Old School Commies.....A Question

[polymath]

As the son of a Pole, I can comfortably say that the above analyses are correct. But this:
"the Germans however would never have dared do the things they did in Poland in Germany itself"
isn't the case. Krystalnacht (sp?), burning the Reichstag, concentration camps, god knows all the c**p that happened in Germany, don't forget.
No, the real threat was the German racial programs, and the fate in store for the Slavic races in general, which was that they would be a slave race and taught only enough for the most basic and menial labour (taught to count to five, say, and other such measures). Not the same fate as held in store for the Jews, but held in similar regard. It is this (after the fact that they invaded us) more than anything that caused the hatred of the Germans by all Slavic peoples.
My father, aunt, grandma, grandad and great grandma were all sent to a Siberian gulag by the Russians so the hatred for the Russians is rather more personal, and colours any other considerations. Perhaps another Pole here could comment on that aspect - everyone but my great grandma survived the gulag (she starved herself to death to feed my dad and aunt) and made it to beautiful England, so they were fortunate in the end. Millions were not.
</ramble>

 

[Vrylakas]

Sgrig wrote:

Actually you pointed out an interesting thing: under communism, all nationalities 'suffer' equally, while under fascism, some nationalities suffer more than others! So I guess there is some equality in communism after all!

Yes, I would agree; communism was a great leveler that united all in misery.

Polymath wrote:

As the son of a Pole, I can comfortably say that the above analyses are correct. But this:
"the Germans however would never have dared do the things they did in Poland in Germany itself"
isn't the case. Krystalnacht (sp?), burning the Reichstag, concentration camps, god knows all the c**p that happened in Germany, don't forget.
No, the real threat was the German racial programs, and the fate in store for the Slavic races in general, which was that they would be a slave race and taught only enough for the most basic and menial labour (taught to count to five, say, and other such measures). Not the same fate as held in store for the Jews, but held in similar regard. It is this (after the fact that they invaded us) more than anything that caused the hatred of the Germans by all Slavic peoples.

Hitler certainly did have a special disdain for the Slavs, Poles because of their impudence in becoming independent in 1918 and the Russians for being...well, just being in the way. However, while the Nazis did indeed do some nasty things in Germany itself as you've pointed out, they also took note that public reaction to these events was often reserved, or even negative. For instance the camps; an experimental extermination camp was established outside Vienna to deal with German invalids but local reaction was so horrified that the Germans placed the bulk of the extermination camps in occupied Poland. Hitler was acutely aware of Germans' sensibilities for public order and decency, which also explains his strange on-again, off-again relationship with both the Catholic and Lutheran churches. He kept a tight rein on Nazi activities in Germany and occupied Western Europe but allowed the full brunt of his ideological madness fall upon us in the East.

My father, aunt, grandma, grandad and great grandma were all sent to a Siberian gulag by the Russians so the hatred for the Russians is rather more personal, and colours any other considerations. Perhaps another Pole here could comment on that aspect - everyone but my great grandma survived the gulag (she starved herself to death to feed my dad and aunt) and made it to beautiful England, so they were fortunate in the end. Millions were not. </ramble>

This is not a ramble, Poly; this is history. A shocking family history, but sadly not an isolated one. This story has been repeated countless times. It's amazing what we've all done to one another throughout our histories.