Poland - Culture Smart! The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture - Softcover

Greg Allen; Culture Smart!

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1857337093 ISBN 13: 9781857337099

Publisher: Kuperard, 2015

Synopsis

The changes in Polish life, culture, economics, and development have been remarkable. And the pace of change shows little sign of abating. Through twenty-five years of post-Communist transformation and ten years as a member of the European Union, some Polish cities, like Warsaw, Krakow, Pozna , and Wroc aw, have experienced an economic renaissance thanks largely to direct foreign investment, EU funds, and an influx of tourists. Much of the countryside, and cities like od and Lublin, however, are shadows of their former selves. The mass emigration of Polish workers following European integration has had as significant an effect on Poland as it has on the destination countries, such as the UK. Despite a crisis of confidence in the country's direction, a swing toward political populism, and the tragic death of the Polish president in the Smolensk disaster of 2010, Poland is the only EU member not to have suffered economic contraction in the years following the 2007-08 global financial crisis. That Poland continues to develop in growth and influence is a testament to the legendary Polish resolve in the face of adversity. This new, updated edition of "Culture Smart! Poland "provides visitors with an insight into everyday life in today's Poland. From the country's rich and tragic history to the growth of a modern economy, from the rustic rural countryside to the Warsaw hipster scene, the reader will gain an appreciation of Polish culture much deeper than that to be found in conventional travel guides.

About this title

About the Author

GREGORY ALLEN, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bolton, specialising in cross-cultural management in Central and Eastern Europe and contemporary Philosophy. He has written a number of academic publications on Poland and other countries in the region as well as magazine articles and book editorials. After twelve years living and working in Poland, Gregory now lives in Lancashire, England, although he continues to travel regularly to Poland.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Poland

By Gregory Allen

Bravo Ltd

Copyright © 2015 Kuperard
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-85733-709-9

Contents

Cover, 
Title Page, 
Copyright, 
About the Author, 
Map of Poland, 
Introduction, 
Key Facts, 
Chapter 1: LAND AND PEOPLE, 
Chapter 2: VALUES AND ATTITUDES, 
Chapter 3: CUSTOMS AND FESTIVALS, 
Chapter 4: MAKING FRIENDS, 
Chapter 5: AT HOME, 
Chapter 6: TIME OUT, 
Chapter 7: TRAVEL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY, 
Chapter 8: BUSINESS BRIEFING, 
Chapter 9: COMMUNICATING, 
Appendix: Some Useful Web Sites, 
Further Reading, 

CHAPTER 1

LAND & PEOPLE

Welcome to Poland, the historical bridge between East and West at the heart of Europe. Poland is a relatively large European country, with an area of 120,628 square miles (312,700 sq. km); it is slightly smaller than Germany and slightly larger than Italy. Its population of 38.3 million makes it the sixth most populous of the European Union's twenty-eight member states.

Poland is a land of contrasts. One of the newer member states of the European Union with a growing, increasingly high-tech, economy, it still has a massive agricultural sector in which farming methods have changed little over the centuries. The long Baltic coast to the north gives way to a wide central plain, and in the south are the rocky peaks of the Tatry Mountains. The large cities, such as Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, and Wroclaw, with their bright lights, modern facilities, and nightlife are in stark contrast to the backward villages of the countryside where life can appear to have stood still for a hundred years. The youth of Poland have embraced a modern, Western lifestyle, while much of the older generation remains very traditional. Even the climate is one of contrasts, with hot summers and cold, snowy winters. This contrast exists not only on a macro scale but also in individuals. Among the educated youth a strong sense of tradition persists, and even the most traditional Poles know how to enjoy themselves when the occasion calls for it.

Walking through the center of Warsaw today, it is hard to believe that not so long ago this was the capital of a bankrupt Communist state. Polish city centers are full of shops, boutiques, cafés, restaurants, pubs, and clubs. The cafés of Krakow and Wroclaw are every bit as charming and distinctive as those of Paris or Madrid. This is in stark contrast, however, to the rural countryside. While many of Poland's large cities have enjoyed the fruits of the recent growth of a free market economy, the countryside has not. In many small villages little has changed in the past twenty years, except for a slide into neglect and the migration of the youth to larger towns and cities.

