Poland: Dispute over Silesian Minority | European Journal

An old debate is stirred again as Silesians question their national heritage. Rightwing conservatives in Poland feel national unity is threatened, minorities feel discriminated against.The dispute was unleashed by the former prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski. The nationalist politician said those who chose to describe themselves as 'Silesian' in the recent census were selecting a 'disguised option for Germany'. While most Silesians would never consider breaking away from Poland, they say they don't want to be treated as second-class citizens.

[@hereandthere4763]

My father was from Silesia. He said Germans called him a Pole and Poles called him a German.

[@mariuszlech9173]

Tak nazywano też Konstantyna Rokossowskiego. Nie przeszkadzało mu to by zostać wielkim strategiem .

[@panslavic8125]

no, the Germans called him with disdain "Wasser Polack". The Poles probably called him German because he was ashamed of his Polish ancestry.

[@joshycasuga2555]

What???

[@hereandthere4763]

@@panslavic8125 No. It's like Gunther Grasse said about his Kashubian ancestors - not German enough for the Germans and not Polish enough for the Poles. One thing the Silesians did manage was to build up the biggest manufacturing, steel making and mining industries in Poland.

[@pharos670]

Same. My ancestors all fought for Germany in WW1 and WW2, but I was born and raised in Poland.

[@1992DirtyDevil]

Im a Silesian and i love Poland and Germany i see beauty in both cultures and i can identify myself with both so whats the problem

[@massimopericolo9579]

@ShantiUniverse you are a silesian yellow rose of texas

[@bruh-mm3ux]

I’m Silesian too, but I identify as a Pole or a Silesian, and not German.

[@SchwarzeSonne130]

@@bruh-mm3ux silesians are those who lived in silesia before ww2 not those moved from east poland to silesia after ww2

[@bruh-mm3ux]

@@SchwarzeSonne130 I know I have ancestors drom Germany

[@polishrepublic5055]

@@SchwarzeSonne130 It was mostly Polish even in start of 20 century.

[@yeshiyangzom8532]

I ask my German professor where is Prussia and he silently point his finger to his heart😭😭

[@HerrKonig]

@Polish SN baltic people hate slavic haha ASK The whole baltic people litauia Lettland estland

[@Tomenable]

I wonder why the voice over is so loud that I can't hear the actual people. In another DW (English) video I found a manipulation in translation - a guy said "rozczarowany" (disappointed in Polish) and they translated that as "surprised". Here the voice over is so loud, that I can't determine whether the translation is correct or not.

[@TuDawid]

4:18 the way the rest of the family pretended to sing the song I find it hard to believe it's really sang every sunday....

[@venatortheanimefan4526]

Just because someone sings a song frequently does not mean they are good at singing the song. My grandparents American family sang oh Tannenbaum every Christmas but it doesn't mean they were good at singing it.

[@Unclueless]

It's not sang every sunday.

[@staryjaszczur]

There is a small group of Silesians who are descendants of German settlers or germanized Poles and they fell deep sentiment towards Germany. But majority of Silesians are Poles.

[@Sigurjonsig]

That is until they were all mostly expelled, fled or even killed after the war, and replaced with Poles who came from the former Eastern Territories annexed by the Soviets. Today, the German speaking community in Silesia is a shadow of it former self.

[@benrose6033]

staryjaszczur That was the whole point of the Ethnic cleansing of Sileseans to make them a minority in their own Region of Silesea and you the Polish became the majority because they were either murdered or Ethnically Cleansed and now u tell Silesean's you u are a minority.

[@IhaveBigFeet]

@@benrose6033 Or because Germany wanted to ethnic cleanse my entire country, in my opinion your nation got off lightly. The Entire west part up to the Rhine should’ve been given to France, Belgium and Netherlands

[@KewinRolle]

You are Not right

[@barbaragalbreth4429]

I was doing some family research and my great grandparents left Silesia and settled on the Missouri River in Washington Mo. and they wrote Silesia on the 1900 US census POB, in thick dark writing as if they wanted no mistake being made. I always wondered why they left Silesia for the US, but I never found out.

[@kimnovack2910]

The second ww2 probably... check out the great migration, really sad stuff. I know from personal experice that a lot of german silesians migrated to dresden just before and after the allied murdered innocent civilians in the name of war!!!

[@totalhistorychannel1156]

The Soviet union destroyed a lot of polish and german existences. It's not talked about enough

[@totalhistorychannel1156]

@Bunyamin Esen no they didn't do that at all

[@johnnydollar666]

Barbara Galbreth wow, same with my family - my great-great Grandfather’s name was Stenzel and his wife’s maiden name was Gloger - we’re not related, are we? :D

[@ericbush3399]

There is absolutely no truth in what you just posted. If you insist on this slander, simply provide your source. The British & Americans weren't angels, but there's no proof of this mass savagery you speak of.

[@medisoncz5305]

I a Silesian German and I am proud of it.

[@MAHAKALAXXXV]

you may want o know that all Poles are a mix of Germanic , Danish , various Slavic , Gothic and other groups , you are not by any stretch any different than another Pole in another part of Poland , hard to swallow for someone who is taught identify separatism and has a bloody Stokhom syndrome , you seem almost as fd up as a kid that comes from a multiracial family

[@NationalismDjazair]

@@MAHAKALAXXXV he is german not pole

[@roastbeef1010]

My great grandmother, born 1931, is from Silesia(then Germany, she moved to British 1949) she recognises herself as German, yet I was talking to her about Silesia and she spoke of Silesia as if it is separate country, she seemed proud of being from Silesia.

[@zhufortheimpaler4041]

It was a part of the german empire/realm till 1921 in total and from there it was parted with a large part remaining part of the "Weimar Republic" and the german state till 1945

[@ceglastymonster7799]

dla mnie Śląsk to Polska i tyle, myślę ze jak ktoś chce gdziekolwiek wyjechac to i tak wyjedzie i nic z tym nie możemy zrobić. kochajmy się . sam mieszkam w niemczech bo ojciec za pieniądzem tu sie wyprowadził i jakos zostaliśmy, ale nigdy bym nie powiedział ze Ślązak to niemiec. dla mnie Ślązak to Polak. tu w na niemieckiej ziemi spotykam róznych Polaków nieraz lepszych w stosunku do mnie nie raz gorszych, ale zawsze staram sie nie oceniac po tym skąd pochodzą. jestem pewny ze każdemu Polakowi serce bije szybciej do Mazurka.:)

[@Asextor]

To Slask to do ciebie polska chociaz wolisz Niemcy bo jest pewno godna placa. Bez sensu.

[@baldwinthefourth4098]

Nie wiem jak głupim trzeba być żeby twierdzic że ziemia zamieszkana przez Polaków powinna być częścią Niemiec, bo oni tu kurva byli sto czy ile lat temu. Najwyraźniejcci ludzie dalej żyją w dwudziestoleciu między wojennym i ani myślą dorośleć.

[@MAHAKALAXXXV]

@@Asextor ? co ty pierdolisz ? wszędzie jest tak ,ludzie wyjezdzajom i emigrują od wieki wieków do pracy , od wojen , i zwielu innych przyczyn . O co go oskarżasz ? ja jestem z Polski i rodzina z Górnego i Dolnego Śląska , i wychowałem się w Kanadzie i USA i co ?

[@MAHAKALAXXXV]

@@baldwinthefourth4098 tak ich zachowanie to czysta głupota i samo niedowartościowanie bo uwierzyli w coś nagle

[@Asextor]

@@baldwinthefourth4098 niech bedzie tam gdzie chca ludzie. Co cie to obchodzi

[@daxx77m]

oh boy, Deutsche Welle....why don't you make a piece about Poles being openly discriminated in germany or lithuania for simply speaking Polish or having Polish names.

