastinate when it comes to retirement investments.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


My maternal grandparents spoke perfect French, just like my wife's grandparents who came back to independent Poland from France. Generally, among educated people, it was a bit like English today. My granma taught me prayers in both French and Latin in mid 1980s! Cultural changes used to happen at a much slower pace in the past.


Depends how you look at it. He could hardly have predicted the WW2, PRL and all that, but still - Morskie Oko would definitely be outside Polish borders if it wasn't for Zamoyski and that's his lasting heritage. Nobody will remember current politicians in 50 years time, but people will still mention Zamoyski's name with respect in a 100 years and more.

The thread continues here: https://polishforums.com/history/poland-historic-photos-context-88662/

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Blue Blood, White-and-Red Heart: 1923

With his money and connections Count Władysław Zamoyski could have been the king of life, wallowing in luxuries and fulfilling all his desires. He had, however, only one love: Poland. His father was a November insurgent who was forced to emigrate to Paris; there he became the right hand of Adam Czartoryski and one of the most important members of "Hotel Lambert". He raised his son with an iron hand and military drill and his wife, Jadwiga z Działyńskich, instilled in him zealous patriotism.

Being an heir of one of the richest Polish noble families, after inheriting a thriving estate of Kórnik (on top of the estates of Głuchów, Janusz, Babin and Bargów in the Grand Duchy of Poznań), Zamoyski came back to Poland and started working for the noble cause of Polish independence. He is probably best known for acquiring estates on the Polish side of the Tatra Mountains and in Zakopane (including Morskie Oko, over which he won a boundary dispute with Hungary at the International Tribunal in Graz) and gifting them to the newly reborn Poland.

He was a great philantropist all his life. He never married and left all his properties to the Polish nation in his will.

News / Flood in Lower Silesia in Poland - looks catastrophic [94]

Perhaps not everything in this photo is exactly according to BHP (Health & Safety) rules, but drastic circumstances sometimes justify a bit of carelessness...

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]


It is indeed! What an eye!

Ladies and gentlemen, we have an expert on all things Poznań here.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Польско-русская дружба: forever

To gratuitously stir some sh*t on this lovely Wednesday evening - a couple of photos on the theme of eternal Polish-Russian friendship. :)

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]


Darn it... this forum is a fekin geriatric ward. I'm surprised there isn't a "Your favourite flatulence medicine" thread here yet... or is there?

*goes searching the archives*

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]


I don't believe that anyone under 80 can genuinely hate either Russians or Germans.

I don't hate Ukrainians or have exceeding love for them either. I am simply not willing to bend over for them, and have no illusions about their national character, as I explained above.

Also, unless they convince me otherwise, I will consider them worse than Hutu, for the reasons I also already explained.

Simple as that.

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]


I know about Operacja polska in which Soviet citizens (of Polish roots) were murdered...

pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operacja_polska_NKWD_(1937%E2%80%931938)

... there were as many victims as in Volhyn, but the bestiality was nowhere near what OUN-UPA and ordinary Ukrainian neighbours displayed.


Not really.


Who says I bear no grudge against Swedes? Don't be ridiculous! The bastards never paid for potop, and their looting was on a galactic scale (Soviets and Germans seem like honest Swiss government clerks in comparison). Material-wise potop was a greater disaster for Poland than WW2. The c*nts don't want to return any treasure that they stole and have the audacity to claim that thanks to their robbery in the 17th century it all avoided being destroyed in WW2. The cheek! F*CK SWEDES!

News / Flood in Lower Silesia in Poland - looks catastrophic [94]

Volunteer Firemen (OSP) and military engineering units (Wojska Inżynieryjne) doing their part:

This dog is now safe...

... and this woman too...

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]


Hey, Maf started "yaying" first, not me.


At least Russians don't deny them, and they apologised for Katyn. Ukrainians don't even let us bury our dead! See the difference?


That they never tried to commit total genocide of Poles (like Germans) or ethnic cleansing by genocide from the territories they considered theirs (like Ukrainians).

About Ukraine we can conclude that they have proven - throughout the ages - to be envious, small-minded, treacherous and exceedingly cruel nation.


What reconciliation can we talk about if those barbarians refuse to even allow us to give our victims of genocide proper burial? Even African Hutu didn't oppose the burial of Tutsi that they slaughtered. Where does that put Ukraine? Reconciliation?

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]


Hey, it is you who started "yaying".


If one can't draw conclusions from the past, then there isn't much hope for his future.

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]


Yay Volhyn? Yay Waffen-SS Galizien?

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]


Stop biting me with your tiny teeth, British poodle. Find someone on your level to discuss things (I suggest exploring astronomy with Tlum).


If you're a slow learner, then even 80 may not be enough.


Sometimes I can't believe what I hear on this board. :)

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]


Befriending was easy. Bobko is an educated and well mannered Polonophile gentleman who doesn't love Ukrainians very much; I am an educated and well mannered Russophile peasant (but with noble roots!) whose love for Ukraine is also somewhat limited. We easily found a platform of understanding.