Never feel shy about asking Poles to describe the changes that have transformed their country and society. In fact, there is often no need to ask, as many Poles are just as keen to share their views on the country as they are to hear a foreigner's.

GEOGRAPHICAL OVERVIEW

Poland is bordered to the west by Germany, to the south by the Czech and Slovak Republics, to the east by the Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania, and to the northeast by the tiny Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. The Baltic Sea defines the northern border.

The country is dominated by a large, central plain that encompasses the cities of Warsaw, Poznan, and Lodz. The port city of Gdansk is located on the Baltic. The entire southern part of the country is mountainous, with the highest peaks of the Tatry Mountains, 70 miles (113 km) south of Krakow, reaching an elevation of 8,200 feet (2,499 m). Two major rivers, the Vistula (Wisla) and the Oder (Odra), flow from the mountains in the south to the Baltic. The cities of Warsaw, Krakow, and Gdansk were built along the Vistula. The Oder forms a large part of the German–Polish border and has its mouth near the city of Szczecin in the northeast.

Major population centers are spread throughout the country, with Warsaw lying near the middle of the central plain, geographically isolated from any notable topographic features. Due west of Warsaw, approximately 200 miles (322 km) on the recently completed highway to Berlin, is Poznan. Gdansk on the Baltic coast lies alongside Gdynia and Sopot; collectively they are known as the tri-city. Krakow is situated some 200 miles south of Warsaw, just north of the Tatry Mountains. Wroclaw is located in the southwest of the country, north of the Sudety Mountains, which continue into the Czech Republic and eastern Germany.

Climate

Poland has a primarily continental climate, tempered by the Baltic Sea in the north. Summers are typically hot and sunny, and the time when city residents flee in droves to the countryside, lakes, seaside, or mountains. In fact, Warsaw in the middle of summer can feel like a ghost town, deserted but for the tourists wandering around. The hot weather normally lasts from late May till early September, although this varies greatly from year to year.

Fall can range from dark and gloomy to stunningly beautiful. The famous Polish golden autumn has a deserved reputation. Perhaps the best words to describe Warsaw winters are gray and damp. These are in stark contrast to the snowy peaks of the mountainous south where the food, hospitality, and mulled beer should not be missed!

A BRIEF HISTORY

"To be defeated and not submit, that is victory; to be victorious and rest on one's laurels, that is defeat."

Jozef Pilsudski (1867–1935), Polish commander-in-chief and statesman

Few countries have been more fought over than Poland. The Russians, Prussians, Tatars, Turks, Swedes, Austrians, and Germans have all fought over this land. That the Polish nation exists at all today is a testament to the resilience and character of its people.

History shapes the mind-set of any nation, but this point has a special significance in the case of Poland. The suppression of their culture, traditions, religion, and language in various periods of their history has had a strong effect on the way Poles view themselves and their relations with others. From their checkered past has come the Poles' indomitable spirit. They have lost many battles but not the war, and their vibrant culture and economy are proof of this.

Today's Poles are very conscious of their history and take great pride in their heritage and culture, which has been interwoven with the Catholic Church. Their national identity has largely been forged by the Church, which continues to be very influential in modern Polish society.

The Polish perception of their own history is far from objective, however. They prefer to focus on and take inspiration from the resilience of their ancestors and the continuity of their culture through the centuries. This has too often had the effect of turning Poland into an introverted nation, all too often detached, politically and psychologically, from the rest of Europe. European Union membership and steady economic growth are, however, having a positive impact on Poland's reengagement with the rest of the continent.

Through the prism of their history, the Poles see themselves as a strong, noble nation that has consistently been on the morally correct side of conflicts, if not always the victorious side. This has contributed to a self-image of victimhood. Rather than expecting support from beyond their borders, Poles learned to cope alone as best they could. Even today, foreigners in Poland are often told how the rest of the world has consistently abandoned Poland in its time of need.

