History / What proportion of the Polish population collaborated with the Nazis? [125]


An old family friend (his widow is still alive in her 90s) was a victim of the pre-war bar association. He wasn't even Jewish, just politically unacceptable to them. So he came to England and made a fortune as a lawyer there.


People can survive in the most hostile situations. And often have to.


Pre-war Warsaw was a lot tougher than you think. And yes, there were certainly fascist thugs.

Life / Polish mentality towards Pakistan [108]


Speaking on behalf of all 40 million are you?


No dearie, you are.


Now you seem to be speaking on behalf 400 million people.


Looks like your boss in your minimum wage job has Pakistani roots, no?

History / What proportion of the Polish population collaborated with the Nazis? [125]

It only takes one massacre to be remembered.


Which you and I have the luxury of hindsight to criticise. Nobody can condemn Rumkowski for saving his own life (and that of others).


What other kind can we make about history? See above.
[quote=Ironside]The WWII was about atrocities more than about anything else, especially in Poland.
In areas occupied by Japan too. Poles were by no means unique in victimhood, nor did the war end on 8/5/45. Nothing alters the fact the the Polish NSZ committed some appaling acts, so vile as to be beyond justification or explanation.

History / What proportion of the Polish population collaborated with the Nazis? [125]


Do it or be killed. Some choice.


No. In and among their defending, the NSZ did many things that weren't defending anybody. Just atrocities.

History / What proportion of the Polish population collaborated with the Nazis? [125]


Did he have that much choice - he was forced into the ghetto with the rest of the Jewish community in Lodz and refusing to be the Altester would just have got him shot.


There are some very dark chapters in the history of the NSZ. Do not try to pretend they were all angels or that atrocities did not happen.

History / What proportion of the Polish population collaborated with the Nazis? [125]


That's what so many did.


No it doesn't.


Exactly. It was a complicated time. We can't easily judge the choices people made by the standards of today. Nevertheless, good and evil are absolute, if sometimes easier to see with indsight.


Everyone knows that - everyone in Europe anyway. However you don't seem to understand what the novel actually says...

Law / If I buy a flat in Poland, do I get residence permit? [12]

Anyone is eligible to apply for one, but where are you from? That has quite an impact on residence permits.

Life / Poles - the Nation of Liars? [478]


That doesn't actually mean much. Only that two words appear in the same article. If you try to attribute a meaning to that, it's more likely to be that some societies are more concerned about it than others.


I thought so too. Same writing style.

Genealogy / My ancestors from Poland were ethnic Jews [10]

Very likely. The penultimate sentence kind of clinches it.

Life / Polish folk-themed pop music? [30]


They were good. I wonder what happened to them?


You do realise that what we call 'pop' music emerged from a synthesis of African American, Irish and Jewish tradtions?

Life / New trend in Poland - dogging. [29]


It's an open secret that he's actually the Archbishop of Nicosia.

Life / New trend in Poland - dogging. [29]


Indeed. In his part of the world they call it spudding.

BTW, I'm not sure about dogging, but there's a swinging and wife swapping club that meets on ul. Hoza once a week. In some sort of disco.

Life / Do Polish people have a good ear for music? [90]

Very good music. Do you know Milczenie Owiec?

Food / British food products in Poland? [334]

Quite easy to make - this recipe looks as good as any ;-)

uk.answers.yahoo/question/index?qid=20090704050001AA5liSt

Food / British food products in Poland? [334]


They sell it in quite a few places round Warsaw now. I do sometimes miss Hammond's Yorkshire Relish though...

Life / Do Polish people have a good ear for music? [90]

90% of modern Polish music is truly bad - just go to any karaoke night and listen to the same old 'favourites' written by depressives and enjoyed by the unadventurous again and again. But just once in a while they do something well

Food / British food products in Poland? [334]

Eyeholes, earholes and arseholes.

Life / Do Polish people have a good ear for music? [90]


Lao Che


There way a vote to oust the local mayor about a year ago (the one who ordered the 80 dogs to be taken away) and she turned up to vote accompanied by a film crew. SShe climbed up the marble stairs of the town hall weaing thigh length sequinned (very) high heeled boots and had to hang on the the balustrade for dear life.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violetta_Villas

Life / Do Polish people have a good ear for music? [90]


May as well be, but she isn't. She used to be famous for driving a pink Jaguar around Warsaw in the seventies, earned from performing in Las Vegas. In fact she's still alive and wearing high heels and the wigs. Not as happy as she used to be since the police took away her 80 dogs, but at least they left all the cats. I wouldn't like to smell her carpet.

Life / Do Polish people have a good ear for music? [90]


And here she is:

Food / British food products in Poland? [334]


Quite.

Food / British food products in Poland? [334]

Exactly. All processed foods of yesteryear, a grim legacy of the industrial revolution.

It's easy enough to knock up some mayonnaise in ten minutes rather than buy something like salad cream.

Food / British food products in Poland? [334]


Probably many more brands over the years - and yes I do think M&S tea is the best available in Poland.


Not surprised. And not that much of a snob either! I do like good tea and coffee though.

Travel / Why so many Indian Restaurants in Poland? Which one is the best? [42]


OK, but only OK. And a bit flashy without the substance. Plus the cooking spices stink up that whole section of the Royal Route when there isn't a wind blowing. I like to sit outside a bar across the road and about 100 metres away and you can sometimes smell the cooking from there.

The best is probably Arti on al. Jerozolimskie near pl. Zawiszy. Small portions, but good food.

Food / British food products in Poland? [334]

Marks and Spencers isn't just the best British tea in Poland, it's actually the best tea in Poland, period.

Love / English Men vs Polish Men [207]


Only if they're petite enough to fit in the bowl.

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

Even five. But not seven.

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]


Masculine animate and inanimate. But four, not seven.

Life / If I'm agnostic, deist, atheist - can I say that to Polish people in Poland? [72]


Have a look at racjonalista.pl
Not everyone here is religious, especially the better educated.

Language / Is the term 'Polak' derogatory?? [254]

Here in Poland it isn't. Nor is there any alternative in the language.