Polish people drink a lot of vodka? Culture? or is it to do with the Soviet era?

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Edited by: milky Jun 27, 11, 09:07 #1

http://www.travelexpertguide.org/forum/Europe/My-Question-is-why-do-Po lish-people-drink-a-lot-of-vodka-333862.htm
The selling of alchohol was restricted during the Soviet era. People were allowed only a certain amount per week, so beer obviously did not thrive, as it did in the West #freemarket. . Is this, and not, ancient culture, a reason Poles etc drink so much vodka.
Has Eastern Europe just maintained pre WW2 European drinking patterns. For example, if Ireland had of been part of the Soviet Union, would the Irish be drinking Whiskey today, the same as Poles are drinking Vodka now.

southernThreads: 116 Posts: 10,959 Joined: May 17, 07 ♂	Edited by: southern Jun 27, 11, 09:40 #2
Probably the communist regime wanted people to drink more vodka so they would be more susceptible to its propaganda. However all Slavs show an affinity to strong drinks.

milkyThreads: 10 Posts: 1,229 Joined: Oct 26, 09 ♀	Jun 27, 11, 10:19 #3
southern: However all Slavs show an affinity to strong drinks. My point is, that in the past we all did.

dxxThreads: 17 Posts: 118 Joined: Jul 22, 08 ♂	Jun 27, 11, 15:18 #4
It is a fact that Polish, Russian, Slovakian drink more Wodka than other people. The reason why? Because they actually have wodka that tastes like something instead of commercialized dishwater called Smirnoff!

PennBoyThreads: 157 Posts: 3,443 Joined: Dec 7, 08 ♂	Jun 27, 11, 15:24 #5
dxx: It is a fact that Polish, Russian, Slovakian drink more Wodka than other people. Probably true. But it's mostly the older generation that prefers vodka the younger likes beer. But the Russian style of drinking half a glass at a time no chaser was never adapted by Poles.

Marek11111Threads: 49 Posts: 1,955 Joined: Aug 6, 09 ♂	Jun 27, 11, 15:37 #6
I think the olde you get you look for stronger drinks then beer

alexw68	Jun 27, 11, 15:45 #7
Marek11111: I think the olde you get you look for stronger drinks then beer On that logic, old boy, I should be on rocket fuel these days.

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Jun 27, 11, 15:52 #8

Nordic countries like strong drinks to... It is because of the cold and long winter nights probably. Nothing better to get a warm felling (even if it is false) and cheer up a little bit like grandma liqueur...
Anyway it is an old legend that Poles are drinking so much. In fact in terms of alcohol per capita Poland is not a leading country:

PS. and no, bootleg alcohol is not so popular anymore like it used to 20 years ago...

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Jun 27, 11, 21:26 #9

milky:

The selling of alchohol was restricted during the Soviet era. People were allowed only a certain amount per week, so beer obviously did not thrive, as it did in the West #freemarket. .

Another "western" ******* "expert".The selling of stronger alcohol like vodka was indeed limited but it was only couple of years during 80's.The sale of beer or wine was never restricted so check your facts before you post you ******* ignorant.And stop sterotyping you ignorant Irish drunk because I am Polish and I don't drink AT ALL and know plenty of Polish people who don't either.

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Edited by: Nathan Jun 27, 11, 23:46 #10

I think that Soviet Union played a big role in demoralizing people, not all, but on average. My grandma was telling me about the weddings in our little Ukrainian village before the commies came. People had one little grafin (an expanded at the bottom bottle with a round glass cover) for the whole feast and some of it was always left even if the wedding had more than 100 people (the whole village was usually invited). Everyone was cheerful and "zabava" was at full steam. Now, a bottle per person is considered an insult. The granny was saying that when the Russians arrived, they drank Vodka from the buckets and then ran around half-naked chasing girls and swearing like rabid pigs. As a matter of fact, drinks like cognac, which one could not drink much, were either forbidden or in deficit. Vodka was cheaper than water. In a system of total control, repression, absence of expressive voice, choice and other essential for human mind food, many found an escape in this stuff. Vodka gave Soviet Union extra ten years of miserable existance.

PennBoyThreads: 157 Posts: 3,443 Joined: Dec 7, 08 ♂	Jun 27, 11, 23:52 #11
Nathan: I think that Soviet Union played a big role in demoralizing people They did it to their own Russian people, to Ukrainians to Poles others. Because a drunk society doesn't think. Sober people see clearly the conditions they live in and a revolution comes to mind, that was what they were afraid of.

guesswhoThreads: 23 Posts: 3,326 Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀	Jun 28, 11, 01:33 #12
grubas: I am Polish and I don't drink AT ALL good for you grubas: and know plenty of Polish people who don't either. it's true, people are people but you can't deny that (very) many Poles love alcohol. Even kids in my age (back then), were drinking like hell. I'm not trying to make you guys look bad but let's stay by the truth if we're already talking about it.

