How do Poles think about Germans?

[pieter]

[pieter]

[pieter]

Dear friends,

The differences in Europe are smaller today than let's say in the fourties, fifties, sixties, eighties, nineties and maybe even also in the beginning of the 21th century. I see Polish and Czech tourists in the Netherlands, where in the past I only saw Polish, Czech, Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian workers. You see Central- and Eastern-European students, musicians, artists, dancers, theatre people and other kind of people over here and in Germany today.

When I look at the very nice German girls or young women I have to say that they look like young girls and women in Arnhem. Is it because it is in the East of the Netherlands or is it because Dutch and German women aren't that different? I don't think so. German women and girls are in general different. But these girls and women were more cultural, interested and Bohemian than average Germans. I talk about the two very beautiful German girls in short black dresses and the German girl with a guitar on her back and with the glasses on.

I still hope that we in the future can keep our European diversity of nation states and regions, and in the same time have enclaves, towns and cities with Pan-European culture, settlement and cooperation. Amsterdam, Berlin, Krakow, Warsaw, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Brussels, Paris and still London are interesting, because these are Pan-European cities with students, expats, workers, cultural foundations of several European nations.

Arnhem is nice for me partly, because of the cultural and artistic climate over here and the fact that there are Germans, Poles, Austrian, Swiss people, Kurds, Turks, jews, Arabs, Greeks, Armenians, regional Low Saxon people, Iranians, British people and Belgians over here. If it was 100% Dutch Arnhem would be incredible boring and dull. That's just my opinion. I loved Amsterdam, because it was a vibrant, cosmopolitan and multi-cultural city and the same time very authentic Amsterdam. For instace for me Zürich, Vienna and Munich were a bit boring, because they were rather provincial if you compare them to Berlin, Amsterdam and even Copenhagen.

Were cultures meet, confront eachother, clash, border each other, impregnate eachother, partly merge and create energy when they collide; they create new forms of culture, art, science, innovation, ideas, works of art, relationships, political movements, challanges and energy. That was in the ancient times of Alexandria in Egypt with it's mix of Faronic Egypotian people (Arabs/Berbers/African), Greeks and semitic hebrews (jews), Constantinople in the Byzantine Empire with it's population of Greeks, Armenians, Turks, Kurds, Syrians, Slavs and Georgians, and Cordoba in Moorish Islamic Spain. Córdoba was one of the most advanced cities in the world as well as a great cultural, political, financial and economic centre.

I left the main track of the Polish-German relationship and how both peoples think about eachother, and took a larger approach in looking at how peoples in general interact and view eachother. National, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, racial, financial, economical, social, psychological/sociological and historical differences always play a role. But in general people have more similarities than differences. It is funny and amazing how for instance people from Western civilizations, countries, nations and thus people see other people from other Western civilizations, nations and cultures. I will post a very funny image Americans have about the Netherlands in the next video. This was a plea for tolerance, (mutual) respect, diversity and pluriformity and thus cosmopolitanism in a time and age this is increasingly impopular in Europe and the USA.

Cheers,
Pieter

[pieter]

It is a funny, realistic and honest report. Sometimes somewhat confrontational. When he speaks about the Dutch directness and bluntness. I personally like the politeness, etiquette of for instance the Brits, Americans, Poles and for instance French. I don't like sometimes that blunt Dutch directness. Even to the extend that if foreign guest would visit the Netherlands I would like to inform and warn them for Dutch bluntness, like I warned Jaga for blunt Dutch or Moroccan cab drivers in Amsterdam. Jeanne, once said to me that she met or knew Dutch people who could be rather blunt in the USA. But she liked them. I don't like that Dutch bluntness and lack of etiquette. Maybe I have some Polishness left in me. I hope that I am not that blunt myself.

[pieter]

We look like Germans in their behavior. It must be difficult for Asians in Germanic cultures, due to the lack of etiquette and tast for status, respect and decency, in their Germanic bluntness.
We are probably worse than Germany. The Asians will have difficulties with food over here too.

[karl]

Pieter

A very interesting social situation of interaction between peoples of a different culture with the changes from their respective country and then to live in Europe. For as time has prepared us for change, most people fit in very well in todays respective society with various differences that are noticeable but of a minor nature.

There was once the time, my self could spot Russian people across the street and difference them from other Eastern state people. Just by the apperance of how they dressed and they carried a certain look about them that differed them from most people {German}. Now, until they speak, they simply fit in as most in the manner of their personal carrage, grooming and dress. For some years past, Russians and Eastern state fellows would wear in summer, sandels and a suit jacket over rumpled pants and open shirt. The ladies usually wore a print dress and covered their hair with a scarf, not always, but for the most part yes.

Very few people look at the shoes worn by people, but this is a good indication of their social status commensurate with their station in life. Very careful people, most always wear well kept shoes for various reasons with the standing. Not every thing with people is a constantant, but enough to observe by.

Ladies are very careful in shoe selection, for style, appearance and social acceptance. This as well as their clothing choices, especially the younger ladies that wish to be noticed, in as well as the established ladies wishing to just dress to their personal tast.

For the most part, it is interesting that the ladies as they age, generally show less and less of their exposed legs. An indicator of maturity and confidence of their place in life and social standing. Then again we are dealing with variables when dealing with people. For they change with various constants of situations,personal dealings, out side enfluences, changes in social requirements and mental attitudes.


Karl