[@47morlock]

constructive mind zeby byc fair , litwini dyskryminuja polakow w sposob do ktorego nie maja prawa . zmuszanie polakow do zmiany nazwisk na litewsko brzmiace wydaje mi sie bezprawiem . sa ustalenia miedzynarodowe obowiazujace i polske i litwe . polacy sie wywiazuja ze swoich . litwini nie chca traktowac polskiej mniejszosci tak samo jak my traktujemy litewska . chociaz uwazam ze sporo litewskiej niecheci do polakow wynika z z ruskiej propagandy . w pewnym sensie ja rozumiem . to jest maly kraik i boja sie ze straca tozsamosc narodowa .

[@lzkams]

daxx77m1 ^ pierdolenie o szopenie :D

[@daxx77m]

Kamil Ł to po chuja czytasz i komentujesz?

[@lzkams]

yyyy bo to wolny kraj i mogę sobie pisać co mi się podoba? a poza tym nie pisałłem do Ciebie tylko skomentowałem wasze wypociny ogólnie, bo nie da się odpowiedzieć na wasze wypociny nie oznaczając jednego z dwóch w komentarzu - pretensje do youtube. tak więc pozwalam Ci zamknąć morde

[@47morlock]

Kamil Ł nikt nie kwestionuje twojego prawa do wypowiedzi tumanie . skoro twój komentarz byl do wszystkich to rowniez do niego, co by mu dalo prawo do odpowiedzi . skoro jak sam zauwazyles to jest wolny kraj . moze to nie jest rozmowa o sensie zycia ale i tak jest na wyzszym poziomie niz twoje konwersacje z "ziomkami" . ja rozumiem ze agresja wzbiera w tobie jak widzisz debaty kturych nie rozumiesz . poniewaz sprawiaja, ze czujesz sie glupi . ale to nie powod zeby meczyc nas swoja osoba bo nic do rozmowy nie wnosisz . a wypociny to ma twoja mama w cipie .

[@david4t8]

I am confused by the part about the old traditions, culture, and customs. Living there since 1945 makes it old culture and traditions? I'm sorry, but these are Polish/Slavic customs and traditions you speak of. And they have only been there since 1945. Clearly nobody understands history anymore

[@cheezycrackers8677]

If you want to go along the path of autistic historical revisionism then you will have to accept the fact that it was inhabited by German tribes before the arrival of the Slavs groups.

[@ucja1663]

In german you would call it " Völkerwanderung"

[@nacere967]

SILESIA IS SILESIA

[@politicusgermanicus7038]

To my naród ślonski!

[@-v-9548]

You are right

[@-v-9548]

I am a German-Silesian I want that Silesia going to be their own country

[@ostwind7031]

Silesia is Germany

[@ostwind7031]

tyran cause your soviet friends gave it unrightfully to Poland.

[@kalleanka8987]

Love Silesia. My mum was born there and even though I was born in the neighbouring province (Malopolska), I feel my roots in Silesia :-).

[@szlachta1alek]

Sorry but this is very biased. I've never seen any Silesian family singing "Oberschlesien ist meine heimatland", as someone with family from this region I must say that the song they are singing is sung by Silesian Germans in the main. Just like if you're talking about Silesian teams you should talk about Ruch Chorzow not FC Katowice which is a German minority team.

[@solittle7358]

nice propaganda

[@solittle7358]

constructive mind Go back to school and learn English.

[@solittle7358]

constructive mind I did not understand because your English sucks.

[@saulenfischbearn7470]

@@solittle7358 I did not understand, because your English sucks.*

[@lbocvarov89]

My support goes to the Silesians! Me myself being a Macedonian know what it feels like when one's identity and rights are oppressed. DW should do a report like this on the Macedonian minority in Albania, Bulgaria and especially Greece, where the human rights of the Macedonians and Turks are most flagrantly violated! But I doubt that the EU would ever confess the mistakes of it's pet countries and will just continue to turn a blind eye on Greece's fascist frenzy

[@jsobieski779]

U have no idea how it looks here in Poland

[@totalhistorychannel1156]

So you mean there will be an independent selisia? It used to be an own country under habsburg until annexed by Prussia and roots to poland just don't exist at all

[@6Oko6Demona6]

You see, even those silesians in the movie considered themselves first silesians and then polish, so it's not like one has to choose. But even if it was the case they make up less then 20% of the people in the silesian region, so there goes the autonomy. By the way silesian language is just a variation of polish language (unlike kashubian which is another language, though kaszubs don't consider themselves as anything else then Poles).

[@6Oko6Demona6]

@@totalhistorychannel1156 roots to Poland don't exist? Come on, it is literally rooted in Poland- duchy of Silesia was formed in the fragmentation of Poland as one of the five Polish duchies. Later on it got even more fragmented and some of the smaller silesian duchies came back to Poland, most of it didn't. They kept they Polish dynasty for longer than Poland xDd. But even though most of the silesians spend centuries in state other than poland they still speak either polish or less frequently Silesian- which is just a dialect of Polish. That's also a major tie.

[@polishrepublic5055]

"Macedonian" You arent macedonian but Fyromian

[@FRODIII]

0:05 i see a red door and i want to paint it black...

[@captainphoenix]

My great-great grandparents were from Silesia. Though I never met them, I've heard plenty about them from my grandmother and her siblings, and have read their written correspondences. For the record, my great grandparents emigrated to the US in the 1920's, and appear to have moved west across Southern/Central Germany at a very young age, leaving behind their Silesian geographical roots before spending the rest of their life either in modern Southern / Central Germany or in the US. This is why I'm focusing on my great-great grandparents. Both my great grandparents and my great-great grandparents considered themselves "German". Not Silesian, not Austrian, not Czech, not Polish, but full-on German. They spoke only German, they wrote only in German, and their cooking was distinctly and unmistakably German (this is the cooking my grandmother inherited). Their schooling was only offered in German, and the local university only taught in German. My great grandparents related stories of their parents to my parents and grandparents, and they always referred to their relatives as German, even implying that the family had taken to a style of dress distinctly German, and _not_ Slavic of any kind. They made a point to separate themselves from the Slavic culture, and, from what I understand, the Silesians of the time were not only clearly German in terms of the dominant culture, but made a point to distinguish themselves as German, and not Slavic. My great-great grandparents wrote in Hochdeutsch, and I remember my grandmother speaking in a German that sounded far, far closer to the German of, say, Hamburg than of modern day Austria (my High School German teacher, for example, had a distinctly "southern" German accent, being from Austria). No one in my family has ever considered themselves anything other than "German", even though the family's lineage seems to originate in modern-day Poland. This is my family's history and personal account of Silesia, from what I can tell. It's clear that this dominant culture (don't know if it was ever a true popular majority) for many, many years was distinct from the surrounding Slavic cultures, and I wonder if this historical "German" association / allegiance (if only culturally so) has evolved to become the basis for the modern-day cultural distinction, and why modern-day Silesians don't consider themselves Polish nearly so much as "Silesian".

[@HerrKonig]

Austrians are German too they also Speak german Bro. Its a own Country yes but they are German Austria is a whole Country what is Like Bavaria. So its our Brothers.

[@ekstraworszt6792]

As a (Teshen) Silesian, I get your point, there was indeed a German Silesian community in Silesian, but it was present more in Lower Silesia, which is not really Silesian culturally. The Silesians we're talking about here are the ones that have their own culture, not Polish or German- thought it emerged from these two.

[@ekstraworszt6792]

@Pole Τhat is also true. However, it doesn't mean what I said is wrong

[@MartianHits]

You’re grandparents were Germans living in Silesia. That’s it that’s all. Silesians are natives to Silesia who’s roots are Polish Catholic.