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Jun 28, 11, 01:54 #13

PennBoy:

They did it to their own Russian people, to Ukrainians to Poles others. Because a drunk society doesn't think. Sober people see clearly the conditions they live in and a revolution comes to mind, that was what they were afraid of.

I absolutely agree with you, PennBoy. Only sober, intelligent, well-informed and trying to establish normal life standards society is able to put fear into any totalitarian system.

guesswhoThreads: 23 Posts: 3,326 Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀	Jun 28, 11, 01:59 #14
PennBoy: They did it to their own Russian people, to Ukrainians to Poles others. Because a drunk society doesn't think. Sober people see clearly the conditions they live in and a revolution comes to mind, that was what they were afraid of. Nathan: I absolutely agree with you, PennBoy. so what are you guys saying, that Poles weren't drinking before Poland was "occupied" by the Soviets?

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Jun 28, 11, 02:09 #15

guesswho:

so what are you guys saying, that Poles weren't drinking before Poland was "occupied" by the Soviets?

Nathan:

My grandma was telling me about the weddings in our little Ukrainian village before the commies came. People had one little grafin (an expanded at the bottom bottle with a round glass cover) for the whole feast and some of it was always left even if the wedding had more than 100 people (the whole village was usually invited). Everyone was cheerful and "zabava" was at full steam.

Poland and Ukraine are close culturally, music, food, language, mentality therefore it was the same in pre war Poland. I'll have to look to find that statistic once again but alcoholism in pre war Poland was something like it was today. During the war it increased about 3 times where 40-50% of the men were alcoholics which was due to the shock of being defeated and occupied also the terrible things that were going on in Poland during occupation. After the war it fell drastically but over time rose again, the government made vodka cheap and there were no anti alcohol campaigns. Once communism fell so did alcohol consumption, people in a capitalist country are now able to have things if they work hard and for that you must be sober.

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Edited by: guesswho Jun 28, 11, 02:15 #16

PennBoy:

During the war it increased about 3 times where 40-50% of the men were alcoholics

OK, that's understandable

PennBoy:

the government made vodka cheap and there were no anti alcohol campaigns

that makes perfect sense as you said earlier.
My question still remains the same, did Poles start drinking because Poland was occupied by the Soviets or is it something traditional, going back to the ancient times?

wildroverThreads: 180 Posts: 8,188 Joined: Jun 7, 07 ♂	Edited by: wildrover Jun 28, 11, 02:22 #17
PennBoy: no anti alcohol campaigns. Really...that suprises me... I was looking at some anti drinking posters put out by the Russians during communist times...it seems they were quite worried by the huge number of drunken people in Russia.... I guess if you want to be a world power its easier if half your population is not drunk... http://www.tululuka.net/alco/

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Jun 28, 11, 02:28 #18

guesswho:

My question still remains the same, did Poles start drinking because Poland was occupied by the Soviets or is it something traditional, going back to ancient times?

Poles always drank just like every European peoples. During the middle ages people in Poland didn't drink water because it was thought of caring diseases. So people sipped on beer or wine all day long not to get drunk but when thirsty, but after drink let's say 5 liters by day's end they did get a little drunk. It got worse during the Saxon kings Augustus II the Strong and Augustus III rule. They only cared about Poland as a source of income and the king title, the nobility and peasantry fell into total drunkenness. After partitions it fell again and so on and so on. So it depended on the economics and how people lived.
Half the countries in Europe drank as much or even more throughout their histories it's not a Polish phenomenon.

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Edited by: grubas Jun 28, 11, 02:32 #19

guesswho:

it's true, people are people but you can't deny that (very) many Poles love alcohol. Even kids in my age (back then), were drinking like hell. I'm not trying to make you guys look bad but let's stay by the truth if we're already talking about it

And so many Americans do.One of my naighbors a 56 y/o woman didn't make it home from a bar few weeks ago and slept few hours in a ditch.My other naighbors a couple in their late fifthies drink every night.He drinks cheap vodka and she does at least 6 silver bullets every night.They don't go out because it is too expensive for them.I am not even going to start about some of my taxi customers I had to deal with when I drove a taxi.My few American gf's had a drinking problem too.I was very surprised (very hard to shock me) when one of them bought big slurrpee cup with some some ice and a bottle of wine at 7-11 and poured wine into the cup in a car.In US drinking and driving is a common thing,why do you think they put sobrity checkpoints on the roads. And yes you do try to make Polish people look like a bunch of alcoholics.You saw couple of drunks in Poland and you stereotyping about 38 milions of people.Do you see me sterotyping about Americans because I know a 23 y/o American girl who gives bj's for a zenex pill?

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Jun 28, 11, 02:35 #20

PennBoy:

Poles always drank just like every European peoples.

OK, that sounds pretty general. If we see it that way, the whole world drinks alcohol :-) Our debate is about, who's drinking more.

