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Posts by Palivec  

Joined: 22 Apr 2011 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 18 Sep 2014
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Posts: 379

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Palivec   
5 May 2011
History / The restoration of Polish cities from WW2 destruction [118]

Germans turned urban Poland into ruins, some of them were rebuilt in the original shape, some weren`t due to scarce resources which sentenced Prussian architecture in Legnica to annihilation.

So, what darker sides of history are you talking about, Palicev?

In the context of the topic of this thread, the destruction of countless preserved quarters in the recovered territories to rebuild Warsaw and the planned destruction (graveyards, monuments, epitaphs) or deliberate neglect (castles, parks, churches, graveyards) of heritage with a distinctive German character.

Usually the public opinion in Poland still helds the war responsible for all destructions, while Poland is usually seen as the great reconstructor. But the truth is that these destructions weren't the result of scarce resources but of an ideology which forcibly destroyed German heritage.

Yes and no. The fact that walls look intact doesn`t mean that the house is so ready for renovation. Do you know what burnt out houses have inside?

Look at my pics again. Most houses still have roofs. Burned out houses don't have roofs. The old town of Legnica was *not* completely burned out.

Doesn`t matter, if you want to complain about reconstruction, turn to Germans first.

I don't complain about reconstruction but about destruction.... and have to turn to the originator, which, in this case, is Poland.
Palivec   
4 May 2011
History / The restoration of Polish cities from WW2 destruction [118]

Of course not.

Then tell my way the rubble of war is so cleanly removed?! The Polish source, which hosts the pic, also says 1950-1980.

Of course not. The castle was burned in February 1945 during the fight for the city. Russian troops set fire to it in fear of German counterattack, to prevent taking it back by Germans.

True. I checked my sources, and it was indeed February. Sorry.

The Old Town was mostly preserved, but only from February 1945 to 8-11 May 1945 when Soviet troops organised an orgy of destruction to celebrate the end of war. Houses were robbed and set on fire one after another.

This happened everywhere but didn't necessarily destroy entire towns. And in the case of Legnica the old town was still in pretty good shape, like the pictures suggest and the sources confirm.

The destruction, started by Soviet troops in 1945, was only completed by Polishcommunist authorities, greatly influenced by Russian troops who chose Legnica for their major headquarters in Poland.

The Russian troops usually didn't care about urban management. It was mostly a Polish effort, in line with events in other parts of the recovered territories.

Go to your German colleagues to complain about the war they started. :):):) If they hadn`t, the beautiful Old Town of Liegnitz would have survived till today. :):):)

I'm not German, and pointing out to the not so nice parts of the Polish history isn't complaining but a gentle push to accept the darker sides of history too.
Palivec   
4 May 2011
History / The restoration of Polish cities from WW2 destruction [118]

The pictures show the situation long after 1945. They show the the burned out castle, which indeed happened directly after the war, and the mostly preserved old town.

Maybe you should be treated like a student. The destruction of the preserved, historic old town of Legnica after 1965 is well known among historians and conservators, since it affected the largest preserved area of Prussian rococo architecture. That Prussian heritage was the reason for the negligence and final destruction.
Palivec   
3 May 2011
History / Poles in the Napoleonic era [224]

btw what other minorities? the Danes? how many of them? some 50 thousand Lithuanians? a couple of thousands of Czechs?

Mainly French Huguenots and Kashubians.

Poles in the Prussian army:
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kategoria:Polacy_%E2%80%93_wojskowi_armii_pruskiej
Palivec   
3 May 2011
History / Poles in the Napoleonic era [224]

It looks like (if my sources are correct) that conscription began around 1806. I am also aware that Prussia had Hussar and Uhlan units, were these made up of Poles but led my Germans?? This seems to be a very difficult subject to research!

No, conscription in Prussia started only after the Prussian reforms by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, which were a direct result of the defeat in 1806. Conscription was first temporarialy implemented in March 1813 and finally began in 1814.
Palivec   
3 May 2011
News / Poland A and Ukraine B. Compare how far Poland has advanced. [282]

Look at those ugly advertisements near Warsaw - it looks as if their motto was: Give me a road and a plot so that I can start a business.

These advertisements all over Poland are horrible. The whole country looks like a huge bazaar. A free economony is nice, but some rules are needed.
Palivec   
30 Apr 2011
History / The Piast dynasty did most for Poland [24]

Poland's Piast dynasty united the West Slavic tribes on present day Poland's land into a common nation.

The Piasts were also responsible for the fragmentation of Poland, and one branch of the Piasts split off its part altogether and joined a different country.

History is, as always, a bit more complex.
Palivec   
28 Apr 2011
Feedback / Why are there so many on here, who do not like Poland [150]

But in the opinion of the article which you recommended to us it was. Which just goes to show how pathetic some of the content in Wikipedia about Poland is.

The result of a few staunchly nationalistic Polish editors. Look for a user called Molobo or the EEML case. Everything there becomes a battlefield if these guys are involved.
Palivec   
24 Apr 2011
History / The smallest Poland ever? [115]

Fair enough. But this doesn't explain destructions in the 70s and even 80s and the general lack of care even today. Monumens can also be reconstructed. I know Poland pretty well, and the difference between the traditional Polish lands and the so called "recovered territories" is striking. The cultural uprooting is evident.

But what about the United States - you haven't answered that?

You compare a tribal society without much cultural achievements with a complex high culture?
Palivec   
24 Apr 2011
History / The smallest Poland ever? [115]

You can't compare (natural) migration in pre-nationalistic times and ethnic cleansing in the 20th century. The former was often characterised by a fusion of old an new culture (England, Spain), ethnic cleansings in the 20th century often came along with iconoclasm, i.e. the destruction of symbols of the former culture. Before the rise of nationalism symbols of a nation weren't that important to the people.

And by these standards Lviv is in better hands than Wroclaw. Mickiewicz and Kiliński are still on their pedestals, while Eichendorff and Svarez are gone. And while Poles can visit Polish graveyards in Lviv Germans can't do the same in Wroclaw.
Palivec   
24 Apr 2011
History / The smallest Poland ever? [115]

Is that a fact? Your 6th post on this forum and you're showing your true colours already - good! :)

Just a logical conclusion. If you turn non-Polish regions into "true Polish land" you must erase the former culture. If you remove the former culture the region can't be in good hands. Simple logic.
Palivec   
24 Apr 2011
History / The smallest Poland ever? [115]

That is not the point - point is that only Wroclaw is in good hands and you know it.

we rebuilt the razed Eastern German provinces and turned them into true Polish lands,

That's a contradiction. Either they are in good hands or turned into true Polish lands.
Palivec   
23 Apr 2011
History / The smallest Poland ever? [115]

and who are you ?

A European who didn't know that redrawing borders is still a popular pastime in Poland.