Attitudes Of Poles Research Articles

Attitudes of Poles and Belarusians towards older people – a cross-cultural study

Attitudes of Poles and Belarusians towards older people – a cross-cultural study

Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine as a Pivotal Element in the Polish Aid Programme and an Opportunity to Amplify the Role of Development Cooperation in the Polish Foreign Policy

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the ensuing humanitarian crisis made 2022 a landmark year in terms of humanitarian aid to Ukraine and resulted in a huge wave of support, not only financial. Poland became known as a “humanitarian superpower,” and the attitude of Poles was assessed as unprecedented in terms of solidarity. The events in Ukraine significantly affected the Polish development cooperation system (Polish Aid), causing not only a more than 200 percent increase in ODA and the proportion of its distribution, but increasing the involvement of Polish actors. The answer to the question of how much the situation is likely to translate into an increase in the share of humanitarian aid, which is part of development cooperation, in Polish foreign policy depends on Poland’s further strategy of providing humanitarian aid and skillfully combining it with social potential.

Dzielni Polacy ratują getto? Kilka uwag o relacjach polsko-żydowskich i zagładzie w narracji Zjednoczonej Prawicy

The martyrdom of the nation, including the crimes committed against the Polish population by Germans, Soviets or Ukrainians, occupies an important place in the historical policy promoted by the United Right camp. The actions of the authorities give the impression that they are trying to equate the fate of Jews and Poles during the war and, moreover, to erase from the collective memory the crimes committed against Jews by their Polish neighbours during the war. This is not a new procedure, also during the communist era shameful pages of Polish history were tried to be hidden. However, after 2015, the narrative promoted by the United Right on the attitudes of Poles towards the Holocaust goes further: not only are difficult matters kept silent, but attitudes testifying to the heroism and generosity of Poles in saving Jews are promoted in every way, in an attempt to convince public opinion at home and abroad that these attitudes were universal. To paraphrase a well-known poem by Czesław Miłosz and an essay by Jan Błoński, not - "Poor Poles look at the ghetto", but - "Brave Poles save the ghetto". The article is an attempt to comment on post-2015 historical politics in the context of Polish-Jewish relations during the German occupation on the basis of literature on the subject and media statements and reports.

The attitudes of Poles from Lithuania towards original spelling of personal names

The article aims at analysing the attitudes and motivations of a group of 100 Lithuanian Poles, mainly from culturally homogeneous Polish families, regarding the evaluaƟtion of the spelling and the changes in the spelling of personal names. The quantitative study is based on the analysis of an awareness questionnaire conducted among Lithuanian Poles aged 34–70. This article not only outlines the existing legal framework on this issue, but also explains the dominant attitudes of the Polish minority towards the prospect of transcribing the surnames and first names of Lithuanian national minoriƟ es according to the original phonetic sound, albeit without the inclusion of diacritical marks. The analysis of the questionnaires showed that 57% of the respondents expressed their willingness to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the proposed legislative changes, while 25% were against the changes. Among the motivations for change, the desire to preserve and cultivate the Polish language dominated. This article contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of identity change in multi cultural societies with respect to attitudes towards language issues. Keywords: spelling of names and surnames – Polish minority – Lithuania – language policy.

The attitude of Poles towards the Jewish religious minority in terms of public opinion

The attitude of Poles towards the Jewish religious minority in terms of public opinion

Immigrant Security in a Culturally Different Environment. The Polish Experience after the Arab Spring

Since the decolonisation of Africa - especially after 1960 - more and more people have been arriving from the African continent to Europe for settlement purposes. In 2017, the countries of the European Union there were already 9.1 million African nationals living in the European Union. Of this group, 5 million people came from North Africa (most from Morocco) and the rest from Africa south of the Sahara. Poland is one of the countries in the European Union that has received many migrants from different parts of the world. Figures indicate that 2.1 million foreigners, mostly from Africa and Asia, will live in Poland in 2020. The possibility of frequent contact with immigrants has increased. Meeting a person of African origin in their place of residence is now declared by 39% of respondents, while in 2015 it was only 13%. The attitude of Poles towards immigrants from Africa has also changed in recent years. Poles have become accustomed to the everyday presence of foreigners, as indicated by a clear increase in their level of acceptance in their immediate environment. An African as a close neighbour is now accepted by 84% of Poles (up from 61%) and as their son or daughter-in-law by 58% (up from 34%). There is also a growing concern for keeping immigrants safe, especially when it comes to situations where their life or health may be at risk. However, difficulties arise due to differences in culture, religion, customs and the lack of a common language. The paper will discuss and clarify these problems.