PennBoy:

Half the countries in Europe drank as much or even more throughout their histories it's not a Polish phenomenon.

OK, I agree, drinking alcohol is not a Polish phenomenon. The reason I'm digging in it a little is that when I was in Poland, I saw whole bunch of drunks drinking in front of those "Kiosks" and that is absolutely a Polish phenomenon. I haven't observed this kind of behavior anywhere else. What is it about those "Kiosks"? I assume, this is something that comes from the commie era in Poland, right?

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Jun 28, 11, 02:35 #21

guesswho:

My question still remains the same, did Poles start drinking because Poland was occupied by the Soviets or is it something traditional, going back to the ancient times?

I am sure there are many Poles who will blame the Russians for the drink problem . if not for the Russians they would blame the Germans , or the English....

I think the truth is , that the Poles were quite capable of throwing a few down their necks without any help from anybody...

Life was hard for people in Poland , for many it still is...Vodka makes all your problems go away.....as long as you keep drinking it....

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Jun 28, 11, 02:39 #22

wildrover:

Really...that suprises me...

I was looking at some anti drinking posters put out by the Russians during communist times...it seems they were quite worried by the huge number of drunken people in Russia....

That was a once in a while thing done so people think the government knows and cares about the well being of it's citizens, same in Poland and Soviet Union. translate: from the late40s to the beginning of the 80s alcohol consumption in the Soviet Union increased 10 times!!!! http://alkohole.mojdrink.pl/O_Alkoholach-Wodki/511/Historia_wodki
This is a video from communist times in Poland is says "5 million Poles drank intensively (alcoholics) and 6 million occasionally" so a large portion of the adult population drank.

grubasThreads: 20 Posts: 1,452 Joined: Feb 1, 10 ♂	Jun 28, 11, 02:43 #23
wildrover: Life was hard for people in Poland , for many it still is...Vodka makes all your problems go away.....as long as you keep drinking it.... you got it all wrong dude.Life is hard for them because of alcohol be it vodka,beer or jabole.

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Edited by: guesswho Jun 28, 11, 02:44 #24

wildrover:

I think the truth is , that the Poles were quite capable of throwing a few down their necks without any help from anybody..

being honest, I feel the same way about it. I hope, I'm not insulting anyone by saying it as this is not my intention whatsoever.

wildrover:

Life was hard for people in Poland , for many it still is...Vodka makes all your problems go away.....as long as you keep drinking it....

yep, it makes perfect sense.

LlamaticThreads: 4 Posts: 605 Joined: May 26, 11 ♂ [Suspended]	Edited by: Llamatic Jun 28, 11, 02:54 #25
grubas: I know a 23 y/o American girl who gives bj's for a zenex pill? I wanna hear more about this! :D I bought a bottle of my favorite 'Polish' vodka today. It's called Belvedere and over here it is upper shelf and relatively expensive, along the lines of French Grey Goose. Is Belvedere vodka popular (or even known) in Poland?

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Jun 28, 11, 02:59 #26

grubas:

Do you see me sterotyping about Americans because I know a 23 y/o American girl who gives bj's for a zenex pill?

HAHA in my old neighborhood you could find one that would do that for a few cigarettes.
But one thing is for sure Poland has no where near a drug problem like the States do. Crack, Heroin, Oxy Contin (this one's a national epidemic) Meth. So if Poles wanna have a few drinks to numb the pain or to sleep better go ahead!!

guesswhoThreads: 23 Posts: 3,326 Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀	Edited by: guesswho Jun 28, 11, 03:08 #27
PennBoy: But one thing is for sure Poland has no where near a drug problem like the States do. I was offered all kinds of crap when I was there and my friends told me that the drug problem is getting bigger and bigger in Poland (especially teens). You're talking about the past times in Poland my friend.

LlamaticThreads: 4 Posts: 605 Joined: May 26, 11 ♂ [Suspended]	Jun 28, 11, 03:13 #28
Llamatic: Is Belvedere vodka popular (or even known) in Poland? Can anyone answer this? Is this stuff even real Polish vodka?

wildroverThreads: 180 Posts: 8,188 Joined: Jun 7, 07 ♂	Jun 28, 11, 03:14 #29
grubas: Life is hard for them because of alcohol be it vodka,beer or jabole. Sure it does not make the problem go away....it just numbs it... but i know quite a few people here in Poland who have a very hard life and they don,t drink at all...

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Edited by: ShawnH Jun 28, 11, 03:15 #30

Llamatic:

Can anyone answer this? Is this stuff even real Polish vodka?

The one the better half finished off on Saturday night had "Made in Poland" written on it....

Belvedere is a luxury brand[1] of Polish vodka produced and distributed by LVMH.[2] It is named after Belweder, the Polish presidential palace, whose illustration appears on the company's bottles. It is produced exclusively in Poland in the town of Żyrardów[2] and has worldwide distribution.

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