Travel / Can I visit Belarus in the rental car from Poland ? [17]

I did this paper work once with my private car when I was crossing the border a year ago.

Despite of I speak some Russian, it would have been hopeless without help of my girlfriend who is native Belarussian. All instructions how to fill forms are in Russian written in typical legal language. People on the frontier are not helpful at all. I cannot imagine they speak English. Filling all forms (you have to fill it in Russian, no English forms available) takes about one hour.

And this was my private car.

If car is rented, I guess they would want from you Russian translation of the rental agreement (by sworn translator of course, closest place - Białystok).

There are two options for you if you are ready with your translated papers:

1. Learn Russian, then try to cross the border after filling all forms properly.

2. Take on board a Belorussian smuggler, who will make all paperwork for you. However, since they usually do not speak English, go to option number one.

History / Warsaw Rising 1944 - National Disaster or Triumph of Spirit ? [515]

Destruction of a city needs time.

If Warsaw Uprising had not broken out, we may assume that Warsaw would NOT have been that drastically destroyed, and lots of civilians would have been spared. Warsaw was systematically ruined during the uprising (for 2 months) and just after it (October-December, 3 months). In total 5 months.

The speed of Soviet offensive that started in January was so high (at least 5:1 advantage in any kind of weapons, soldiers) that the Germans would not have had a chance to destroy the city to that extent.

The Germans fiercely defended only their pre-war cities (Konigsberg, Breslau, Berlin).