[@captainphoenix]

@@MartianHits Great grandparents and great-great grandparents. More importantly, your point doesn't explain the hundreds of years of lineage in that region, it doesn't explain that 100% of their schooling was in German, it doesn't explain the local universities teaching exclusively in German, it doesn't explain their written professional correspondences being in German, it doesn't explain their Lutheran religious roots, again going back hundreds of years, and it doesn't explain clearly and instantly recognizably German culture they inherited from their surroundings, all, again, going back through hundreds of years of direct lineage in the same very small region of Silesia. It's also a bit ahistorical to suggest that German wasn't the dominant culture for basically all of northern central Europe and east along the Baltic for the great majority of at least the 19th and very early 20th centuries, even if they were never the majority population in certain places. If memory serves as well, modern-day Silesia lied within official German borders during unification and continued straight through to the first World War. Yes, there was almost certainly a slavic culture there, but it was absolutely not the dominant culture for a huge part of the region's early modern history.

[@maldacious]

All of these "Silesians" have Polish names and surnames. What makes them silesian? The state that they live in. They share a common history with Poland and the vast majority of Silesians want to remain with Poland forever.

[@wiktorjaciow9815]

I am am from silesia area and i to want to remain part of poland I think they call themselves silesian cos they have their own language

[@user-dl1xz3mj3i]

They were forced to stay there by soviets either

[@ozone9473]

Silesia was historically a part of Poland. Check the historical maps from 992 AD and onward. In the centre Opole (Silesia), there is a Polish gothic "Piast Tower" dated to a year 1300. It was only a part of Germany because of a forceful land grab from Polish. Not to mention that after World War I there was a successful Silesian Uprising since Silesia wanted to break away from Germany and to join the Second Polish Republic.

In Poland people hate as much Nazi Germans as Communist Russians two fucked up nations by evil ideologies who followed their murderous thuggish leaders Hitler and Stalin and caused so much pain and suffering in many nations all over Europe

[@polishranger]

autonomy does not equal independence. if there is a distinct society in a certain are, there shouldn't be a problem granting them some kind of autonomy. silesia probably won't get political autonomy because too few silesians are into it. however signs in silesian language/dialect, recognizing cultural differences and such. silesian are a small slavic nation and their language and culture need to be protected.

[@Tomenable]

Bavarians are organizing similar protests in Germany.

[@sarban1653]

Western Poland was originally Germanic. The name Silesia comes from a Vandal tribe.

[@kennymiller476]

NOPE !!! they f**kin love Germany, if it was up to Bavarians u would be learning proper Silesean dialect by now in lederhosen.

[@AsdAsd-tx8pc]

There's no such thing as German tribes because Germans are mix of Franks and Vandals ( Poles) which shared a frontier at the Rhine river. Later on Franks overrun Poles and the mongrels were born.

[@swietosawagromowadna7957]

The name of Silesia (Śląsk) came from name of polish tribe Ślężanie

[@Tomenable]

All of Poland was Germanic and Celtic during the Iron Age - both Eastern Poland and Western. But those were Goths and Vandals, not Germans. They have as much to do with Germans as Russians do with Croats or Bosniaks.

[@mac19850]

My character is more Silesian than Polish for me Silesian people are more similar culturally and mentally to German culture rather than polish. jestem dummy z bycia Hanysem. Slask to moj Hajmat

[@mac19850]

No I jestem Volksdeutchem kazdy kto ma Niemieckie korzenie jest dla Niemcow jest Volksdeutschem tzwn Ethnic German. Poczytaj definicie co oznacza Volksdeutsche. Najwazniesze to oznacza kogos kto ma Niemieckie korzenie I mieszka od Kilku pokolen poza Niemcami. Chodzi o krew Niemiecka. Niemcy ida wedlug krwi jak Zydzi.Na Gornym Slasku wiekszosc Slazakow tych z przed 1945 roku ma Niemieckie korzenie tak jak Lodz ma Zydowskie trzy sie to komus podoba czy nie.

[@kawo666]

Maciej Krypczyk Give some examples of the traits of your Germanic character and what makes you feel close to German culture? I'm curious.

[@Tomenable]

Śląsk jest niemiecki (pruski) od 1740. Wcześniej był czeski. Sorry ale mieszkanie w Niemczech od 1740 nie sprawia, że jesteś etnicznym Niemcem. Proponuję test DNA jako swoisty "reality check" (owszem, oprócz słowiańskiego, germańsko-celtyckie DNA też będziesz miał, ale to samo wyszło u mnie, a pochodzę nie ze Śląska tylko z Wielkopolski - generalnie Polacy nie są "100% Słowianami").

[@vitozzi1]

Slask ? Nawet nie masz pojęcia co ty piszesz ! . Nazwa „Śląsk” wywodzi się od słowiańskiego słowa „Z Lasu” , dawna nazwa lasu to Lach czytane jako Lask , jeżeli mówią Silesia to się mylą , bo to imperium to nic innego jak LECHIA (LESKJA) - ZALESIA-SILESIA, wiec odwołuje się od źródłosłowia wywodzącego się od terenów słowiańskich gdzie Las był święty

[@zacnieprawisz9171]

Maciej Krypczyk Volksdeutsch. Powstańcy Ślązcy się w grobach przewrcają, jak słyszą takie dyrdymały.

[@dymtrohereshko5814]

your in historical denial. just like you cant understand this video. we are "silesians not poles" understand that and we will talk. I dont talk to ignorants,

[@dianajames4717]

I AGREE DYMTO YOU ARE NOT POLISH MY MOTHER GREW UP IN SILESIA DURING THE WAR AND SHE WAS AND WILL ALWAYS BE GERMAN THE PEOPLE OF SILESIA ARE EITHER GERMAN OR JUST SILESIANS THEY ARE NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT POLISH.

[@holyromankingdomofthepoles7027]

Silesia is Poland 🇵🇱❤️

[@nahorsman]

Silesians are poles, or one of the many slavic tribes that make up Poland. The Austraians and germans held much of that part of poland for many years and there may be many people with German ancestry (they cannot however identify as true silesians)

[@daxx77m]

says german about polish silesia...

[@daxx77m]

constructive mind have you missed your geography class? if you didn't miss it you'd certainly know that silesia is part of poland, so it can be referred to as polish silesia...

[@nahorsman]

***** originally maybe (i think 9and 10 Century). Silesians are however a Slavic tribe and are not German.

[@daxx77m]

constructive mind clearly you did not understand my previous comment so here is my suggestion: go back to school, practice comprehensive reading and grammar then we can discuss this in depth...otherwise, please don't embarrass yourself with incomprehensible and incoherent comments like the one you've just posted...

[@daxx77m]

constructive mind undoubtedly you're the authority on american or british english so i tremble in fear of being discredited......now i'll make it really simple for you....so answer this question: in which country does the majority of territory referred to as silesia lie? before you respond, read it few times and make sure you fully understand the meaning...

[@AeronStahl]

Yes, yes, yes, in German's minds even Polish language is a "IndoGERMANISCHE Sprache" and not Indo-European Language... The true Silesian language is the one you Germans call pejoratively "Wasserpolnish" or "Schlonsakisch" and it's a Polish dialect. The one you call "Schlesisch" is the language of German occupant that was slightly Polonized. But it's difficult to explain to someone raised on Goebbels's version of "truth".

[@polishpowerstefanowicz2340]

Lies!!! The first Silesian tribes were LECHITES. Poland is made up of many Lechite tribes including the POLANS the main group of Polish but also Masovians, Vistulans, Goplans, Pomeranians, Kashubians & SILESIANS ect The original inhabitants of Berlin are the Polabians a Lechitic tribe they still live as Lusatia Sorbs. Let's talk about how Lechitic Lusatian Sorbs still live in East Germany in their native land!?

[@tigrannahabedian605]

Sorbs are not native to Germanic/German lands "Much of Poland and east germany was inhabited by east Germanic tribes who primarily originated in Southern Scandinavia, including peoples like the Goths and Vandals. It is also known that modern day Czechia and Southern Poland were once inhabited by Celtic peoples who were either driven out or subjugated by Germanics"

[@nursenic03]

My great grandmother and my grandmother were from Silesia. The US tried to deport her once and Germany wouldn’t even accept her saying she was not German but Silesian.

