Asymetric Pl/Cz feelings have a few reasons: 1. Czechs were not considered as a danger for Poland but Poland for Czechs was. It is a mistake. I. e. during attack in 1918 Czechs took Cieszyn and Skoczow (or close areas) and wanted to move toward Bielsko-Biala. International diplomatic - not military - action saved these territories for Poland. Poland could not protect it's territory against 5x smaller country.
2. Czechoslovakia before WW2 was one of the most developed, democratic European country (Swiss were just poor higlanders that time) while Poland was reunited from 3 parts bankrupted state with primitive agriculture, almost vanished industry and miserable elite. Czechoslovakia impressed Poles but not vice versa.
3. Funny and child-like Czech language with these all words which songs in Polish ears like lisping or first swearing of 5 years old baby or so. Most Poles listening Czech can not avoid smile. It causes psychological bechavioral effect. Reaction is followed by feelings. In contrary, Polish is regarded as a rude language by Czechs.
4. Ignorance about Polish/Czchoslovakian war in 1918 of former Cieszyn duchy area. Even Polish president (Kaczynski) seemed to be not informed properly or made this episode a scapegoat of his policy. Shortly: Populated by 60% Poles and 5% Czechs territory was taken by Czech and was to be retrieved by agreement (broken by German attack) to protect local Poles. At last Poland overtaked Germay but is regarded as aggressor - even by Poles.
5. Population movements after WW2. Relative rich resident citizen German-style Czech society faced on the other side of the border people brought to the western Polish territories in a cattle cars from far, far "wild east". They took post-German houses, farms and industry but cultural differences were enormous. Even today crossing border in that areal is interesting experience.
6. Pl/Cz war of Klodzka Valley. Austro-Hungarian Empire (in the name of Czechs) lost Klodzka Valley. Germany (in the name of their future "conquerors" - Poles) won Klodzka Valley. Czechs really don't beside theirself with fury. After WW2 even a few bullets were pushed on the other side of the border (with a nice response). Fortunately it was finished without corpses.
7. Complexes and feeling of superiority/inferiority and lost of importance of the small country with ambitions. Czechs lost their positions during last 70 years tremendously. Unexpectedly Poles achieved much better position then before WW2. Transferred toward west geographically and mentally, having relatively big political and economic power Poland is harder competitor.
Shortly: Populated by 60% Poles and 5% Czechs territory was taken by Czech
I would love to see a source which supports the claim that Czech accounted for only 5% of the population of the Czech territory seized by Poland during the Nazi-Polish invasion of Czechoslovakia. Sadly, however, I fear that I shall be waiting for a considerable amount of time for such a source.
And Poland was just a bunch of little angels, huh? There WAS a Czech resistance as well, you know!! Not all of Czechoslovakia was composed of Dr. Hachas and their ilk.
From memory the Prague Uprising actually succeeded in driving the Nazis out of the city, which is quite a contrast to the Warsaw Uprising. Perhaps Jesus being a pacifist means that the armies of the countries which crown him king don't do too well. Of course Polish forces were very much on the winning side during the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia, but Jesus wasn't king of Poland then.
From memory the Prague Uprising actually succeeded in driving the Nazis out of the city, which is quite a contrast to the Warsaw Uprising.
The Warsaw Uprising predated the Prague Uprising by a year.
Poles fought fiercely and courageously against the odds for three straight months where as the Czechs quickly gave up after only three days.
After the Nazis crushed the Czechs they fled Prague only because they preferred to be captured by the Americans rather than by the advancing Soviet army.
@Lyzko Neither were all Polish Jews. Think of Jewish kapos, Chaim Rumkowski or any people like him. Yet another chance to insult Poles, though, huh? You little biased man.
@Taxpaying voter What you wrote here about the Warsaw Uprising proves you're exactly what people say you are. You obviously deserve every single insult you get here. Mocking Warsaw insurgents, the Wola massacre and tens of thousands of other deaths and the people's struggle is despisable.
The Prague Uprising lasted three days ... in May 1945. It wasn't the uprising that drove the Nazis away. It was the Red Army that entered the city the following day. Where was the Red Army during the Warsaw Uprising?
@Jamaj How about Polish forced labourers on Czech farms during WW2? Anyway, are you Czech? Why do you have to 'prove' it by adding odd Czech words in every single post?
As for Polish-Czech relations, thank you -we're fine. We get along. Unless somebody is a je.rk. Or a troll.
jeez, someone does have to learn English a bit. and about Polish "invasion" on '38- maybe if Czechs wouldn't backstab Poland during its war with the Bolsheviks (almost) two decades earlier Poland wouldn't have to take its land back? And if I remember correctly- there was no actual invasion done by Poles on Zaolzie- it was granted by the (dying) Czechoslovakian government.
but I have to agree- Praha (or Praga as it's called in Polish) is more beautiful than Warsaw (or Warszawa). And Czechs do actually do have a quite decent history- especially if you are interested in pre-protestantism. Zizko, Jan Hus etc.
Like way too many Polish gentiles, Jews such as your Rumkowsky examples, and the kapos you mention were also forced into committing heinous acts to save their own skin. The difference of course between the latter and the actual Nazis or their collaborators is that no Jew purposely or voluntarily sought to exterminate their own people.
Come on there, kaprys, let's quit rationalizing, shall we.
Is it possible that no he is not a Czech and is just pretending to be one. We've had other member on the P.F. that pretended to be Polish with the same mannerisms. That could be the reason for the odd Czech words.
Czechs wouldn't backstab Poland during its war with the Bolsheviks (almost) two decades
Still trotting out that old lie, eh? Pity for you that the Polish-Czechoslovak war was in January 1919 and the Polish-Bolshevik war started in February 1919. Why not learn some history?
Mocking Warsaw insurgents, the Wola massacre and tens of thousands of other deaths and the people's struggle is despisable.
It would be. Lucky I didn't do that. For the record, while the insurgents were incredibly brave, the Uprising that took place was an utterly terrible idea.
He used polsky as a noun - why not Polaci? Polsky is an adjective. I don't know Czech but shouldn't 'polsky' change its form?
So there was just one Polish tank in Czechoslovakia in 1968?
@Taxpaying voter That part about Jesus being a pacifist wasn't mocking, right ... And comparing these two uprisings is a misunderstanding. But hello, you're on a trolling war so who cares.
the Uprising that took place was an utterly terrible idea.
the Soviet Polish-language radiostation appealed to Varsovians to rise so the AK leadership though the Russians will push on to liberate Warsaw when the uprising starts - we all know what happened next - so no it was not an obvious miscalculation on the side of AK leading figures