The following section introduces some of the most important developments in the history of the Polish nation.

Origins

Little is known about the origins of the earliest inhabitants of Poland. It is believed that they were a mixture of hunter- gatherers and farmers who helped develop the first trading routes through the region. The remains of a sixth-century BCE settlement, Biskupin, were unearthed in the 1930s and can be seen today. This trade included the Amber Road, dating back to the fifth century BCE, linking the Baltic Sea to Rome and the Mediterranean.

In the last years of the first millennium BCE Celtic and Germanic tribes, among others, started launching raids into the region. In response to these attacks, the native settlers and nomads began to organize themselves into larger groups. One of these groups was the Slavs, who are believed to have first arrived in the territory of modern-day Poland in the sixth or seventh century CE. They had migrated west from the area of Belarus while other Slavic tribes moved south and east.

Being outside the Roman Empire, the peoples of the area were less advanced than their neighbors to the south and west. Nevertheless, they organized themselves into tribal communities with clear power structures, administrative centers, and trading settlements. The Slavs of the region thrived with the increase in trade and one of these groups, the Polanie, eventually settled in the central plain of modern-day Poland and laid the foundations of what would become the Polish nation.

The Piast Dynasty

From the ninth century, the Polanie were ruled by the Piast dynasty, which marks the beginnings of a Polish nation. Under Piast rule, Polish language and culture began to flourish.

Christianity came in 966 CE with the baptism of the Piast prince, Mieszko I. Mieszko wisely chose to accept Christianity directly from Rome, and thereby avoided the forced conversion of his pagan people at the hands of the Frankish German Empire. The Polish Church was established in the year 1000, directly under the control and protection of Rome. The first Polish King, Boleslaw the Brave, was crowned twenty-five years later, thus establishing the Kingdom of Poland.

In an incident bearing a striking similarity to the later assassination of Thomas à Becket at the behest of King Henry II of England, Stanislaw, the Bishop of Krakow, was murdered in 1079 on behalf of King Boleslaw II. This followed a series of uprisings against Boleslaw's rule in which Stanislaw had taken a leading role. These events set a precedent of the Church finding itself at odds with the ruling power of the time, which was to recur through the centuries, often with dire consequences.

In the year 1226, Duke Konrad of Mazovia, who was under attack from pagan Baltic tribes, requested assistance from the Teutonic Knights, a German Christian military order who were to have a significant and lasting influence on Poland. The Knights eventually turned on the Poles and gained control over the area of Prussia, depriving Poland of access to the sea. Their impressive architectural skills culminated in the massive castle in Marienburg, present-day Malbork, a tourist destination not to be missed! In addition, the port of Gdansk (Danzig), which had previously been controlled by a local Slav dynasty, was conquered and subsequently developed in this period. In taking Gdansk, the Teutonic Knights slaughtered the local population and invited German settlers into the city.

The Tatar Invasions

Another great but devastating foreign influence came from the Tatars, who first invaded Poland in 1241. The Tatars were nomadic Mongolian warriors from Central Asia, feared for their equestrian and archery skills. Although they owed allegiance to Genghis Khan, the Tatars operated independently, launching raids into Russian, Polish, Czech, and Hungarian territory and returning with their spoils to the steppe lands of Central Asia.

The invasions were swift and destructive. Villages were plundered and burned, and those who could fled far from their homes. Polish defenses proved no match for these skilled horsemen, and the great Polish cities of Legnica and Krakow were destroyed.

The rebuilding process that followed the Tatar invasions saw the development of a number of towns that were largely inhabited by foreign settlers. Germans introduced their own culture and traditions as well as their skills in a variety of trades. Another minority group that grew in size during this period was the Jews. They contributed to the economic growth of the kingdom despite the Church's displeasure at the tolerance shown them by the king, Boleslaw the Pious, who granted them a royal charter in 1264.

Kazimierz the Great

Toward the end of the Piast dynasty, Krakow flourished as the capital under King Kazimierz III (1333–70). Better known as Kazimierz the Great, he was to be the last of the Piast kings. It was in this period that one of Europe's first universities was established in Krakow. It still exists today as the Jagiellonian University, one of the country's most prestigious academic institutions.

