History / Can anyone from Poland tell me about Auschwitz and The Ghetto? [625]

Surely then not a complete coincidence that the exodus of Jews from Poland during the latter part of the Gomulka Era (Mieczyslaw Moczar also active at the time as an anti-foreign rabble rouser!) coincided with the so-called "brain drain" from Poland to the US.

'Course, not all those expelled were necessarily of Jewish background exclusively.

History / How Poland views Europe [44]

First, you have to read, even re-read, my post in order to understand the sense of what I wrote:-)

History / Can anyone from Poland tell me about Auschwitz and The Ghetto? [625]

Aha, pawku!
At last an admission of indifference.
I agree with you on that score.

History / Can anyone from Poland tell me about Auschwitz and The Ghetto? [625]

The issue is that while Poles were clearly the victims of Nazi Germany's aggression, a number of individual Poles were admittedly complicit in anti-Semitic sentiment before, during, and following the War.

Both Jedwabne and Kielce both took place on Polish soil.
In my opinion, at least a few remarks would have been in order.

History / How Poland views Europe [44]

Oh, quit grandstanding merely for effect, Bobko!
Yes, that's precisely what I'm saying. Since when does the human animal make sense anyway?

History / Can anyone from Poland tell me about Auschwitz and The Ghetto? [625]

The fact that many on the outside, gentiles alike, I'm afraid, view Poles as basically anti-Semitic, misses the point entirely!

Anti-Semitism took root in nearly every European country, with the possible exception(s) of Greece and Albania. If we examine the reasons for this phenomenon, we find it all had to do with numbers rather than sheer ethnicity.

As there were far more Jews in Poland, for example, than in either Greece, Albania, Denmark, as random instances, it stands to reason that in the former, Jews were seen as a threat, whereas in the latter, Jews were looked upon as a kind of oddity or exotic beings, nothing more.

As Germany especially pre-WW I probably counted nearly a half-million Jewish inhabitants compared with either France, Italy, Britain or Spain, many felt thay Jews might easily take over the country.

This excuse was in fact what was given by NS big shots at Nueremberg, when questioned by counsel regarding why the severity of restrictions and

Draconian measures against the Jews.

"It was about Germany's survival as a nation.....!" was often the most common justification given for their support of Hitler.

History / Can anyone from Poland tell me about Auschwitz and The Ghetto? [625]

How odd therefore that over the past twenty years or so, when the Poles are present at the Holocaust Commemoration ceremonies under the auspices of the UN, they say nothing, leaving the commentary to the British, the Germans, and the Israelis.

Perhaps others here might find it equally strange.

History / How Poland views Europe [44]

Inferiority/Superiority complex, you mean?

Genealogy / SKI...SKY...ZKI...Polish surname endings [38]

A colleague of mine has the family name "Koszarski". Might it mean "basket maker" or the like? Think I might have alreadt posted this question on PF.

History / Can anyone from Poland tell me about Auschwitz and The Ghetto? [625]

Indeed, Milo.
Few among us would risk our lives for either our freedom or that of our fellow beings. The will to survive remains the strongest of all human instincts, including that of sacrificing ourselves for the sake of others.

Of course, I've always maintained that heroes are made by the moment rather than born. The younger we are, the more likely (forget consciously willing) to take impetuous risks. Were my wife or family were trapped inside a burning building, I'd surely like to think that I'd try to go in to save them.

Remember from "Miracle on 34th Street; faith goes where common sense tells us not to, or how about in the '53 film "Titanic":

Boiler room engineer to chaplain as the ship is sinking: For God's sake Father, don't go in there!

Chaplain: For God's sake, I must.

History / Can anyone from Poland tell me about Auschwitz and The Ghetto? [625]

Fear often, indeed mostly, governs human behavior! Sadly, the exception outpaces the rule.

Off-Topic / Curious Books of PF [50]

Thank you for sharing those photos!

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

Rather like pantomime, isn't it?

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

Mowic to srebro, milczyc to zloto = Silence is golden
For whatever reason, the first part is omitted in English.

Language / Is Polish easy to learn? [10]

Naturally.

Real Estate / Property Sale Tax [3]

Where overseas exactly, stokrotka? Rules may vary, especially on tax related issues.

Travel / Hiking and Camping Trails in Poland [51]

I trust you are correct.

Travel / Hiking and Camping Trails in Poland [51]

Good to know. However, I need to be convinced! Tourists are usually targets.

Travel / Hiking and Camping Trails in Poland [51]

I might. However, I've heard that foreigners can get royally screwed if the campsite is not in good order, no matter how well they might know the language!

Pity I'm not fluent in the universal language of BRIBERY:-)

Travel / Hiking and Camping Trails in Poland [51]

Will have to return to Poland one day. My wife's never been (-:

Travel / Hiking and Camping Trails in Poland [51]

I was referring to the Continent, not Scotland or Northern Scandinavia.

Travel / Hiking and Camping Trails in Poland [51]

The last unspoiled wilderness on the European continent just about.

Travel / Hiking and Camping Trails in Poland [51]

Zakopane is a popular area for camping, the Polish lake country in the Mazur region too.

Life / Boys acting and dressing feminine, girls acting and dressing masculine - transgender teens in Poland [272]

Gender identity issues are as old as the hills! Typically though, as with most everything else deemed "deviant", it was never, ever, ever discussed or even hinted at certainly not in public (perhaps not in private either).

Surely Freud and colleagues had studied umpteen examples of this while studying the human mind.

Life / Boys acting and dressing feminine, girls acting and dressing masculine - transgender teens in Poland [272]

The entire issue seems to me as a male more than anything else a matter of personal space and nothing more!

Obviously, ingrained cultural ideologies play a significant role as well, namely, what constitutes "manly" vs. "womanly" behavior. Women have testosterone too, you know:-)

Life / Boys acting and dressing feminine, girls acting and dressing masculine - transgender teens in Poland [272]

Amen, jon.

Life / Boys acting and dressing feminine, girls acting and dressing masculine - transgender teens in Poland [272]

Again, as there are men's and women's changing rooms, we don't consider THAT discrimination now, do we. Same for LGBTQ or transgenders:-)

Life / Boys acting and dressing feminine, girls acting and dressing masculine - transgender teens in Poland [272]

I'm certain someplace, somewhere on this planet, LGBTQ/transgender restrooms exist.

Consequently, don't see why all the fuss 'n feathers!

Life / Boys acting and dressing feminine, girls acting and dressing masculine - transgender teens in Poland [272]

LGBTQ along with transgender identity are nonetheless still foreign to most Poles and the country continues to grapple with it, considering the hold of the Catholic Church of the country's morality.

Germany, Spain, Sweden, even Italy, exhibit slightly more liberal acceptance of what many considered societally deviant behavior.

Po polsku / Nowy film "Osiol" [12]

Wierze, "Osiol" wygral nagrode w Cannes Film Festival.