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

I'm puzzled by Lithuanians who apparently see the Commonwealth as Polish "occupation." Someone here posted a map of GDL's expansion in the 14th century. What's striking on that map is that the ethnically Lithuanian area makes up maybe 20% of that GDL, tops. The remaining 80% is land taken from Ruthenians (today's Belorusians/Ukrainians). This map was posted to illustrate how "great" GDL was before the Commonwealth.

My question: why is it that when Lithuania expands east it's seen as "greatness" of the GDL, but when Poland expands east it suddenly becomes an "occupation" of GDL? By this logic, wasn't the 14th cent. GDL nothing more than a Lithuanian occupation of ethnically Ruthenian lands? Why are the 15-18th cent. Poles "occupiers", but the 14th cent. Lithuanians are not? The only difference I see here is in who's doing the "occupying".

Something here reeks of hypocrisy...

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


Wasn't there a Lithuanian guy called Jogaila who learned Polish and went on to become a king? It's a tragedy that no one warned him in time that with his Polish skills he can only end up on a construction site.

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


They mistrust Poland because they fear that Poland will.. do what, exactly? Launch a morning raid into Lithuania to take over Wilno again? Yeah, right. I'm sure NATO & EU would just sit by and watch. It's patently clear to everyone that no borders will change in Central Europe in the next ~100 years, because no sane person wants to light up that powder keg again, as in 1914 or 1939. Do they fear Poland as a "proxy" of Russia? Give me a break. Poland has been on hostile terms with Russia since 1989, the relations have been improving only recently. During those 20 years of bad PL/RU relations Lithuania still could not be bothered to put up bilingual signs in majority-Polish towns. In the same 20 years Poland managed to put up Polish/German signs in the Opole area, Polish/Cassubian signs near Puck, and Polish/Lithuanian signs around Suwalki. If Lithuanians act this way because they're afraid of something, what is it specifically that they fear? Or is it all a nasty repeat of Bandera/OUN/Ponary-type mentality?

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

Cassubian road signs in Poland:



Lithuanian road signs in Poland:



German road and communal signs in Poland:



Signs in Lithuania with Polish names visibly removed:

On the bilingual signs in Poland you see letters such as ú,š,è,ü, which don't exist in the Polish alphabet. Yet Polish graphic designers and their computers were somehow able to put them on a road sign. I find the argument that some Polish letters don't exist in the Lithuanian alphabet rather silly. Are Lithuanian graphic designers and their computers really so far behind the times that they can't tackle the staggering feat of putting a Polish letter on a road sign?


They are. EU Commissioner of Human Rights is looking into the problem:

"The Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention concluded in the case of Lithuania that the absence of bilingual public signs in certain areas was incompatible with the convention. There appeared to be a contradiction between the Law on the State Language and the Law on National Minorities which ought to be addressed."

"When visiting Lithuania recently I learned that the spelling of Polish names on passports and other official documents had became a controversial issue. However, the government in Vilnius has now submitted a proposal to parliament which, if adopted, would be seen as a constructive step towards fuller respect for minority rights."

coe.int/t/commissioner/Viewpoints/100125_en.asp

History / What do Poles think about Turks? [761]



German TV report on Polonezkoy (in German)

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Huh? Transparency Int'l says corruption in Poland is dropping every year, with a particularly big jump in 2009. Poland's position on the worldwide corruption list: 2007 - 61, 2008 - 58, 2009 - 49 (higher position= less corruption).

transparency.org

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Hold on there, Bubba, I think you need a remedial class in basic statistics. You're comparing two separate lists, created by two separate organizations (Forbes and World Bank) using different algorithms. That's a big no-no, you know. This is Poland's position on the same list in 2008 & 2009:

World Bank's Doing Business: 2011 - 73, 2010 - 70 (up 3 places)
Forbes' Best Countries for Business: 2008 - 33, 2009 - 35 (down 2 places)

doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/poland

forbes.com/lists/2008/6/biz_bizcountries08_Best-Countries-for-Business_Rank_2.html

forbes.com/lists/2010/6/best-countries-10_Best-Countries-for-Business_Rank_2.html

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Among its Central Euro pals Poland is doing quite well: Hungary - 46, Poland - 49, Czech Republic - 52, Slovakia - 56 (lower number=better). I wouldn't call the above bunch "disreputable".

History / Vikings in Pomerania (near Gdansk area)? [19]

A Thor's hammer made of amber in Wolin for export to Scandinavia (Nat. Musem, Szczecin)

Goth stone graveyard in Odry, 60 km SW of Gdansk (2 cent. AD, well before Vikings)

Goth stone circle

Goth village reconstruction in north Poland

Note: real Goths should not be confused with modern teens who wear black mascara and like to call themselves Azrael.