The year 1331 saw the first sitting of the Polish parliament. Kazimierz III greatly extended Poland's borders and oversaw the writing of the country's first legal code. The country, and Krakow in particular, thrived thanks largely to the bustling east–west and north–south trade routes that crossed through Poland. It is said that Kazimierz "found Poland built of wood and left her built of stone."

The Jagiellonian Dynasty (1386–1572)

Without a male heir, Kazimierz the Great left the throne to his nephew, Louis the Great of Hungary. After much confusion as to who should sit on the Polish throne, Louis's crown eventually passed to his eleven-year-old daughter, Jadwiga, in 1384. Jadwiga wed the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Jagiello in 1386, who accepted Christianity on behalf of his nation and was baptized as Wladyslaw II Jagiello. This union acted to protect Lithuania from the Teutonic Knights, whose mission it was to forcibly convert the pagan peoples of Eastern Europe. The marriage marked the beginning of the Polish–Lithuanian union, perhaps the only successful such union in Polish history, and created what was the largest country in Europe. This union helped to keep the Tatars and Teutonic Knights at bay, while extending the kingdom's borders from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

The Battle of Grünwald (Tannenberg)

Mongol invasions plagued Poland through the thirteenth century, but in the fifteenth century a group of Tatars came to Poland's aid. In the summer of 1410, Jagiello led a mixed army of Poles, Lithuanians, Orthodox Christians, Tatars, and Bohemian Hussites to a long-awaited victory over the Teutonic Knights in the battle of Grünwald. The German Order had enlisted the help of various Western European countries to combat the "pagan" Lithuanians and their Polish supporters. In fact, many of the Lithuanians who took part in the battle of Grünwald had not yet embraced Christianity, not to mention the Muslim Tatar troops. Although they comprised a minority of the forces, for Poles Grünwald is a symbol of victory in the face of oppression. Local villagers armed with nothing more than wooden clubs helped swell the numbers and joined in to defeat the military might of the Teutonic Knights with their superior weaponry and skills. Poland was finally free of this menace and the subsequent peace saw the Polish–Lithuanian Union increase its share of the region, although the Teutonic Knights were permitted to retain their stronghold at Marienburg.

With Jagiellonians briefly holding power concurrently in Hungary and Bohemia as well as Poland–Lithuania, the combined empire eventually stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea and came within a stone's throw of Moscow. This massive territory held within it a variety of ethnic groups including Poles, Lithuanians, Estonians, Ukrainians, Prussians, Muslim Tatars, and Jews.

Religious Tolerance

Poland was known as a land of religious tolerance, where each group could practice its faith without fear of persecution. Between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries Jews came in large numbers from the west — mostly from German lands and Bohemia — escaping the persecution and massacres that accompanied the Crusades and the Black Death, and later following their expulsion from Spain. Unlike the largely peasant Slavic population, they were city dwellers and craftsmen, and experienced in trade and fiscal matters. For these reasons Polish kings and princes encouraged them to settle and offered them protection. Occasioned by Poland's need for merchants and tradesmen, this influx resulted in a thriving Jewish community. Another ethnic minority, the Prussians, were given considerable autonomy in order to provide the skills needed to drive economic expansion.

The Renaissance in Poland

While the cultural explosion of the Renaissance for the most part passed neighboring Russia by, Polish arts and sciences flourished during this period, with many influential thinkers taking advantage of Poland's tolerance of ideas not supported by the Church. The sixteenth century was a "Golden Age" of cultural, academic, and economic activity. This period saw Nicholas Copernicus (Mikolaj Kopernik) publish On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres, postulating that the Earth revolved around the Sun. Polish art, architecture, and literature were strongly influenced by Renaissance Italy.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Poland by Gregory Allen. Copyright © 2015 Kuperard. Excerpted by permission of Bravo Ltd.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Kuperard
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1857337093
• ISBN 13: 9781857337099
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 168