History / Terrible past for the Jews in Poland? [930]


Absolutely correct.

An individual or nation of people cannot be held to account or responsible for the actions of a Government with no popular mandate and/or lawful/legitimate foundation, as is the case with Poland and the Soviet puppet government installed thereto, and particularly so where an organic and legitimate government already existed but was through perfidy supplanted by a foreign one. That is axiomatic.

Moreso too, where, in the case of Poland, absolutely no benefit to the populace was derived from the alien government and even further where such alien government did not have as its raison d'etre the benefit and best interests of the Polish population.

It has nothing to do with the racial/religious composition of the Government and is irrelevant to the question of absolvement of responsibility.

History / Movie about Polish Fighter 303 Squadron in the making [37]

Nail on head.

I did read your previous posts and appreciate your breadth of knowledge - may I welcome you to the forum too.

I remember reading somewhere that it was either Urbanowicz or Zumbach who viewed the parade from the sidewalk. I'm sure Sosabowski would have been there too but for the fact he was probably engaged in his new employ at the factory. The imagery here is redolent of the way in which Polish service personnel were treated by HMG in the dying months of the war and post WW2.

They were of course far too polite to complain, but we haven't forgotten about it.

I wonder how the movie will deal with these uncomfortable truths. I'm sure the viewing public in the UK would be shocked at how erstwhile allies and friends were treated.


A metaphor for a closed mind? If so, a good one.

History / Movie about Polish Fighter 303 Squadron in the making [37]


A pleasure


I'd venture to say that it's not just sad, but absolutely tragic.

In one of your previous posts you touched on the part the British Government had to play in this entire affair. I'd again recommend you to read the transcripts from Hansard for Parliamentary sittings for 27 and 28 February 1945 to give some background and context. The speeches for the Crimea Conference are the relevant ones.

Briefly, these are the written transcripts of what was said by Members of Parliament in England. Churchill makes an appearance, as do other handwringing apologists (including Eden, right at the end). The communist taint to some of the Members is extraordinary. Having read the transcripts, it will become apparent as to why HMG adopted the position it did with the Free Poles after WW2.


Exactly. These people who claim to live in Poland (and I very much doubt these claims) have no idea about these notions that most Poles, whatever their failings, hold dear.


I hope it will - the mention of Polish names in the opening post is certainly heartening. Western and Communist propaganda is given short shrift by Poles. Sadly, it's adopted by the usual suspects on this forum.

History / Terrible past for the Jews in Poland? [930]


To my mind the answer is this:

If it is a fact that there was an overrepresentation of Jewish Poles (Polish Jews, Poles of Jewish faith, Jewish people who lived in Poland or whatever) in the Polish Communist regime, then in asking the question of why Jewish Poles (Polish Jews, Poles of Jewish faith, Jewish people who lived in Poland or whatever) made up a disproportionate number, one must needs be differentiate for the purposes of the exercise.

Questioning "Why?" the differentiation is, with respect, as useless as, for example, asking a statistician conducting a survey on prison populations in the US why they differentiated between African American, Hispanic American, Asiatic American, Caucasian American etc people in custody in the USA when they are all Americans anyway.

Or, to use a more Australian example, questioning a Royal Commission into death in custody why they differentiated between indigenous Australians and non-indigenous when both subsets are in the end Australian.

I suppose one could use an even more relevant example to yourself and ask you why you differentiate between Germans displaced during and after WW2 and Poles displaced during and after WW2 when all these people are human and/or from Europe etc etc.

If you can answer that question in respect of yourself, then you may have answered the question you posed to Paulina, if indeed her motivation was the same as yours.

I see several answers open to you - purely academic reasons, an objective sense that there has been an injustice, or because you identify strongly with your German heritage and are aggrieved that Germans were displaced. If there's another answer then let me know.


Do with them? In what regard exactly?

For the ones who freely, opportunistically and voluntarily signed up as Commies and took part in the subjugation, murder and control of their countrymen, I think we can all agree they are deserving of a special place in hell for their treachery. As to how many that is, no one really knows.

For the rest, what would you do to the father who was left no choice but to join the SB under threat of what would happen to his family if he didn't? What of the invalid AK veteran who had to become a card carrying member to survive? Or what of the Jewish Pole, once a lawyer in pre WW2 Warsaw, who was similarly forced into the role of Prosecutor because if he didn't he'd be shot in the back of the head?

Who really knows?

What I do know is that just before the Soviet takeover, say late 1944/early 1945, the number of Polish people (of whatever faith or race) who professed to being Communist could be counted in the hundreds, and that's probably being generous.

From 100's to 1,000,000's in the space of a few years suggest the Soviets and Polish Communists were selling something in their doctrine that really appealed to all those Poles who joined up after WW2 - as to what that something was, I don't know, but if you find it let me know and we'll start our own political party.

History / Who is this communist Polish man? [3]

Hi Adrienne,

I remember this photo. I googled and came up with the April 1982 issue - the image pops up straight away. The symbols are not the hammer and sickle however, and this fellow would have probably been a striking worker of some description perhaps. Hope this helps. Cheers Dan

History / Poland unit in England - can anybody recognize this military uniform? [10]


Hi JGriff,

There was a forum member named "Lacznosci" who set up a website that had some wonderful photos and information. Perhaps you could get in touch with him? Cheers Dan