History / How come Poles like Russians but not Germans? [216]

I'll answer with sincerity, Poles tend to 'lean' towards Germans. There're some areas where Russians can relate to with Poles but in daily life it's different. When Russian was enforced onto students most didn't want to learn it. If you ask students nowadays, they still prefer learning German to Russian. When your brother back-stabs you it hurts more, that's why I used the term 'lean towards'. You can therefore imagine on what scale it affects you when the strike comes from someone close to you.

Pay attention to what people say and what they actually do since actions speak louder than words. Take a look at marriage statistics and you'll see what I mean. It's said that there's mutual hate between the countries but then every year about half the population of Poland is married to Germany and ranks number one in international marriages. There're many Germans looking to move to Poland by purchasing a piece of land and then the fact that Poles have German names and vice versa. Why would a mother name their child after a German soldier if there's still hatred? If you watch Polish films whenever there's a foreigner who doesn't speak Polish, Poles (the actors) try to communicate in German by actually speaking it. If there was really so much hate then Poles wouldn't even want to pronounce a single word let alone show it on tv.

I'll be honest, Russians are on the black list. Poland and Russia have a dark past and so is with Germany but it's also different in many ways, like the fact that they're not Slavic, so it hurt somewhat less. Poles haven't forgotten what Russians did and that's the actual truth. It's Russians that we haven't gotten over not Germans.

As mentioned before, Germans would offer children chocolate and my grey-grandmother had told me they were kinder than Russians. She'd told me quite a few stories like one of a German who approached a little girl, took off his coat and gave it to her and then he was secretly saving up his meals and bringing two spoons. Another shocking one of an orphan and a German who actually adopted the child and took it with him back home. She'd also told me Germans would actually offer flowers to little girls and even pick them up and sing to them. Russians were violent and brutal for 'brothers' like with the kitchen scenario. They were cruel enough to rape girls of any age and wound them terribly something that is still happening in Russia today. Media cover that up but the violence Russian women receive from men is unbelievable. With Germans it was somewhat different, the girl had to be willing unless the man was drunk.

I'm writing based on life facts and my grey-grandmother's experience while trying hard to ignore the fact that my closest childhood friend is actually German. Hoped I cleared things up a bit for you.