The Past
On November 11th Poland celebrated a 100 year anniversary since it has returned to the map of Europe. People around the world joined in festivities to commemorate the rebirth of Poland since it has regained its independence after it has been parcelled out by the German Kingdom of Prussia, Austria and Russia for 123 years. Monuments and prominent buildings lit up in white and red-the colors of the Polish flag. Taken back independence fulfilled the dreams of generations of citizens who had kept the language and culture functioning despite foreign rule and repression. It wasn’t the end of trouble for Poland as it has been invaded from the west by Germany again on September 1, 1939, and shortly after from the east on September 17th, 1939 by Russia.
Poland was not a part of the Soviet Union
Many people are mistaken to think of Poland as one of the Soviet countries. Indeed, after the end of World War II, Poland was deeply controlled by the Russian communist state, however never officially a part of the Soviet Union. Years of oppression and socialist control took it’s toll and deeply influenced the economy, growth, culture and social lives of Poles. However one must know that Polish people rely on very deeply rooted traditions, sense of unity fostered by very devout Catholic Church following and great respect for family bonds.
New Era and Growth
During the early 1990’s Poland transformed its economy into a robust market economy. Despite temporary slumps in social and economic standards, Poland was the first post-communist country to reach its pre-1989 GDP levels (New World Encyclopedia, n.d.) Numerous improvements in human rights, such as free speech were also notable.
Poland joined the European Union in 2004 and experienced further, very dynamic growth. The successful transition from the state-directed economy allowed for an improved quality of life index, a growing range of exports, a hefty jump in investments and steadily increasing GDP.
Experience Poland
Poland is a wonderful country to experience, whether you are planning to visit as a tourist, do business there, spend a semester, or even drop an anchor for longer. It’s vibrant, culturally ambitious, eagerly English speaking young generation will make for fantastic lifelong friends and show you the world famous Polish hospitality. There are a few things that one would find useful before planning a trip. As a reminder, Poland is not a tiny castaway state, lost somewhere in the middle of the Eastern European void. It is the 9th largest country in Europe (by area as well as by population), located right next to Germany with the Baltic Sea on the north and the Carpathian Mountains on the south. The only Russian territory it borders is Kaliningrad, which is an isolated enclave (Oleksiak, 2015).
Poles are very direct people, that judge based on personal accomplishments and virtues. They speak very directly, rarely hiding the truth, however, pay attention to keeping things polite and diplomatic. Visitors especially seem to be surprised often with the level of directness. Business dealings are usually very official until more of a personal rapport has been established. Even then, it is advised to refrain from using a person’s first name unless directed to do so. Social interactions are also quite formal until a friendly rapport has been established.
Similarly to Italians ( Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2011)Poles identify themselves with their religion, family or hobbies more than with their job and define themselves by their network of relationships and connections they enjoy. They are extremely hospitable and would host a stranger with more care and attention that a family member could get. I would encourage everyone to visit Poland, learn more about its culture and history and possibly even find out about some exciting business opportunities.
References
Moran, R. A., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2011) Managing cultural differences (9th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
New World Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Poland. Retrieved from: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Poland
Oleksiak, W. (2015, Oct 2). Culture. Retrieved from: https://culture.pl/en/article/6-misconceptions-about-poland
cpc5298 says
It is interested to read about the Polish people being hospitable and friendly with strangers, considering how challenging their experiences with foreign persons has been in modern times. You reference the invasion of the county by Russian and Germany at the beginning of World War II, but the military invasion was just the beginning of the victimization of the Polish people by both invaders. Most of the continent experienced the physical damage of battle and the loss of military and civilian lives, but Poland’s suffering began early and extended well past the official end of WWII.
Soviet Union Army and NKVD secret police slaughtered an estimated 20,000 Polish Army officers and civilian leaders in the Katyn Forest Massacre in 1940 (New World Encyclopedia, 2017). The Soviets also deported over a million Polish nationals to the east during the war and later occupied Poland post-war, making the county part of their sphere of influence. The Germans conducted mass killings centered on Polish Jews, but also included other ethnic groups in their network of concentration/forced labor camps located in Poland (Holocaust Encyclopedia, 2018). The near-extermination of the Jewish population during the war was followed by the suppression of Catholic faith during Soviet Occupation (New World Encyclopedia, 2017). Poland’s renewal as a free country in 1990 is a fairly new development in a country with a history of hardship.
The directness in business dealings and formal social interactions make sense, based on the cultural and historical experiences. I’m fascinated with people who can undergo such hardships and manage to retain an open and hospitable attitude to others.
References:
Holocaust Encyclopedia. (2018). Killing centers; In depth. Retrieved November 25, 2018, from http://www.holocuastencyclopedia.com: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/killing-centers-in-depth
New World Encyclopedia. (2017). Katyn Massacre. Retrieved November 25, 2018, from http://www.newworldencylopedia.com: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Katyn_Massacre