Language / Is Polish amongst the best-sounding languages in the world? [123]


I don't think that Czech language sounds like that because of Celtic influence. The biggest influence on Czech had German language.
In middle ages czech and polish languages were very similar, almost the same. Czech had a greate impact on polish language, especially on grammar and vocabulary (most of the words related to christianity in polish comes from czech).

Later, when Habsburgs became kings of Bohemia, German became language for nobles and czech started to be considered as peasanst language. Both languages started to mingle.

Love / What to do for my PL girlfriend on her name day? [6]

Name day is similar to birthday, so you can buy her a present and take her for a dinner.
In Poland name day party is mostly organised by host in his/her home. Family and frieds come on that day with presents and name day wishes. Women (especially older) also are given flowers.

Genealogy / Russian Poland-what general area would this be? [30]

It is possible that your great grandfather couldn't go to America because Germans didn't allow him to do that. Although he was from territories occupied by Russians, in order to go to America he had to go to German seaports. They were in polish territories occupied by Germany or in Germany (e.g. Hamburg).

Genealogy / Russian Poland-what general area would this be? [30]

As for the territory: it's huge. Russia took about 60% of I Rzeczpospolita Polska (Republic of Poland). These land consist of present: Ucraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia and eastern district (powiat) of podlaskie province (województwo). So you would have to look for Krasnosiek? not only in present Poland.

Genealogy / Russian Poland-what general area would this be? [30]

I don't know what K stands for. Maybe you could find some information about your grandfather here: ellisisland.org

News / Is there anything Poland won't do for money? "Wolf's Lair" - up for rent" [59]

Well, I do see a reason to preserve a place where Claus von Stauffenberg tried to assassinate Hitler.

News / Is there anything Poland won't do for money? "Wolf's Lair" - up for rent" [59]

Smurf, you might not believe that, but Hollywood is not a source of historical information for everybody.
Stauffenberg being a Nazi doesn't change a fact that Wilczy Szaniec is important historical site, that should be preserved.

Life / Are Poles mentally more Eastern European or Western European? [170]

First explain characteristics of eastern and western mentality and then I will answer your question slavia

Life / Are Poles mentally more Eastern European or Western European? [170]

Slavia since you didn't fully answer my question about characteristics of western and eastern mentality, I assume that since Western Europeans are


, then Eastern Europeans are loud, shameless and lazy?

Life / Why Milosz not Herbert ? [38]

Any Nobel Prize Committee member here?!
No...
hmmm,
then I guess we will never know

Life / Why Milosz not Herbert ? [38]


Fully agree.


I don't think that is completly true. Not every decision of Nobel Prize Committee is measurable and rational.

Life / Why Milosz not Herbert ? [38]


Their poetry is distinctive. I don't really think, that you can compare poets or any other writer, painter etc. and measure which is better. You can only say which you like better. I like both Miłosz and Herbert.

For reason stated above I can't understand how Nobel Committee chooses who's the best writer. The idea seems absurd to me.

Life / Why Milosz not Herbert ? [38]


Then make a new thread, where all trolls could gather.

Life / Why Milosz not Herbert ? [38]


Here I thought that I finally found interesting thread, where I could talk to intelligent and well-mannered people. Bummer again!

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


Because he coudn't figure what Poles done to Germans and Russians. However Lisowszczycy not only took part in partisan war with Russia at that time, but also defended Vienna against Turks. Looks like alexmac would now need to take fast course in polish history to find something else.

Moreover I think it is pretty difficult for anyone (and probably somebody on this forum would try to do that), to compare atrocities of XVII and XXc. The sheer scale of killing and inflicting pain was on different level in XXc. Moreover I wouldn't be so ready to compare history of distant centuries. Between XVII and XXc. happened many things, that changed peoples mindsets, mentality, whole cultures (e.g. Enlighment, education, freedom for everybody). Despite that people in XXc. commited so many crimes against each other. If we wan't to compare distant centuries why not compare todays Poland, Germany and Russia to XIII c. P., G. and R.; or why should we put such restrictions, lets compare to 100000 B.C. whatever was in place of Poland. Russia and Germany.

That being said I don't have any grieviances toward Germans and Russians unless they try to forge history, show it as being relativistic, to diminish their crimes or in the worse case to blame Poles for what happened to them during WWII (unfortunately there are some people like that).

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


and that was the reason why Germany and Russia attacked Poland. I am sure they were very concerned about Polish minorities. Spot on delphiandomine.

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]

Eaxtly because of Piłsudski's ideas Poland couldn't count on Lithuanians. Get your facts straight.
As for the Zaolzie (I think that what you are saying), Czechoslavakia took it from Poland in 1920, when Poland was fighting with bolszevics. Stab on the back, I would call it. But that wasn't so crucial in relationship with Czechoslovakia at that time, as their frindly relationship with bolshevic Russia. It wasn't Poland who didn't want to form an alliance with Czechoslovakia, but Czechs who at first didn't want to make difficult their relations with CCCR. When they tried to form this alliance ti was too late.