[@adrianbigboss5685]

Silesia has a population of 7 million and only about 400 000 identify as Silesian. This is exactly why Silesian autonomy will NEVER happen. I live in Silesia and I'm Polish and I'm proud of it. To all of you Silesians who want autonomy, give up, you lost, Silesia is Polish now.

[@RevolutionPL1]

Przed wojną Śląsk miał autonomię i źle nie było, ale w obecnych czasach jest to niepotrzebne marnowanie pieniędzy.

[@naturlicheweltordnung2609]

That's why you exelled or murdered most of the indiginous population. Guess what: before this genocide Poles had been the minority in Silesia, as well as in Pomerania and Western Prussia.

[@adrianbigboss5685]

Natürliche Weltordnung Obviously you have evidence to back that up, do you? You're making stuff up.

[@naturlicheweltordnung2609]

Adrian Bigboss Evidence of that is rare because the victors try to hide these facts. But here you find at least a part of them: www.jrbooksonline.com/polish_atrocities.htm

[@adrianbigboss5685]

I don't know if you are a troll or are you just that delusional?

out of 10 million people living in Silesia there may be 200 thousands Silesians...so what's the big deal about it

[@MrArkadiusz1985]

Not really. Poles can understand Silesian dialect, Germans can't. It's because Silesian is a Slavic language, like Polish, Russian or Czech for example. And remember there were three Silesian Uprisings in 1919, 1920 and 1921 when Silesians wanted to break away from Germany and join Poland. They succeeded and did become part of Poland in 1922, and again joined Poland after 2nd World War. Peace ;)

[@twisters999]

I am Lower Silesian!... And for me and at least 99% of people Silesia is Polish. YES I feel Silesian. But I feel Polish at the same time and as strong as Silesian.

[@Adam-rj9wz]

twisters999 slask is just a region of Poland. Every country has this. Selisia was never a country. This is ridiculous. What's next? Gorals will want they're own country ?

[@twisters999]

Exactly my point! :D

[@ChillDudelD]

@@Adam-rj9wz But this is what some German geopolitical strategists would want. RAŚ is surely funded by German money just like PO. P.S. And no, this doesn't mean I'm for PiS...

[@MdFOnly4You]

Silesian is not a german dialetc. It is mix of polish,german and czech.We are not the same as rest of poles but we are still polish.

[@MAHAKALAXXXV]

that is true my brother , we are and all Poles are a mix of Germanic, Slavic(Wandal/Vend) , Gothic(viking from Sweden , Denmark and Norway) as well as Rus Vikings , Franks, Burgindians , Saxons, and other subgroups . Ultimately Poles are a mix of all this groups just like Germans are a mix and so is every other country , but to beat the drums and promote separatism is far beyond preservation of culture. Peace and love Brother , I am glad you spoke the truth , my Family served Polish Kings for over 800 year and my family is from Upper and Lower Silesia from my fathers and mothers side originally , but I love Poland as a nation as one people , not some separate groups etc which is never about unity and where there is no unity there is weakness and obviously some wants to weaken Poland and Polish nation

[@theusersurfer]

Silesian is a german dialect. That is just a fact. It doesn't have anything to do with your personal opinion.

[@cherylwaclawczyk9098]

@@theusersurfer my entire family came from the Opole area to settle in Texas in the 1850's. I can assure you, we are Polish Silesians.

[@tinyveil]

@@theusersurfer 100%

[@andrzejdobrowolski9523]

@@theusersurfer Es gibt ein Deutschen Dialekt der Schlesisch heisst aber es gibt auch eine Slawische Sprache die auch Schlesisch genant wird und Sie wurde auch vor dem Krieg in Oberschlesien gesprochen.

[@Kurdedunaysiri]

Silesian language is a different Slavic language. Also there is a Germanic language called Silesian and they are different things

[@totalhistorychannel1156]

Very confusing? So there are two different kinds of silisians?

[@Kurdedunaysiri]

Total History Channel Upper Silesian is Slavic and Lower Silesian is Germanic one.

[@adrianostrowski6431]

Silesian is not a language

[@Kurdedunaysiri]

Adrian Ostrowski maybe it is sad to hear for you but yes it is language

[@ozg7606]

@@Kurdedunaysiri more of dialekt, a mix of Czech, Polisch and German

[@gnawershreth]

I don't know enough about Silesia or its history to really have a strong opinion on it, but it seems a bit easy to find someone wanting to either get their own country or join another one. I am from Denmark and you can still find people in Schleswig-Holstein who would rather belong to Denmark than to Germany.. Are you giving us back what was once ours? I didn't think so. Similarly you can probably still find people north of the border who feel German.. And so what? We also used to own part of Sweden, the entirety of Norway, Estonia etc. We're not going to get it back simply because you can find some people there who would love to change nationality. lol That's not how the world works. If people are that tired of living in their own country, they can try changing their current country or they can move. You can't simply expect the country to give you land.

[@gnawershreth]

***** wtf are you on about? I'm not anti German. I'm anti bad reporting. This is a lazy piece of reporting at best. Simply finding someone who'd like to have their own country or be a part of another country can be done all over Europe. That doesn't mean their current country has to give in to their wishes. Germany is a fine country with a lot of great people. I love visiting Germany and I'm absolutely not anti-Germany or anti-German. I don't look down on the Polish people for not being Germanic, and I'm not sure why you do. They own a piece of land that once belonged to Germany, and so what? That's how history goes. Plenty of countries used to be bigger/smaller and plenty of them don't even exist at all today. At some point they were lost in a war and today they're just a part of the population of the country they now live in. There's no such thing as Germanic land. There's just land. Some parts are owned by Germanic people and other parts aren't. Besides, if you're so excited about our common Germanic roots, why did you take our land? Can we have have it back? If not, why should other Germanic people believe that you give a two shits about them? It sounds like you think we should be the closest of friends because of the Germanic heritage, but is that how friends act where you're from? If you're so pro-Germanic, I would think you'd have a bigger issue with taking land from fellow Germanic people.. Poland won't be facing another war for the land anytime soon.. If ever. No one would back you up in a war like that and since Poland is a part of NATO, it'd be downright idiotic to even try.

[@benrose6033]

Gnawer Shreth +keephidding behind Nato you traitor this is about the Ethnic cleansing of 14 Million ethnic Germans which also included Swedes etc who controlled parts of Prussia for some time and your family would have been Expelled for looking to GermanAngloSaxen. Out of the 14 Million about a 1 Million stayed to be used when required untill even some of them got expelled later and these Sileseans are simply looking at their rights and freedoms etc. SInce they have become the less than 10% minority in their Homeland Schlesien. Thanks for your Support to preserve their culture they got punished for Germanys,Pollands and Russias Mistakes in WW2

[@sergiusvenedae4238]

@Kaiser Wilhelm kannst du deutsch? Du bist ja immerhin Deutscher. Dann werde ich dir Deutscher mal was sagen. Wann kamen die ersten Deutschen nach Schlesien? Genau im Mittelalter als Handwerker. (Und komm nicht mit Germanen oder sonst einer 0%ig "belegten Idee"). Welche "Deutschen" kamen dort hin? Waren es keine -cyks, -kes und -itzs die dort hinzogen weil eventuell die slawische Bevölkerung in Ostdeutschland vertrieben und unterdrückt wurde? Ich Schelm behaupte dass es nicht einmal 5% ETHISCHE Deutsche in Schlesien gab. Ausgeschlossen so Helden wie Oberführerin Steinbach deren Eltern aus Hanau und Bremen kamen und sich jetzt groß als "Vertriebene" ausgeben. Diese Fratze von Mensch musste ich mir früher jedesmal in der CDU geben, dieses Monster ist aber zum Glück jetzt raus.

