Job Discussion Forums

[bnix]

Suwalki is an interesting city(not large) in northeastern Poland.I suggest that you visit it if you are up that way.Interesting museums.There is also a village in the area,Punsk.inhabited by Lithuanians.In the summer only,you can take the bus out to the village of Stanchiki....and see the suspension bridge out in the middle of the forest...the Russians were planning great things,but history interrupted them,and they left before completing the raod and other construction.Now there is just a big suspension bridge out in the middle of nowhere.Some people camp under it.

Also,if you are in Suwalki,don't miss the Tatar cemetery(Poles hired them as mercenaries hundreds of years ago ).You might have to ask around to find this one....it is in a rather obscure,overgrown section of town.You can still make out some of the names on the gravestones,,,some with Arabic first names and polish last names...Abdul Staniskowski.

[scot47]

Are you sure it was the Russians ? The Germans maybe ?

[canucktechie]

I think you're right scot, the area in question used to be called East Prussia and was part of Germany for centuries. At the end of WWII Stalin divided it up between Poland and the USSR. Many of the cities have both German and Polish names (eg. Lech / Elk).

[bnix]

Well,SOMEONE left it there.My statement in the original post that the Russians left it there is not based on personal knowledge,of course,but on two things:
1.The Lonely Planet Guide to Poland states it was the Russians.Granted,Lonely Planet can be wrong , just like anyone else.However,usually their information is pretty reliable.

2.I have actually visited the bridge in question.The local people also state it was the Russians.Sure,they could be wrong too,or maybe they have been reading Lonely Planet .

I feel inclined to believe it was the Russians,although I am not stating I am sure(how could I?),or that it is even worth caviling over.I have other things to worry about...will SARS come to Korea(where I am at now)...will that fruitcake up north start some kind of war?Who left the bridge at Stanchiki pales before those two concerns,for me,at least.


As for the Suwalki area being part of East Prussia at one time,are you sure?I did not realize it extended that far east.Although you could be right on that one.

Poland,of course,has been invaded many times in the past(and not just by the main culprits,the Russians and Germans,either).The Swedes even got into the act at one time(the Poles still refer to that one as the Swedish Deluge) and by Napoleon(Poland was part of Russia at the time Napoleon invaded).He set up something called the Duchy of Warsaw.

[Guest]

The Kaliningrad oblast of Russia is probably just to the north of this area. It once was the northern half of East Prussia and Kaliningrad used to be called Koenigsburg - the southern half is now in Poland. Before the Soviet Union fell apart, of course, this area was an integrated part of that empire. Now that Lithuania and Belarus are independent, this oblast is cut off from the rest of Russia. I think it should be divided between Poland and Lithuania personally, but that's just my humble opinion.

[scot47]

What about the Germans who lived there for centuries ?

[Albulbul]

Suwalki was part of Prussia for many years and remained so until 1945 when the German population of this area was expelled by the Red Army.

This whole question of the exclave of Kaliningrad/Koenigsberg and the parts of Poland that were German before 1945 will be with us for a long time.

[Alex Shulgin]

[grisznak]

Just wanted to reiterate the fact that bnix is a fool by mentioning that I have a copy of the May 2002 (4th edition) Lonely Planet Poland, which happens to state quite clearly on page 547 (lower section of page),

"The two bridges at Stanczyki were built by the Germans, in what was then the territory of East Prussia...".

let's pray that bnix is teaching his hagwon kiddies to read better than that.

PiHKAL/TiHKAL massive.

[bnix]

Maybe they can go into the fortunetelling business together,since griz "miraculously" knows I work at a hakwon(I don't) and Alex"miraculously"knows I was "canned" in Poland( I wasn't).Just a couple of know-it-all soreheads.........
Alex reminds me of a guy named Swindell(Swindle?)...something like that...who used to post a lot on Poland.What really incensed that guy,Swindle or whatever,was whenever I referred to Warsaw as a "dump"(in my opinion,it CERTAINLY IS a dump).He became almost apoplectic.

Of course,since I do not possess a crystal ball and I am not psychic, I have no idea if they are the same guy.Maybe not.
But,hey,Alex and griz,in my opinion,you guys can be THE EXPERTS,maybe they can even put your thrones next to each other.

[Alex Shulgin]

Do tell us which page of your Lonely Planet says the bridge was built by the Russians bnix. I note you haven't bothered to tell us. Which page is it and which year is the edition you have. As you were here in 98 I guess you have the '96 edition. I've told you which page in that edition has the information. Why don't you tell us which has the claim you make?

You weren't canned? Yeah right. The school just didn't bother applying for a work permit for you after you'd taught for them for a year. Sounds like they really wanted you back for another year!

[jac]

grow up alex

[bnix]

Thanks for your comment.
Alex,as a matter of fact,I do not have my Lonely Planet(Poland) with me,because I forgot it on the bus in the small town of Opatow(Poland) between Sandomierz and Kielce.YES,Alex,I have been in those places,too,although I am still not an 'expert" on Poland.I never pretended to be an"expert"

So,I cannot check my Lonely Planet,as I do not have it.But...it does not matter that much, anyway.Perhaps I made a MISTAKE about saying I read the Russians built that bridge.People DO make mistakes,you know.I am not afraid to admit when I make one.Anyway,what is the real difference?Although it seems to matter terribly to you.
I agree with jac.You should grow up.I never claimed to be an expert,and I could be wong on that information.These puny,minute details seem to be terribly important to you.Or perhaps you are infallible?

[bnix]

"Wrong"

[Alex Shulgin]