:: Stereotypes about Poland  ::

Poland in the first years of the twenty- first century is a modern country. We had many cultural and economic transformations that in the near future will bring our nation to a “better tomorrow”. Finally after years of fighting, Poland can make their mark in Europe because we are very close to enter the European Union. But unfortunately the stereotypes of Polish people haven’t changed much over all those years.

In Europe our nation is still marked with the communism, and many people still think that our nation still has a communist government. For example: Only 33 percent of Austrians, 17 percent of Spaniards and 8 percent of Swedes know that Poland like other western countries has a parliamentary system (“Warsaw Voice”).

Another stereotypes of Polish people is a “freedom-fighter”. Why? Because there were many situations when Polish men and women had to unite to fight for their freedom. For example: in the 19th century when Polish people were fighting for their independence, or in the 1980’s when our nation had to face with the communism.

Another not such good stereotype is that the most of the world think of us “Polish people are poor and they are car thieves”. But we can find positive opinions about Poland, for example on the Internet we can find pages were immigrants from other countries are saying good things about our nations, they’re saying that they haven’t met with unpleasant behaviour from our side (the one of the stereotypes says that in Poland live only people who are racists, and don’t like to be disturbed in their own homes)

The government is trying to fight with this kind of stereotypes by making a program, where Poland is shown in much brighter light, and it’s directed to people from EU, to show them good sides of Poland and to say that they are always welcome. This program started on EXPO in Hannover in year 2000, and in the near future perhaps we will see good results of this program and Polish stereotypes in the world will change.

Arkadiusz Tomczyk-text Katarzyna Gajowa-drawings

:: Are The Polish Dumb?  ::

Stereotypes.What really are they? How do they affect our look? And what can we do to overthrow them, if they are showing us in bad light? Well...I think, that stereotypes about Polish people are very wrong. And there are many, many things that can prove it!

First of all I would like to tell the people, who don't think like I do,that WE ARE NOT DUMB! I'm really puzzled that there are some people on the earth who don't know us at all (even though there are so many Polish people changing our world) but they say many deceitful words...I'm telling it, because I've found in the Internet some pages with jokes about Poles. Some of them were quite funny;), but there were really unpleasant too!

Here, I will introduce you some of my most famous compatriots:

MARIA SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE

Big part of population think that she was French, buT she wasn't. She was born in Warsaw, in 1867, and her greatest discoveries were two elements: polonium (named in honour of Poland)and radium, thanks to which,in 1903, Skłodowska-Curie got (as first woman) her Nobel prize in physics. Eight years later she got second Nobel prize in chemistry for her work on Radium compounds.

ROMAN POLAŃSKI

He's famous for his prominent films, for example: "Rosemary's baby", "Knife in the water", "Chinatown", "Tess", and "The Pianist". The "Pianist" was made on the basis of Władysław Spielman's diary, talking about authentic II World War events. Polański was born in 1933-this means that he went through the horror of the war, and he wanted to tell other people about it. Polański is appreciated for his works, and he got many great awards (Venice Film Festival Critics Prize Award,Golden Globe Award,Los Angeles Film Critics Award,Cannes Film Festival, Palme d'Or, Oscar for best director

MIKOŁAJ KOPERNIK

He was an educated man: a great astronomer, mathematician, economist, doctor...even a military commander. Kopernik is a very well-known person, because he he made a discovery that changed the way people were thinking about the universe. He discovered the orbit of the sun and the nine planets and published an important work called "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium", where he included his new heliocentric theory.

KAZIMIERZ FUNK

Polish biochemist. People know him because he discovered first vitamin (B1) and brought in this term, then he created science about vitamins.He coined the term `vital amine' or `vitamine', later changed to vitamin. Funk also carried out important work into animal hormones and into cancer, diabetes and ulcers. He also improved methods for drug manufacture.

TADEUSZ KOŚCIUSZKO

He is mainly our national hero, but he affected the United States' history too. Kościuszko was Polish and American general and took part in the war leaded to reach the independence of the USA.
"From one man we can have but one life" - wrote about Kosciuszko President Thomas Jefferson "and you gave us the most valuable and active part of yours, and we are now enjoying and improving its effects. Every sound American, sincere votary of freedom loves and honors you...".

JAN PAWEŁ II(Karol Wojtyła)

An introduction is unnecessary here. Everybody know this great man. People call him: "Pope-the pilgrim" because there weren't any Pope, who travelled as lot as Jan Paweł II. But I'm talking about wise Poles, so let me say, that our Pope is an author of many educational works (mainly poems and dramas) broaching ethical and religious subjects. He is loved by thousands of people, because he not only understand their problems, but also is trying to sort them out.

STEFAN BANACH

One of the most outstanding mathematicians of the world.He's one of creators of functional analysis. Interestingly, Banach learned everything himself-he didn't graduate any high school, but he was a professor, and than a dean in the universitate in Lwiw. He was even founder of mathematical magazine "Studia Mathematica".

Well...I've just described shortly only few people, but there are many more great Poles, who have changed the world. I think, that those who thought that our nation is stupid, should think about it once again!

Anna Isajewicz