[@anubissobek3632]

@@sergiusvenedae4238 Schlesien war aber ein Teil von Magna Germania 150 n.Chr

[@MAHAKALAXXXV]

very well said , this is obviously fed by some external forces aiming to trigger separatism and division among people . There is very rarely anything good that comes from division only weakness.

[@martinsFILMS13]

Autonomy for Kurds, Turks and Arabs in Germany !!!

[@dieaffenheit4466]

Why? They live with germans in piece

[@rampantmutt9119]

They haven't been in Germany since the 13th century, unlike Germans in Poland.

[@adamprzy]

Nie oceniam, nie biorę żadnej ze stron ale chciałbym przytoczyć jeden ciekawy fakt. Przed wojną polska część Śląska miała autonomię - czy wiedzieliscie o tym ? Dodam jeszcze, że Niemcy swojej części Śląska nigdy autonomii nie dali.

[@edwardlo4167]

Silesia 1) autonomy, 2) independent and would of course return to Germany.

[@andreasmeier2868]

@@Wiktor12339 Or what? They don't even want independence. If they did they know who'd prey on their country just to run it down like they did with the German Eastern Territories.

[@ostwind7031]

TheVixo “rightfully”

[@ItsLunaRegina]

@@Wiktor12339 It's actually rightfully German. Open a history book, fool.

[@aleksanderkorecki7887]

@@ItsLunaRegina Yeah, some seventy years ago Warsaw was also "rightfully German".

[@ItsLunaRegina]

@@aleksanderkorecki7887 incorrect. the population of warsaw has always been polish and shitler's conquests don't count.

[@martinsFILMS13]

The Kurds need an Autonomous Region in Germany and so do the Arabs.

[@LebendigerGeist]

Well to be a bit more serious, it's really a great thing that these people can show their identity, be it German or Polish or something different. Europe would be a culturally poorer place without its native national minorities (in Germany, the Sorbs and the Frisians, in Spain the Basques, the Galicians and the Catalans etc.)

[@danielhutera1096]

Long Live A Free Independent Silesia where both Polish and German speakers are at home!

[@baldwinthefourth4098]

No. Śląsk remains and will forever remain a part of Poland.

[@zeus7623]

So do those from Katowice feel close to those in Wroclaw?

[@madraven07]

You mean Breslau

[@Briefkk]

@@madraven07 it was founded by Poland so it’s polish

[@andrzejdobrowolski9523]

​@@Briefkk Actually Wrocław was found by Czechs

[@grzegorzdrozd1763]

Ja jestem z mazowsza , nasz region został przyłączony do Polski w 1515 roku po zamordowaniu naszych ostatnich książąt . Rządami niepodległości dla mazowsza .

[@bsfoxo3329]

Silesia should be a state in Germany not a region of Poland!!!

[@schwae271]

Nah

[@franciscojsphalff4426]

" No More Brothers Wars ..... " !!!!!!!!!!

[@SchwarzeSonne130]

poland isnt our brother the german hate on poland comes fro mthe fact that prussia was invaded by poland and prussia became germany thats where the hate on poland comes from

[@bruh-mm3ux]

KyuQem more like Prussia took Polish land

[@SchwarzeSonne130]

@@bruh-mm3ux after poland invaded prussia and controlled it hundreds of years ? Prussia aka German Empire created a Polish state during ww1

[@bruh-mm3ux]

@@SchwarzeSonne130 what? Lol. First - Poland gained independence itself in 1918 and not because Germany made Poland. Second - it kinda was that Prussia took Polish land. See, the Polish king once wanted help from the west in a fight, well at first it seemed to go pretty well but then Germans didn’t want to leave those lands and they wanted independence. Poland just reclaimed their foreign lands, that’s all. Please stop playing fortnite and learn some Polish history. Fun fact - I’m Silesian.

[@SchwarzeSonne130]

@@bruh-mm3ux wrong in 1916 kaiser wilhelm the 2nd ordered the military of germany to create a polish state in the part of russia called Kingdom of Poland google it, it was more like a puppet stae however was a polish state also prussia was invaded by poland lithuania when it was just königsberg then 200 years later got independence then due to some several amrriages russiand and prussian leader were married and then poland tried to invade russia and failed we know what happened then

[@LebendigerGeist]

Oh, they're just singing those German songs to annoy people. In reality they're all ancient Poles on ancient Polish land who have lived there since it was a part of Poland 1000 years ago...

[@xkyiiax1567]

1000 years ago Poland didnt even exist neither did germany

[@cezaryjerseybean]

Silesia is a part of Poland !!!

[@thepenguinwarriors4167]

+Ronald Ostrowski You Poles hate Bismarck so much. We gave Britain and France both more money than Germany and yet it is the richest of the three.

[@thepenguinwarriors4167]

Ronald Ostrowski I just said that Germany's economic success is impressive. I never said that I hate the Poles or that I even wish that Germany controlled Silesia.

[@politicusgermanicus7038]

Silesians should decide over that matter. Nobody else.

[@politicusgermanicus7038]

Clexa - wrong. Everything wrong. Silesians were part of Greater Moravia, then of Bohemia, and THEN of Poland... Independence of Bavaria? Let them vote! No problem! And yes, only bavarians should decide over their fate, just as Silesians, Scots, Catalans, Basques, Poles, Germans.

[@martinsFILMS13]

Don't forget the German Kurds & Arabs whom you want o deny their right to an autonomous region !

[@mkrsk]

As a rule of thumb, & this applies to nations everywhere, people from lands that have had territorial disputes with border nations historically will have people that say negative things about their bordering nations. Look at Japan-China, Russia-Japan, Russia-China, Iraq-Iran, Israel & neighbors, Pakistan-India, etc. So of course there will be some bordering nation people that have negative things to say about Poles. But overall Poland gets along with its neighbors including Germany and Ukraine

[@dpwXXIPolskaPolak]

One moment there are also Polish and Czech and some Slovak Silesians not only German minorithy...

[@AeronStahl]

2nd : 100'000 jews killed by Poles? Where and when? The estimation are of 1150-1500 Jews killed in different pogroms (Jedwabne 340, Kielce 37 just to name the most famous) and if you take the time to dig into my first point, you might be able to understand the background of those killings in a fiercely anti-communist Poland occupied by Stalinist's forces.

[@aandrzejku]

Since 4:17 Peter forces his whole family to sing a German song at the dinner. Actually nobody apart from him is singing the German song. The boy next to him is rather amused than singing, the grandparents aren't singing, particularly the grandfather pointedly remained silent. That is significant...

[@martinsFILMS13]

German- Turks need their own autonomous state in Germany there are 4 million of them My Narod Turecki " In 1997 the former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl had already stated that there were 3 million Turks living in Germany" "4 million (2011 Embassy of Germany, Washington, D.C. estimate" according to wikipedia

[@dieaffenheit4466]

Marcin 13 i'm german and i like kurds and turks but autonomy for them is very stupid

[@rscottlogan9471]

Let them vote if they want to reunite with Germany!

[@polishrepublic5055]

What XD let's make Vote in Mars if they want join Germany.

[@baldwinthefourth4098]

No we don't. Śląsk is rightfully Polish and it will remain polish.

[@aleksanderkorecki7887]

There isn't much popular support for such thing.

[@polishhussarmapping258]

With the new Polish govt it's possible that they will be recognized as a minority, and the dialect/language will be introduced to schools.

[@SVC-hz6dq]

I am Catalan and I identify myself as a Catalan. Neither as a Spaniard nor as a French. So I understand well what Silesian aims are about...

[@Андрейжилка-ъ3ю]

Silesians are etnic sub-grup of polish peoples, they speak a dialect who is very close to polish, genetically are almost pure slavic like polish, existed aslo german silesians but they migrated to Germany, now only slavs live in Silesia

[@Marauder1981]

@@Андрейжилка-ъ3ю stop talking about stuff you don´t know.