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


I am not the one who should hear that, but that guy

Even if such alliance was formed it still wasn't enough to fight with Germany and CCCR. They purpose was war and they prepared for it for a long time. Poland, Czechoslovakia etc. wasn't militarly and politicaly prepared for that. The result would be more or less the same.

I think that we shouldn't consider what Poland, Czechoslovakia etc. didn't do, but what Germany and Russia did do.

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


Why would they call slaves friends? They had a clear cut objective: turn Slavs into slaves and afterwards exterminate.
Germans were so honest that they attacked Gliwice radiostation and blamed for it Poles. That was honest reason to start war.

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


Piłsudski had idea of federation of Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine. The idea was formed long before 1918-1920. By the way his actions in 1918-1920 were part of implementation of those ideas. Again, get your facts straight.


I don't think that Germany would take beating from such alliance. It takes time and some military exercises to coordinate actions of different armies. They didn't have both. Moreover attacking side always have upperhand, so for some time alliance would take beating anyway. In that time CCCR would probably attack. Another thing - CCCR was an aggresive, totalitarian state. They wanted attack anyway. They would do that sooner or later.


Poles didn't forced polonisation. Acceptance of polish culture and language was voluntary. Nobility of those countries saw political freedom of Polish nobility and atractive culture and naturaly wanted to be part of it. Because of most of nobility of Luithuania and Ruthenia became culturaly Polish e.g. Piłsudcy, Miłoszowie etc. The same happened later with Polish nobility accepting French culture and language in later centuries.

Also Polish people didn't convert orthodox Christian churches to catholic one. Orthodox church in Poland was for a long time subordinate of Moscow Patriarch. Tsars started to take advantage of it and used Orthodox Church as excuse to meddle in Polish internal affairs. Because of that part of Polish Orthodox bishops breaked subordination to Patriarch and formed Union Church (they still were orthodox but were subordinate of Pope in Rome).

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


Which one? Elaborate please.

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]

Suppresing in what way? That was polonisation?

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


Whats wrong with taking an oath to Poland, when you are a citizen. First you have to remember that 20 years between I and II WW were very volatile and neighbours of Poland along with preparations to war, lead agressive politic. The result of that was a mentality of besieged fortress. Polish politicians tried to show the unity of society in face of danger, sometimes they forced it. But one always have to remeber that Poland at that time was very young state, with agressive neighbours, who didn't helped particularly to make Polish society more open and tolerant.

At that difficult time minorities also didn't help very much. Every agressive move from Poland's neighbours was welkomed and supported. It resulted in resentful actions from Poland and that created vicious circle. There were very few people on both sides who proposed a constructive way out of this situation.

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


Which churches again? I think that I explained the situation of church in former Polish Kresy in previous post. Care to read them.

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


Thanks for elaboration; interesting book. But I find your post a little lacking. Few sentences above this you can find reasons, why Polish authorities did that: Orthodox church was associated with tsarist government and its policy of russification. Although at time when these churches were destroyed, that was no longer true, you have to remember that attitudes, mentality doesn't change quickly. In such situations calm and time brings constructive ideas and discussion. I don't want to repeat myself, I stated in above post that relations between Poles and minorities were sometimes unjust, and difficult, but at the same time Poles are not the only one to blame.

There is no reason for you to make bias statements, without giving reasons for such situations (and they were more complicated than you make them seem like.


While "protecting cultural heritage and values" Russians apparently didn't think that Poles are it's bearers and didn't mind to kill them. Monuments are not enough, they forgot about human factor.

History / Do Polish people in general dislike Russia or Germany more? [369]


I simply wasn't aware of the scale of actions that Polish government took against Ukrainians. I also wouldn't use such strong words, as lie to somebody, who tries to have a constructive disscussion with you. I guess that you belong to that part of Polishforums community, who just can't mantain good quality conversation and start accusing/cursing/insult whenever they can. My bad I didn't realised this sooner, our disscussion would be shorter, so don't worry, I won't make the same mistake again.

History / Anyone know the name, if true... .... Polish Royal heir [40]



there was no Poland. Poland lost independence in 1795. Which Royal heir you are looking for: Russian, Prussian or Austrian.

History / Anyone know the name, if true... .... Polish Royal heir [40]


No. There were 2 Polish kings who renounced throne: Henryk Walezy (Henry of Valois) in 1574. He left Poland and became king of France - Henry III. The second was Jan Kazimierz Waza in 1668, but his reasons to resign were more serious than complicated love life. You should look somewhere else for that royal heir, because, as Des Essientes already wrote here, Polish kings since late middle ages were elected. Polish throne was not hereditary.

News / Topless sunbathers acquitted in Szczecin, Poland [128]


How would you know that? You don't speak Polish.

News / Topless sunbathers acquitted in Szczecin, Poland [128]


I hope you also realize that almost every example you gave here and on your other thread also occured nearly a decade ago. Double standards?