How are people from Warsaw viewed and why?

My girlfriend lives in Warsaw and I in London. Whilst eating out the other day a Polish waitress asked me about my girlfriend (I was in London at the time), when I mentioned Warsaw she pulled a face and said she doesn't like Warsaw people. This type of reaction has occured before from Polish people.

My GF is lovely and everyone I meet in Warsaw has been friendly, kind and cultured. So is it just a 'big city' thing. What's the reason for the less than glowing opinion about those that reside in Warsaw?

R

I'm afraid it's true. We [not every single one of us] don't like Warsaw.

Can't give you a reason. Because I don't really believe there is one.

Can't give you an answer specifically for Warsaw, but my guess is it's probably based on "big city" predjudices. In the US, New York City people are characterized by many as being very cold and unfriendly. In Los Angeles, people are considered somewhat flaky with no morals. In the midwest, people are thought of as somewhat hickish or dimwitted. These are all stereotypes. Not to say these characterizations are not true in some cases, but as with any city anywhere in the world, you are going to find diversity. The people I personally know from these cities and region are nothing like the stereotypes (just like your girlfriend and the people you have met in Warsaw.)

I think its the same with London, in the UK. But then again London and England are two completely different entities.

It's the people who come from little villages and smaller towns that don't like Warsaw. It's the little-town mentality. Warsaw is currently full of people from other parts of the country who come there for work. The true Varsovians (like myself) are great people haha. You should have asked the waitress where she was from and when she replied, pulled a face and said that .......(her home town/village) is pooh.

Pretty much same with London i think.

Some people are jealous that these in Warsaw are generally making better money, some from Warsaw are looking down on people from smaller towns, that's nothing really serious, we're not going to have a civil war, but stupid comments sometimes happen.

Which towns are considered good towns in Poland?

All those that aren't Warsaw.

This is a serious answer.

Szczecin is very nice. Close to Berlin - 2 hour drive from it. Close to Swinoujscie, where you can get a ferry to Sweden and other Scandinavian countires.

It's spacious, has a good location. 70 km to the sea side in Miedzyzdroje and has a good climate, because it doesn't get cold in the winter that much, hardly any snow.

Don't tell me that you are from Szczecin...

why?
I am, but not originally. It's where I used to live for some time:)

I live there now :)

There are several reasons:

1. After the end of WWII, the commie government decided to rebuild Warsaw, that inflicted a serious damage during the Warsaw Uprising, and recreate it's former beauty. It was suppose to be a testimony of the People Republic of Poland’s power, thus Warsaw was treated more special than other major polish cities. People didn't necessarily like that.

2. Legia Warszawa - Warsaw’s football club. It was an Army football club. The commie government wanted it to be the best Polish club. A lot of good players from other Polish teams were specially being drafted to Army and were given a choice, whether they wanted to spend 2 years in army barracks or on the football pitch playing for Legia. Many people didn’t like that either.

3. Varsovians also are rumored to consider themselves better that the rest of Poland’s population, just because they are from "stolyca"(capital city).

We could probably find more points if we would look deeper into the past. Times changed, but the animosity remained. :)


Paprykarze. :)

Thanks for this info. That's exactly the kind of information I was looking for. :)

There's only one reason-envy.

I was born in Warsaw but my parents are not from Warsaw orignally yet they chose Warsaw as their place to live. Why? Work, better facilities, better social life, access to a huge range of cinemas, theatres, galleries, shops, physicians, libraries, schools etc.

Warsaw is great!

Warsaw has a lot of green areas too. I expect those who critise Warsaw have only ever seen one part of it (city centre? perhaps). Warsaw because of its size is very diverse. There are poorer districts and great districts.

It really depends on your mentality I think, and what you fondly remember as a child. I was brought up in two cities (London and Warsaw) and I think big cities and Warsaw in particular are great.

Of course, villages and small towns have their own charm - no need to be jealous :)

Bad rap Warsaw has, has something to do with politics and television. All central offices are in Warsaw, media focuses on Warsaw, too showing the place as highly competitive and full of corupted individuals (mentaly corupted, too).

I find personally people in Warsaw very friendly, compare to where I live ( Szczecin :) ) which has much less friendlier bus drivers to give one example and has more of a gang culture, power tripping folks.

Warsaw is ugly though and had and has bad city planners plus it is loaded with cars everywhre.
Szczecin? ughhh has ..potentian maybe and good location (true)

it has a lot of potenctial, yet not used properly. Szczeccin has not used it to it's advantage, however who knows what happens in the future. It get a little sleepy at times and it could use more cultural life:)


Szczecinskie,you might want to add - and that's what most Polish know Szczecin by:)

It's the people who come from little villages and smaller towns that don't like Warsaw. It's the little-town mentality

That is not always the case, I think that some people from Warsaw can behave in a superior way and not everyone likes it.