[@wilhelmschwurtzel2384]

My great grandmother was born in Breslau in 1908. A small part of me wishes Silesia could be allowed to return to its rightful place in Germany. But they must suffer for the sins of their fathers fathers I guess.

[@baldwinthefourth4098]

I'm from Wrocław. What will you do with me if you "regain" Śląsk? (which will never happen). Will you kick me out of my birthplace and bring germans into my abandoned home?

[@wilhelmschwurtzel2384]

@@baldwinthefourth4098 never say never...

[@baldwinthefourth4098]

@@wilhelmschwurtzel2384 You didn't answer my questions.

[@juniorcrusher2245]

I'm from the area and she could return without problem. But we arent gonna learn German for her? Its not like we arent allowing germans from living her??? What are you talking about

[@juniorcrusher2245]

@@baldwinthefourth4098 nothing will happen, if they "regain us" we would have already been dead fighting to be apart of our homeland

[@OrnumCR]

In the 1990 2+4 Treaty between the BRD, the DDR, the USSR, the US, the UK and France,, the land area of the ‘new’ German nation had to be accepted in law before unification could formally come into force. In separate negotiations with Poland and the BRD, (the DDR had previously ratified the frontier with Poland separately some years prior) this was settled and the two German states unified on October 4, 1990. This means that the Oder and western Neisse rivers form the internationally accepted German/Polish frontier. That means Silesia like the balance of the former ‘Prussian’ regions that formed part of the Weimar Republic, the Second and the Third Reichs from 1871 until 1945 technically will never fall under the control of Berlin ever again, apart from the effects of being within the EU where Berlin may or may not have an impact. This means that the region forms part of the Polish state and as such, Germany cannot be factored into this argument irrespective of the history. Given this historical impact of the major 1945 population shifts, the Poles and the ‘Silesians’ need to work together to reach harmonious agreement. Cannot drag the Germans into this one given what happened. The 1990 treaty they signed forbids them placing claims on Silesia and annexing it to the Federal Republic. So...it’s a Polish internal issue for the people of Poland to fix.

[@JanB56]

German propaganda, all blown out of proportions.

[@andrzejdobrowolski9523]

@Brian_44 It was German since the XVIII century and in the XIII there were rulers from the Piast dynasty

[@Go_for_it652]

No one seems to be happy , Stay in Poland

[@philpottkentucky4802]

There are plenty of Germans with Polish ancestry, and plenty of Poles with German ancestry. Dividing people up into different hostile ethnic camps is silly.

[@roberts6270]

Silesia was part of Germany and/or the Holy Roman Empire since the mid 11th century. Even before that Silesia was settled by Silesian Germans.

[@zacnieprawisz9171]

Robert S Even befote that it was settlrd by Slavs, just like Berlin in 7th century.

[@user-dl1xz3mj3i]

indeed

[@NationalismDjazair]

@@zacnieprawisz9171 false. Poland stole our land.

[@zeus7623]

Frederick had this land since the 18th century.

[@roberts6270]

#FrederickTheGreat.

[@nickurban6201]

And is that where history started? When Germany started conquering land? Poland had Silesia in the 9th century

[@eaglewhite0]

SILESIA...... A historical region that is now in southwestern poland......... By the 9th century Silesia was exclusively inhabited by Slavic peoples: the Dziadoszanie and the Bobrzanie in the north and the Ślęzanie (from whom it got its name), the Opolanie, and the Golensicowie in the south........ Silesia was later a Polish province, which became a possession of the Bohemian crown in 1335.......... It was passed with that crown to the Austrian Habsburgs in 1526....... It was taken by Prussia (Later known as Germany) in 1742........ In 1945, at the end ofWorld War 2, Silesia was one of the regions of German territory that was granted to Poland by the Soviet Union......

[@MrArkadiusz1985]

Where you get this bullshit from? Poles have the most Righteous Among the Nations prizes awarded by Israeli government because they were saving Jews. Poland had the biggest number of Jewish citizens in whole Europe before WW2. They were Polish poets, politicians in Polish government, valued citizens. Nobody was killing them before German Nazis conquered and occupied Poland.

[@polishpowerstefanowicz2340]

Silesians were & are a Slavic Lechitic tribe. The difference between a Silesian & a Pole is like the difference between a Bavarian & a German.

[@Wolflarsen46]

Wszyscy historycy pruscy w XVIII w. i pierwszej połowie XIX w. zawsze opisywali lud śląski jako Polaków. Dopiero za Bismarka wymyślono ,,naród śląski".

[@MAHAKALAXXXV]

tak pajacom się wyimagizoalo w głowach

[@selladore4911]

1:02 "do you have a second for a quick interview on silesian identity?" "yes, but only a second"

[@AeronStahl]

Kamieniec Podolski : Polish since 1352 until the annexation by Russian Empire in 1793 (2nd partition of Poland) with a break 1672-1699 when it was occupied by Ottoman Empire. Called before "Gate to Poland" and "the Front Wall of Christianity".

[@eaglewhite0]

SILESIA...... A historical region that is now in southwestern poland......... By the 9th century Silesia was exclusively inhabited by Slavic peoples: the Dziadoszanie and the Bobrzanie in the north and the Ślęzanie (from whom it got its name), the Opolanie, and the Golensicowie in the south........ Silesia was later a Polish province, which became a possession of the Bohemian crown in 1335.......... It was passed with that crown to the Austrian Habsburgs in 1526....... It was taken by Prussia (Later known as Germany) in 1742........ In 1945, at the end ofWorld War 2, Silesia was one of the regions of German territory that was granted to Poland by the Soviet Union......

[@MAHAKALAXXXV]

bzdury , moja Rodzina jest z Górnego i dolnego Śląska czyli jest 1000% Ślązak Polski , Moja rodzina conajmniej 800 walczyła dla kryli Polski i żadnego steru do Polski i dla Polaków niem i nie mialem, a teraz co ludziom się pierdoli w głowach , Polska tak jak i kazdy inny kraj ma rozne grupy ludzi , z różnymi dialektami itd. a to nie znaczy ze na przykład Bavarczycy w Niemczech nie są Niemcami , są Niemcami mimo to ze majom inne obyczaje , tak samo jest w każdym innym kraju . Tu nie chodzi o szanowanie danej kultury w kraju tu chodzi o durne odzielanie się od Polski z pogardom , mimo to ze Śląsk był i jest w Polsce od wielu wieków i cala Polska jest mieszankom , Niemców, Danes, Scots, Goths itd . to jest na prawdę idiotyczne co ci ludzie wyprawiajom.. Takie zachowanie tylko wykazuje wstret do Polski i odruznaine się poprzez jakieś niedowartościowanie mimo to Slozacy to super ludzie tak jak i wszędzie indziej w Polsce . Także czas skończyć durne zachowanie i myślenie , nie Ślązakom w Polsce nie kładzie pistoletu do głowy żeby się czegoś wyrzeakali , a Niemcy Niemczyli Polaków i Ślązaków a teraz an Śląsku ludzie majom Shtokholm syndrome i uwielbiają Niemcy a na Polskę plują jakby to ludzie w Polsce raz złego robili .

[@teukurajahitam8225]

Silesia is one of branches of Piast Houses who served to Germany Emperors (Holy Roman) same with Pommern Duchy rulers

[@totalhistorychannel1156]

It was ruled by habsburg but as an independent nation from austria

[@ozg7606]

@@totalhistorychannel1156 it was not Independent also Silesia was under the control of many countries.

[@eaglewhite0]

SILESIA...... A historical region that is now in southwestern poland......... By the 9th century Silesia was exclusively inhabited by Slavic peoples: the Dziadoszanie and the Bobrzanie in the north and the Ślęzanie (from whom it got its name), the Opolanie, and the Golensicowie in the south........ Silesia was later a Polish province, which became a possession of the Bohemian crown in 1335.......... It was passed with that crown to the Austrian Habsburgs in 1526....... It was taken by Prussia (Later known as Germany) in 1742........ In 1945, at the end ofWorld War 2, Silesia was one of the regions of German territory that was granted to Poland by the Soviet Union......