HEALTH STATUS AND DIETARY PATTERNS IN POLAND

The main goal of this paper is to evaluate the health status of Poles in the context of their dietary patterns. Results of a desk research study on dietary habits of persons working during the coronavirus pandemic and attitudes of Poles towards meal delivery services provided to the authors by external research institutions were utilized for the purpose of the article. In the framework of practical scientific cooperation, the following reports containing results of research on dietary patterns of people working during the pandemic have been made available for the purpose of this study: “Healthy, speedy or conveniently?” and “Healthy eating”. The results were used with retain of copyright and ethical principles. Data analysis led to the conclusion that people have tended to pay more attention to the food intake as well as spend more time on self-preparation of meals during the pandemic. Based on analysis of the study results, a thesis was formulated that during a pandemic, we pay more attention to what we eat, and we also spend more time preparing meals on our own. Assuming that the population of Poland in 2020 was 38,265 thousand people, it could be stated in the light of the study results that almost 650 thousand Poles were on a well-balanced diet adapted to individual consumer needs.

Voters’ Attitudes towards the Separation of Church and State in the Context of the Left–Right Division on the Polish Political Scene

The article presents the research results concerning the attitude of Poles towards the presence of the Church in public life. The research was conducted in 2019 on a national sample size (n = 2110) based on stratified quota sampling method. The majority of the surveyed supported the division of the Church and state, at the same time accepting the presence of Christian values in the activities of state institutions. The surveyed definitely disagreed with the statement that the Church may support particular candidates in elections. The declared political preferences of the respondents proved to be significant, as well as wealth and place of residence. The supporters of the division of Church and state were more frequently respondents with leftist preferences rather than rightist, wealthier rather than poorer, and residing in cities rather than in the country.

Social Reception of the Polish Constitution Presented Against the Background of Public Debate in Poland

Social perception of the Polish Constitution of 1997 and the proposals for its amendment The main purpose of the article was to show the social perception of the Polish Constitution by Poles. The media reports concerning the proposed amendment to the Constitution of 1997 were analyzed. The article includes, inter alia, questions about whether the Polish Constitution is really important for Poles, or is it rather a tool in the hands of politicians, used to evoke social emotions that are to influence the course of political events. The article uses a method of analyzing the literature and the legal acts on the subject and the analysis of the media content concerning Polish people‘s attitude to the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. The analysis of the collected materials shows that Poles know little about the Constitution. The change in the attitude of Poles was influenced by the socio-political situation in the country, divided traditional media and the political opposition.

„Strażniczki” z Pawiaka. Wanda Gawryłow-Jankowska (1907–1994) i Irena Wirszyłło (1903–1944) w świetle dokumentów Komisji Historii Kobiet

The article presents the life fate of two women: Irena Wirszyłło and Wanda Gawryłow, members of the pre-war Straż Więzienna. During the occupation, they went down in history as helpers to prisoners detained in Pawiak and activities in the ranks of ZWZ/AK. Both paid a high price for their attitude. Irena Wirszyłło was send to Auschwitz, and Wanda Gawryłow was imprisoned and tortured in Pawiak. This article sheds some light on the attitudes of Poles during the occupation, but also introduces readers to the topic of cooperation of prison officers with the Polish independence underground. Thus, it is a part of the scientific discourse on the behavior of Poles during the occupation and World War II. It seems that recalling figures such as Irena Wirszyłło and Wanda Gawryłow is particularly important today.

Cultural Heritage of Lemkos as a Research Problem in the Humanities and the Topic of Discourse in Poland

Cultural Heritage of Lemkos as a Research Problem in the Humanities and the Topic of Discourse in Poland
 The cultural heritage of Lemkos is today one of those European values that have found themselves in danger. The reason for this is not only the project of political and economic unification of Europe, which will inevitably trigger far-reaching cultural unification and violate ethnic and national traditions in its area, but also an event from over 80 years ago – the displacement of Lemkos from their homeland and the dispersion and assimilation in a different ethnic environment, as well as the destruction of material and spiritual heritage on the territory of this homeland and its resettlement by newcomers inheriting an alien culture. Among the many issues that come with it, two are the subject of this review. The first are the attitudes of Poles towards the Lemko heritage, which are reflected in the public discourse understood here not only as statements, but also as initiatives. The importance of this issue stems from the fact that the fate of the Lemko heritage is decided primarily within the context of contemporary Polish culture, although it is justified to disagree with the common identification of Poland with the communist authors and performers of the action of 1947, which destroyed the Lemko region as a homogeneous cultural area. The second issue is the way of analyzing the fate of this heritage in the humanities, wchich is devoid of a comparative perspective. It dominates today, narrowing research horizons as well as exerting a tangible influence on the choice of strategies for rescuing and transmitting endangered cultural content. In this regard, attention should be paid to the need to learn about and compare analogous cultural catastrophes caused by communist totalitarianism, as well as the strategies of survival and rebirth of the destroyed cultures.