Role model? Don't be ridiculous. I am 45. When a man is over 40, he saw pretty much everything, experienced pretty much everything, and knows all there is to know about life. This also implies that he has no role models. I used to look up to the Popes but ever since Comrade Bergoglio took over that ended too. These days there are only four persons I consider being above me in rank: God the Father, Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ Our Lord and Saint Virgin Mary. I am number 5, so to speak.

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]

@Ironside :D

Motion seconded!

Off-Topic / What was the point when Europe stopped being all-White? [66]


You are openly proclaiming racist facts. The fact that those racist facts are facts doesn't make them any less racist. You are therefore cancelled. :)

News / Future of Polish-Ukrainian relations [669]


Pawian has a rather peculiar philosophy of international relations. Basically, he proposes turning around, bending down, invitingly spreading butt-cheeks, and remaining in such position for a considerable amount of time.

He will then be surprised and scandalised when someone f*cks him.

He will, however, console himself with the fact that the perpetrators were simply not mature enough to restrain themselves from taking advantage of him.

A noble attitude but I would advise against adopting this approach.

History / 70th anniversary of 1943 Wołyń/Volhynia and Eastern Galicia Massacre - controvercies [454]


I believe so.


He did not, however, present to them the consequences of failing to meet those demands. That's why he'll achieve nothing, as all others before him.


I am a peasant at heart and by choice, so PSL remains my party. Żywią y bronią and all that.

History / 70th anniversary of 1943 Wołyń/Volhynia and Eastern Galicia Massacre - controvercies [454]


In the words of a poet...

My name is Pawian the ape,
I'm on the Brig o' Leith,
I've lost the key to my arse,
So I'm shittin' through my teeth.

As usual, I may add.


God is my witness that I never desired honours or political offices. But just once, this f*cking once, I would like to be Polish foreign minister sent to talk with Zelensky.

History / 70th anniversary of 1943 Wołyń/Volhynia and Eastern Galicia Massacre - controvercies [454]

@amiga500

Thanks, Amiga. That's pretty much what I said, in not as many words, in #408.

Language / Older Polish Exclamations/Swears [14]


Which, of course, doesn't mean "God defend you" but "God forbid that you should do it".

Language / Older Polish Exclamations/Swears [14]

"Broń boże!" means "God forbid!" not "God defend me!". Polish is tricky like that.

An old-fashioned swear for your period is, for example, "Do kroćset!" (darn it, dash it).

History / 70th anniversary of 1943 Wołyń/Volhynia and Eastern Galicia Massacre - controvercies [454]


Brilliant. Let them scream.

Then the world will start asking why they scream.
So they will say that Poland is trying to force them to do something against their will.

Then the world will ask what is it that Poland is trying to force them to do against their will.
So they will say that Poland is trying to force them to allow proper burial of civilians that they
brutally murdered in a bestial ethnic cleansing.

When the world is informed of that, it will make their position of Beacon and Shield and Christ somewhat untenable.


I think technical works on railways they will also understand.

History / 70th anniversary of 1943 Wołyń/Volhynia and Eastern Galicia Massacre - controvercies [454]


I have a better idea:

1. Send an official request for full-scale exhumations. If there is no answer or if there's a refusal within two weeks, then lower the level of diplomatic relations.

2. Issue a second, more strongly worded, request. If there's another refusal, start long and thorough technical works on the Rzeszów-Lwów railway connection.

3. Issue a third, and final, request. If they refuse again, sever the diplomatic relations altogether stating that Poland has no interest of maintaining relations with European Hutu (although, as far as I know, Hutu do not oppose the burying of Tutsi bodies and the Rwanda genocide took place half a century after Volhyn genocide, so maybe we will have to find a different comparison or just say 'barbarians')

It's as simple as 1 ... 2 ... 3. If only Poland was ruled by Polish patriots and not a bunch of Muppets.

History / 70th anniversary of 1943 Wołyń/Volhynia and Eastern Galicia Massacre - controvercies [454]

They are probably the only country in Europe in which a Waffen SS unit is officially glorified as heroes.

Ukrainians will not allow the exhumations for a very simple reason - it would reveal the full scale and extent of their bestiality. Although when I say 'bestiality' I actually insult wild beast, because animals are not capable of such cruelty.

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


BB calls you Crowie all the time! Accept it - PF loves you :)

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


Novi, Novi, Novi... asking such questions on PF and expecting an honest answer (not to mention drawing conclusions from the answer) is a bit naive; but hey - we should keep faith in humanity, shouldn't we?

Love / Polish women and fertility [41]


Poland grew from 23 to 40 million under communism. The first peak, as you rightly notice, took place in post-war years - not right after but several years later when the situation stabilised - and it was a bigger one in terms of children per woman (my grandparents' generation had more children than my parents' generation). The late 70s early 80s peak was the echo of that first peak (women born in the first peak having children of their own - fewer than their mothers but still quite a few).

Stability played a huge part. But also the fact that the society was more uniform, there weren't such disparities in wealth, and the culture didn't promote consumerism as much. When I talk to women from my mum's generation they all say the same thing: everyone had a job, you didn't have to worry about basic necessities, even if there were shortages in shops you could always organise (załatwić) everything - they felt safer (not my words but theirs).