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Originally Posted by tonyz
Concur - experienced the Poles thirst for freedom, autonomy and capitalism first-hand in their early transition years.
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Ditto. It remains pretty strong throughout their culture. In proofing a good friend's manuscript of his Dad's time in the Holy Cross Brygada, the one thing that really struck me as different from the various "underground/guerrilla" outfits of the time - many of whom were cooperating with the Soviets to their ultimate demise - was that the Brygada's FIRST mission was to preserve the Polish culture, traditions & values from 2 oppressors who would prefer them obliterated from the earth. Not picking fights they couldn't win (or those that would bring severe reprisals on their own kind) was one of their hallmarks as they still managed to school their children in the forests. Teachers were largely just that & what they'd been before the war (said status earning them a swift trip to the room with a floor drain in the wrong hands).
Everytime they or the Czechs or the Hungarians do something like this, it's another cup of water poured on the wicked witch of the West & her Merkelons.