Integrating the Holocaust into the Modern History of Poland

Abstract This essay makes a case for integrating the Holocaust—the systematic murder of a substantial part of Poland’s population, violent destruction of entire families, disappearance of a culture with its rich network of institutions—as part of Polish history. It reflects on the challenges in conceiving an approach in which the Jewish experience is understood as part of the inclusive history of Polish citizens. Only when historical investigation goes beyond the discussion of wartime attitudes of Poles—who are understood as being “ethnic Poles”—can questions be raised regarding the space for Jewish Poles as equal subjects. At the same time, the challenge is to avoid forcibly Polonizing the victims who were murdered as Jews. Close reading of Jewish accounts and focusing on daily lives offer a useful lens for such research.

Activity of Security Service of the People’s Republic of Poland Against the Polish Peasant Party in France in Years 1948-1966

The article describes operations of the Poland security service against the Polish People’s Party (PSL) in France. The Poland authorities considered the political emigration to be a serious opponent and did its best to discredit this group in the eyes of the Polish society and to disintegrate its activity. The tools utilised by the security service included surveillance, acquisition of informal collaborators, escalation of personal conflicts between emigrants, disinformation concerning the attitudes of Poles in the country, persuading the key politicians in exile to return to the country. The intelligence has had many successes, including the return of important emigrants to Poland, winning many over as agents, and causing internal conflicts among the political emigration.

Funkcjonowanie Polaków w okresie pandemii COVID-19 z uwzględnieniem poziomu ich wykształcenia i płci

STRESZCZENIE Wstęp: Pandemia COVID-19 może prowadzić do pojawienia się stresu, który może mieć negatywny wpływ na zdrowie psychiczne. Celem pracy była identyfikacja grupy osób najbardziej narażonej na stres oraz określenie wzorców zachowań w obliczu opisywanego zagrożenia, z uwzględnieniem płci i poziomu wykształcenia badanych. Materiał i metody: Badanie obejmowało ankietę internetową do samodzielnego wypełnienia za pośrednictwem Formularzy Google. Grupę badaną stanowili internauci, którzy otrzymali link do ankiety poprzez portale społecznościowe, aplikacje komunikacyjne lub pocztę elektroniczną. W badaniu uzyskano łącznie 394 ważnych odpowiedzi. Wyniki: Istnieje związek między poziomem wykształcenia a postawami Polaków wobec pandemii COVID-19. Wyższy poziom edukacji może wiązać się z lepszymi mechanizmami adaptacji w obliczu zagrożenia pandemią. Najbardziej narażone na negatywne skutki tego stanu epidemiologicznego są osoby z wykształceniem zawodowym. Płeć jest moderatorem relacji między poziomem wykształcenia a satysfakcją z życia, poziomem odczuwanego stresu czy lęku o najbliższych w obliczu pandemii COVID-19.

Działalność agenta handlowego w II Rzeczypospolitej na przykładzie Hilarego Mintza reprezentującego Fabrykę Odlewów Żelaznych „Neptun” J. Mintz w Końskich

The profession of a commercial agent is relatively young. It was established in the mid-nineteenth century, and at the end of the nineteenth century, its representatives already played important functions as intermediaries between industry and trade, and between wholesale and retail sectors. The text begins with a description of the different attitude of Poles and Jews to trade as a sector of the economy. Then, the author presents the history of the profession of a commercial agent (sales representative, deputy) with the specification of the recommended character traits (and physical conditions) for representatives of this profession. The basis of the main part of the text is the correspondence circulating between the commercial agent Hilary Mintz, who was a permanent representative in Katowice, and the owners of the Iron Casting Factory „Neptun” J. Mintz in Końskie. It is a colorful story about the working conditions of a sales representative, with its splendors and difficulties.

