Poles and Russians -- love-hate relationship?

OK I am a first generation pole living in Texas now. I grew up in Chicago so I am away from most of my friends and heratige. From what I have been hearing, most Poles hate Russians. Of course I can understand some of the historical reasons but is there anything going on recently for this to be true? Moer Russians imigrating here...I don't know just curious!

Brian

Hi Brian,

I think there's a "trend" going on in the subject "Polish-Russian". Generally I do not think "Poles hate Russians" -- most Poles realize in the socialism era Russian people suffered too. Working as a truck driver I know a lot of Russians and I think some of them are more friendly than some Poles.

In the US, we (Poles and Russians) are on the same boat so I believe we understand each other - and we do!

On the other hand, there may be more people -- but those who actually live in Poland -- who may think Russian government is playing hard towards Poland (by restricting access to gas, Russian market, etc). But it's mostly caused by the media that have their hidden intentions... I feel Poland should be closer to Russia and vice versa since the both cultures are great and have a lot in common.

arek

Mar 4, 07 [10:54] - Attached on merging:
Russians are with us.....

I guess a bunch of protestors were arrested in Petersburg when they protested the Kremlin. :) See. They don't hate us....well maybe not all of them.

Any news about this? Only got a 2 minute story from CNN.

All Slavs would live batter if Poland and Russia start to work togather.

i think its a very unwise tendency this whole poland russia thing.
yes russia occupied east europe for a long time ,but then again meanwhile a whole generation grew up and comeon today its 54 years ago stalin died .

when i see te goverment here (in Poland) do that witchhunt after communists etc.
it amazes me there is so much to do and all they do is waste energy on non-productive bull.
but you are right there is a certain disliking towards russia they still see them as occupiers and i dont see that change soon.
then again leave a idiot like kaszinski in power build y'r idiot rocketshields and who knows they might occupy or blast it away causing a international crisis.

i see it as a afterwar trauma ,witch hunts ,searching for "communists" in the goverment bla bla bla .
the ussr is 25 years ago ,like i said a generation got born and grew up in between .
tension yes usefull no ,if any Polish politician reads this ,go do something usefull forget about russia .
they suffered a lot too ,rebuild what is broken and go govern.
and next time when the usa wants a rocketshield tell them to do it at home we live next to russia and the usa is far aweay .

better a good neighbour then a far friend .

Blame Stalin and the communists, not the Russians as individuals.

i know some very nice russians and i realise they are fighting with the same problems like the germans did and still do .
its of no use to blame them for things done by their grannfathers generation .
yes there is some old sorrow ,but its very unfair and unreasonable to generalise in that .

There's the difference between people and governments. Russians even like Poles a bit, Poles maybe not like Russians, but we definately don't hate them. However on the government/state level Russia is the biggest threat for Poland.

from what i see person to person pinching might be the right term ,political its a lot more touchy .
quite a large portion of my family in law is from regions thats now ukrain ,doesnt change anything to the fact they are pole.
the political situation is a lot more complex then the normal personal situation.
for me what does it matter that uncle jacek comes from tarnopol or babcia from lwow .
when i see how the goverment here try's to make every decision concerning russia a negative one i can only fear .
if i would be in russia's shoes i would say rocketshields on my border are a act of agression or at least a serious disturbance of the relations.

then again knowing the history a little i understand the feeling of poland seeing russia as a threat .
its a minefield for international relations.
russia and pan slavism ,poland on witchhunts ,i dont know ,my opinion as foreigner in poland is use youre energy for constructing instead of wasting youre energy .

history is history and can't be changed just build on youre future .

Could you imagine a world without Russians? Russians kinda make our lives a little more fuller. I bet the Russians think the same way. What would Russians do or talk about if Poland never existed. I bet there is a Russian forum out there on the internet debating this same issue. :)

wow I'm an idot. I said "more fuller".

Haha. You know what I mean :)

Have you heard the joke from the cold war that tells the story of a Frenchman and a Russian traveling in opposite directions on the Moscow-Paris train?

Along the way, both trains stop in Warsaw. The Frenchman gets off, looks around and asks: "Is this Moscow?" Stepping off the other train, the Russian asks: "Is this Paris?"

lol :)

I won`t say biggest threat but- let`s say enough big.

...not only for Poland but for inter Slavic relations and for Russia itself, too.

If just democracy could strenghten in Russia. That could change everything.


Yes, Stalin and communists but, before Stalin there was Lenin and, as I know he was prepared in Germany for destabilization of Russia.

Yes and now there is Putin,ex NKVD...

In any case man has military background.

What Russia need (not only Russia) is full democracy and transparency on all level of society.

So did Hitler...


Agreed, Russia is not -a democracy.
Tranparency- countries still need their own secret service(for want of a better word) for obvious reasons.A pretty naiive country to give up classified info to another without a good reason.

I wouldn`t say that he can be compared with Hitler.


Yes, secret service (secret is secret, I agree- if anything can be secret) but, as part of good and transparent democratic mechanism.

Russia has karma - such leaders as Putin. It seems so beyond hope. A huge country and great culture but it (almost) always has the leaders as "Messiah" and the illusions of the rule of the world remain.

There is no reason why Russia and Poland should not get along. However - for them to do so - they have to forgive and forget the bad history. Too much hidden hatred still exists e.g. Katyn - the war in 1920 etc. They should all sit around a table - get drunk - and it'll all come out in a flood of tears...

then it will be ok...

Hmm. Like when they sat around the table and drank in "Potop" the movie? Ended up throwing axes (or knives??) at portraits. Yeah I think that might be fun :) A little friendly axe throwing competition would be fun. I'm pretty good though, live right near the woods and have to go cut down fire wood in the summer for cookouts in teh backyard :)

Got to "play" with the axe quite a few times, hehe.

a movie is just a movie ... the real thing is the real thing...

I know. I just wanna get drunk and finally bring an end to the big question:

Who're the best drinkers in the world? Poles, Russians, or the Irish???

Let's do this :)

Sledz get 500 bottles of Spirytus.....we're ending this tonight. Last one to pass out loses. All shots will be taken at the same time. There will be Chinese referee in a yellow shirt watching the competition. Cheaters will forever be known as "Pansies."

Good luck to you all :)

The Scotts

Hahahaha I`ve never drank it!!
Something tells me from my Irish heritage I`ll win...lol

Forget about Spirytus. That`s not art of good drinking. :)

You guys need to taste Serbian SHLIVOVICA (on Serbian- Šljivovica).

Then we can talk seriously.

I would just say that Tequila, Wisky or Vodka looks like a good joke when compare with Slivovica.

I telling you Slivovica is something special. That is original domestic Serbian drink- internationaly well respected. That is plum`s brandy, very very strong with beautifull aroma in the same time.

:)

Poland has Sliwowica too!

I drank Slivovica once, It was Slovakian I think. 70%, so not much different than Spirytus.

Interesting

It means that Slivovica exist among Western, Eastern (Grzegorz mentioned Slovakian Sliv.) and Southern Slavs. So, plum Brandy represent universal Slavic drink. Maybe that was famous old potion of vitality and strenght, mantioned in old Slavic chronicles. :)

If I call some of my friends to taste some good Slivovica, I say (on Serbian sleng)- Ajmo (Idemo) na šljivku! [Let`s go to shlivka!]

:)

From the looks of things, you seem not to know exactly what you are talking about.

As for poles hating Russians? Not really. Russian government/state, yes. People? No.

But Russian people elected Putin ?
I am not great fan of Putin's regime but it could be a lot worse take Vladimir Zhirinovski or National Bolsheviks for example. Putin has stabilized Russia, the worst mafiosos are in jail etc