[@ozg7606]

@@eaglewhite0 very correct

[@garygartenzwerg9870]

@Carl Kirchhoff Not exclusively. While there was a German majority present, there was still a big Slavic minority

[@Photos-f8h]

They're again it was a problem in the 1930.... and we know how this ended. Split identity must be confusing for the average person.

[@AndreasKlaum]

Schliesien ist Schliesien

[@nickurban6201]

True but not sure why you said it in German.

[@sergiusvenedae4238]

@@nickurban6201 it isnt german :D. I dont know what "Schliesien" means. I only know "Schlesien".

[@nickurban6201]

@@sergiusvenedae4238 Oh lmao. Guy probably spelt it wrong

[@Anonymous-xd1lo]

Do Silesians speak the standard German too?

[@420kuba9]

+Omair Iqbal Never

[@MrTopmarks]

Silesian is a language very close to Polish

[@MrTopmarks]

Lol

[@420kuba9]

***** silesia is in poland . i was born in poland silesia and everyone speaks normal polish there everyone so quit talking bullcrap sir.

[@Anonymous-xd1lo]

***** Will Germany ever get those lost territories back? Were most people driven out or just killed?

[@dpwXXIPolskaPolak]

Kaczyński is not a nationalist he is a populist in the same way as we can call the progerman Silesian authomomists GErman silesian nationalist...

[@jackquinn7708]

Polish government is handling things very badly.

[@razorren]

I'm proud to say that I'm half English and half Silesian German

[@MrTopmarks]

+Pepe Melan . Vikings settled in the area Poland (Gothiscandza) which became known as the Wielbark culture. Poland is made up of Slavs how came and mixed with the tribes in the area who stayed and didn't ran from the Huns. Germans are mixed with Latins, Poles with Vikings that is why most Poles are light skinned and blonde.

[@GoldsteinShekelbergSwartz]

@@Wiktor12339 Skandinavia is germanic as is germany. Norway sweden and denmark is more then 80% germanic. Same with most of germany. Germans have very littel slavic dna in them so thats a lie. Celts ruled most of europe for a long time so ther is some dna there yes. Egyptian farao was celtic btw. Italo is not are race and is an etnicity. There have littel immigrantion from italy to germany and those who did i north Italy has lot of celtic blood. Polen has high amount of celtic and germanic ancestory. In Slovakia it 30%.

[@jamesfletcher5906]

Very confusing part of the world. My grandfather was from Rybnik in Poland. That appears to be in Silesia, I wonder what he thought about silesian nationalism. He came to the UK after the war, If anyone from Rybnik could tell the status of silesian in rybnik now or in the 1930s that would be fascinating. His name was Czeslaw Wicherek, I dont know if poles can tell is thats a silesian name or something

[@Acocietoobchodzi]

Yes,this is Silesian last name. Silesian last names are simillar to polish, but doesn't have -ski or -cki in ending like a polish, and have some other letter for exemple in polish: Maciej Musiał in Silesian Maciej Musioł or Maciej Musialik. If Silesian have -cki or -ski in end of his last nime, hi must originating from other place in Poland. "Po naszymu"We say that they are "Gorole". Sorry for my english, I can't good speak in this language

[@barefootfrolick]

@@Acocietoobchodzi and @James Fletcher I wondered if you might know if 'Centawer' is a Silesian name? It doesn't appear to be a German name and could also be a variation on the Polish last name Centnerszwer?

[@agatach87]

I come from Rybnik and live in Katowice now. Both cities are very much Silesian and proud ❤ I haven’t heard of anyone called Wicherek though but it does sound Silesian 😉

[@jamesfletcher5906]

@@barefootfrolick I really am no expert on the topic I'm afraid.

[@jamesfletcher5906]

@@agatach87 Interesting, I have always told people that I am a quarter polish, maybe now I should say that I am a quarter silesian!

[@AeronStahl]

Wilno : more complicated because Poland and Lithuania were during centuries the same nation and the title of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (the founder of Jagiellon Dynasty was an ethnic Lithuanian) was held by the same person. So in this case I'm for a mutual heritage of the city and region and not a return. But if you look at 1931 census in Wilno: Poles 65.5%, Jews 27.8%, Russians 3.8%, Belarusians : 0.9% and Lithuanians... 0.8%.

[@polishpowerstefanowicz2340]

This is about Autonomy. Silesia or Slask have a different language than other Polish. It is like saying that New York is different than West Virginia even though they are of the same language & same Nation they have a different accent & speak words a little different & their culture is a little different.

[@slavicking4083]

Dialect

[@rudiechinchilla6746]

I m part of a German migration to Costa Rica who were discriminated after and during the war so?

[@EnigmaCodeCrusher]

4:17 Cringe-inducing series of moments, when they start sing the Silesian anthem... in German!!

[@slawekwojtowicz]

I wonder when Germany is going to pay reparations for WW2 to Poland 🤔

[@anothergermanmapper7754]

My Guy, Germany already did.

[@vitozzi1]

Writing about Silesia you do not have any clue what had meant that word! That word has derived from the old Slavic language and originally was LESCHIA (Leskja) which has meant in Slavic LESIE in eng The FOREST , but SILESJA mean the same to ZALESIE . But SLASK Means in Slavic (Z LASU ) From the forest

[@ChillDudelD]

@@paulhausser4082 Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D) - “Nec minor est opinione Aeningia, quidam haec habitari ad Vistlam usque fluvium a Sarmatis, Venedis, Sciris, Hirris tradunt.” (“Not smaller [land] according to Aeningia. Some say, that up to Vistula river it is inhabited by Sarmatians, Wends, Scirris, Hirris.”) P. Cornelius Tacitus (55-117 A.D) - “The Veneti taken many of Sarmatian customs. They cross all the forests and mountains between Peuts and Fenns for loot, but they should be counted among the Germans because they build houses, wear shields and like fast, walking marches. This differentiate them from Sarmatians who live on a wagon and on a horse.” First Polish king had a title of “REGNUM SCLAVORUM, GOTHORUM SIVE POLONORUM” (“King of Slavs, Goths or Poles”) This trend continued for a long time, the title of being king of not only Goths, but also Vandals "Gothorum Vandalorumque haereditarius rex". Gerhard from Augsburg in the hagiography of Vita sancti Uodalrici (Life of Saint Udalric), c. 983-993, writes about Mieszko as “dux Wandalorum, Misico nomine” (“the Prince of Vandals, named Mieszko”). German church chronicles (992) - „obiit Misica dex Vandalorum” (“Duke of Vandals Mieszko died” about Mieszko I of Poland. Snorri Sturluson in Heimskringli (1225) - “Burizleif Vindakonungr” (“King of Vandals”) about Polish king Bolesław Chrobry. Adam of Bremen in Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum (1073-1076) - “Sclavania igitur, amplissima Germaniae provintia, a Winulis incolitur, qui olim dicti sum Wandali; decies maior esse fertur nostra Saxonia, presertim si Boemiam et eos, qui trans Oddaram sunt, Polanos, quaia nec habitu nec lingua discrepant, in partem adiecreris Sclavaniae.” (“Sclavanie, the largest part of Germania inhabited by Vinuli, who were earlier called Vandals, apparently it is bigger than our Saxony, especially if we includes Chechs and Polans on the other side of the Odra River, who do not differ in either language or customs.”) Gervase of Tilbury in Otia Imperialia (1209-1214) - “they are referred to as Vandals and that's how they call themselves” (about Poles). Vilhelm of Rubruck - “The language of Ruthenians, Poles, Czechs and Sclavons is the same as the language of Vandals”. The Slavs, an eastern branch of the Indo-European family, were known to the Roman and Greek writers of the 1st and 2d centuries A.D. under the name of Venedi as inhabiting the region beyond the Vistula. In the course of the early centuries of our era the Slavs expanded in all directions, and by the 6th century, when they were known to Gothic and Byzantine writers as Sclaveni, they were apparently already separated into three main divisions... - An Encyclopedia of World History, William L. Langer, Harvard University, 1940 & 1948

[@qusseck]

Guess what langauge they are speaking.