Tyfus, ospa, cholera i inne choroby jako doświadczenia polskich zesłańców na Syberii w XIX wieku

The article deals with the problem of the diseases suffered by Polish political exiles in Siberia, as well as the associated treatment methods and circumstances (the role of doctors, hospitals, aid from other Polish citizens and the local population). We learn from the preserved diaries, journals and letters that the exiles would fall ill both during the murderous march to Siberia (thousands of kilometers crossed on foot, harsh winters, malnutrition, disastrous hygienic conditions in the sleeping quarters) and in their places of forced settlement. The exiles fell victim to epidemics (typhus, cholera, smallpox, scurvy) and other diseases, some of which unknown to European medicine. Further on, we learn about Russian hospitals whose gruesome conditions only accelerated the death of patients (dirt, stench, spoiled food, lack of care and medications, killing the sick in order to rob them). The worst of all those facilities were military field hospitals (victims dying of terrible flogging, the highest mortality). Polish exiled doctors, much better educated and prepared for the profession than Russian doctors, were often the only ones in various parts of Siberia who were able to cure many of the diseases and even fight epidemics. They would conduct extensive medical practices, treating their compatriots mostly without charge; they also helped many Russians and ethnic peoples (e.g. Benedykt Dybowski, Wacław Lasocki). Conventional methods of treatment, mentioned by the exiles throughout the 19th century, included: bloodletting, causing diarrhea, vomiting and sweats, as well as applying skin-irritating patches or medicines based on herbs and rectified spirit. In the paper, we also learn about non-conventional methods of healing. Where there were no doctors to be found, we discover the secrets of folk medicine. We explore with admiration the moods and attitudes of Poles in the face of serious diseases – the extraordinary solidarity between the exiles, their self-sacrifice and willpower (incessantly caring for the sick).

Alkohol w PRL

One of the most important social and economic problems in 1945–89 turned out to be excessive drinking and alcoholism. The article presents an analysis of the structure and scale of the alcohol consumption, the significance of the spirit monopoly for the state economy, attempts to counteract the effects of alcohol drinking and abuse, social mechanisms of excessive alcohol consumption, the phenomenon of drinking alcohol without occasion and at work, and the attitudes of Poles towards drinking and alcoholism.

Free airtime of election committees in Poland compared with similar solutions in other countries. The attitude of Poles to free election broadcasts in the Polish public media

The principle of equal electoral opportunities is implemented, inter alia, by allocating free airtime to political entities. In Poland, like in many other countries, the authorized committees have the right to use the public media’s airtime free of charge during election campaigns. The present article’s objective is to show the Polish solutions in this domain compared with the regulations in other countries and to present the research results and their analysis concerning Poles’ attitude to free election broadcasts – including their assessment of the broadcasts as a source of knowledge about candidates and parties taking part in the election campaign. The studies were carried out based on the survey questionnaire, which was compiled using the five-level Likert scale. The sample was selected by the stratifiedquota method (N = 971). The conclusions resulting from the survey suggest the need to retain the regulation that enables political entities in Poland to use free election broadcasts during election campaigns. At the same time, they point out that it is necessary to seek more advantageous forms and content to put airtime to appropriate use during the campaign period.

Dobre praktyki popularyzacji wiedzy o koordynacji systemów emerytalnych w wybranych państwach Unii Europejskiej

Good Practices to Disseminate Knowledge about Coordination of Pension Systems in Selected European Union Countries. Recommendations for Poland
 More and more Poles are using EU regulations coordinating pension systems. These are both people who currently live in another EU country as well as people who return to Poland after working abroad. The method of analysing the literature on the subject was used and the studies on the knowledge, opinions and attitudes of Poles regarding social insurance in Poland and the coordination of pension benefits were reviewed. An analysis of current national surveys indicates that the level of this knowledge is very low. Knowledge about EU legislation functions at the expert and scientific level. The use of European experience regarding the dissemination of knowledge on the coordination of pensions seems to be necessary; therefore, selected initiatives of popularization of the knowledge in selected EU Member States were presented, thus creating recommendations for Poland.

Zum Stellenwert des Deutschen in Polen

The German language in Poland has a very long tradition dating back to the 18th century. Over the centuries, under the influence of historical, political, economic and social factors, the image of Germany and Germans in Poland as well as the attitude of Poles towards the German language have been subject to continual evolution. The aim of this article is to discuss the position of the German language in Poland, mainly in the 21st century. Particular attention is paid to the discussion of the importance of this language in the Polish educational system in the past two decades, and the changing number of people learning, predominantly in primary and secondary education. Moreover, the reasons for the relatively high level of dislike of the German language among Poles (including learners of German) are presented and analysed. The discussion of the current status of German in our country is preceded by a brief historical outline showing the significance of the German language in Poland as well as the attitude of Poles towards this language over the centuries, beginning with the Old-Polish period