[@politicusgermanicus7038]

Funny, how some people can not distinguish autonomy from secession. It says a lot about their understanding of democracy, federalism, minority rights. Funny as well, that they demand exactly this kind of self-governing for Poles in Lithuania and Belarus. Double standards?

[@martinsFILMS13]

Autonomy will lead to secession and that is the new Generalplan ost, a balkanization of Eastern Europe under German and Russian domination.

[@politicusgermanicus7038]

In what parallel universe do you live? Germany isn't a sovereign country since 1945.

[@martinsFILMS13]

Kosovo's autonomy led to secession.

[@daxx77m]

It's even funnier that someone with a nickname Politicus Germanicus (which literally translates to: German Politician) wants to lecture others what democracy, federalism and minority rights is all about. Given how much some German politicians of the past centuries contributed in the area of democracy, federalism, and minority rights, it is indeed very funny... Poles in Lithuania or Belorus never demanded autonomy which is what silesian autonomy movement is advocating for. There are at least two other prominent examples of autonomy rights eventually leading to demands of outright secession: Catalonia and Scotland.

[@martinsFILMS13]

Notice how Germany allows no ethnic autonomous states in their country but yet, this German guy demands Poland to do so.

[@ExtremelyFlamable100]

i am not the one thinking in races here, I dont care if the silesians speak an indogermanische sprache or wasserpolnisch, but i really believe that every folk has the right to decide its own destiny, and it kinda looks like the silesians dont want to be a part of poland

[@IhaveBigFeet]

I know you wrote this 9 years ago but just to give an update, that’s not true at all. There’s not even one political party in Silesia that wants independence

[@AeronStahl]

1st : There was no Polish Government until 1989, but a Communist government under Russian control, and between 1944 and 1956, on about 450 ministers 167 were Jews. So in those years they represented 1% of Polish citizens but represented 37.1% of the high officials of the stalinist's repression system (read about Hilary Minc, Jakub Berman, Stefan Michnik, Anatol Fejgin, Helena Wolińska, Salomon Morel, Roman Romkowski, Mieczysław Mietkowski, Leon Andrzejewski, Józef Różański, Edward Kalecki,

[@jcoker423]

Between the Elbe/Labe and Wistula there are no 'Slavs' or 'Germans' just a bunch of Europeans who speak 1 or another language as their 1st language and who pray as Catholics or Protestants to the same God.

[@MrTopmarks]

No just Poles live in this area

[@benrose6033]

J Coker in a way your right thanks. But the Poles just write history that suits them all the bad bits get deleted and changed just leave out the bits about half their country taken to avoid confrontation with the Russians.

[@martinsFILMS13]

what are you even talking about? that statement is completely false.

[@loleklolkowski2197]

There is not "silesian minority". German's are trying to divide Poland. Silesia is one of region's in Poland!! And it is not a nation ! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@mauriciodelaquintana4250]

11 Years after I hope the situation of silesians have improved

[@koneserbaleronu3781]

it did, last autonomy march was quite big

[@TheBuchcassidy]

This is , what I said you! Russians werent you friends during the Second War.

[@GrandmasterDinnerRoll]

Let them be free if they want.

[@AeronStahl]

Lwow : Since the 9th century there was a Lendian settlement. Destroyed by the armies of Batu-Khan. Reconstructed by a Rus (not Russian) prince, then Polish city (1340-1939) with a break during the partitions of Poland (1772-1918) autrichien. If you speak about the reconstruction of Lwow in 1250 by a Rus (not Russian) then London was founded by Romans, does it make it an Italian city? 1931 census : Poles 67.2%, Jews 21.6%, Ukrainians 9.2%, Germans 2%. Name Ukraine means : border region (march)

[@mkrsk]

I don't believe Latvians have a major problem with Poland since they don't border it. I have spoken to Latvians and they seem to be the most negative about Russia. As for the ethnic Russians who live in Ukraine I think its higher than %17. At what age are they Pro-Ukraine? 5? 10?. All I know is that they (voting age Ukrainians) mostly voted for the current Ukraine president who most Ukrainian nationalists think cares more about Russia than Ukraine.

[@thelazyone1881]

Just here to read the comments by Angry trigger poles you know the usual

[@nickurban6201]

Trigger Poles? It's the Wehraboos that are the ones that are getting triggered here lol. The video barely mentions Germany. The Silesians want to be SIlesian and not in the slightest German.

[@AeronStahl]

So if you take the time to dig a little bit you'll see why many Jews left Poland after the war and the others were "driven out" of Poland after the de-stalinization. I fiercely oppose any violence towards civilians and regret the dramatic events that happened in some places but as you'll see, if you honestly make some researches, that yours claims about what happened is false. So please, dig into it and then make your own opinion. The peace between peoples can't be built on lies.

[@WildwoodClaire1]

Well, there USED TO BE a German city named Breslau. But that's a long time ago. It's the Polish City of Wroclaw now and it's way past time for everybody to quit worrying about who did what to whom a long, long time ago. Let's move on.

[@TheHollandHS]

Some polish people from ukrainian liviv example live now in Silesia. And they many they don't mind calling themselves silesians or embracing the German beer mugs. While Silesia was german for centuries. Yeah thats confusing who's silesian. (Coincidentally the Silesians color flags look similar to Ukraine actually)

[@polishrepublic5055]

"German for Centuries" Most of people in Silesia was Polish even in 20 century

[@juniorcrusher2245]

Germans started coming here in 1600s. Before that it was Czechs and poles (poles in the north). Also I heard 90% of the silesians are from the ukranian poles descents

[@TheHollandHS]

It was territoral and culturally germanized ever since the Holy Roman empire of the Middle ages. that's at least 8 centuries. . Germans had poles and czechs living next to each other of course around the borders. Just like pomerania. But Poland and Bohemia did not have these territories since the middle ages since the 1000s. ethnically they might be polish of Czech but for at least 900 years it's was germanized. That's why food language and architecture is mainly east German throughout the development of Europe. like Berlin. Even Berlin was inhabited by Slavs. Long time ago, but that doesn't make it just polish.

[@juniorcrusher2245]

@@TheHollandHS 900 years? You're smoking crack. The germanisation started when Prussia inherited silesia in a conflict in 1600s from the Czechs who were slavs themselves and were only really germanise in the big cities like Prague. Just because bohemia was in the hre doesnt mean all its territories became German at the snap of a finger

[@polishrepublic5055]

in middle ages it was controlled by Piasts who were vassals of Czechs.

[@jaycollins1259]

Silesea was historically part of Germany for 800 years before it was ethnically cleansed of its German population and replaced by Polish after 2WW. Silesea had a population of 1.9 million before 2WW of which less than 200.000 remain today.

[@martinsFILMS13]

How can Silesea be a part of Germany for 800 years when Germany only came into existence in 1871

[@polekijanka6787]

Only Germany can do ethnic cleansing.I mean the Poles and the Sorbian

[@benrose6033]

14 Million Eastern Germans were Ethnically Cleansed from Silesia, Pomerania and East Prussia and were replaced with Polish.

[@benrose6033]

Neo Nowy 4% of Poland currently lives in Germany, if its that terrible in Germany why do they live there ? Germany has financially supported Poland since 2000 and ensured Polands EU entry. You simply have dreams of Polish Grandeur, which dont reflect reallity or historical facts at all.

[@martinsFILMS13]

Germans are a threat to us, Poland should really look into an nuclear program.