The name of Poland... and its culture - is it really slavic?

[jötunn]

So, Poland is known mostly under 3 names:

"Poland" - the English/Nordic name - definitely related to the Germanic word "land", as well as the names related to Latin "lonia" in Romanic languages (Italian, French, Spanish etc)

"Polska" - the Slavic name. It definitely came from an adjective, but it can be either Germanic or Slavic adjective. Interesting is the name "Polska korona", which is the early name of Kingdom of Poland, and is valid in Polish language, but could be valid in some Nordic language ("korona", "krona")

"Lechistan" - the name used in the West Asia.

The thing is, that in late middle ages, the Polish upper class (aristocracy) called Poland "Lechistan" and claimed to have west Asian (generally Aryan) origins.

So, my bet would be that, since slavs came from the East, Lechistan is just the self-designated name of the country of the Polans (that called themselves Lechites), and the name "Polska" was brought by some Northern or western settlers.


Also, Polish culture is more similar to Scandinavian (especially Swedish), and differs from other Slavic cultures - Balkan slavs, for example, say that Polish language sounds more Germanic than Slavic, it just shares some words they understand. So, I would say Poland is more Baltic or Nordic than Slavic. There are some slavs that live in east Poland, and they feel very exotic to the rest of Poland. For example, in most of Poland, even nudity is a taboo topic, when the slavs have religious celebrations that consist of sex. Also, in my opinion, I would say that Poland is more western than Scandinavia, but it is a bit complicated - for example, some Polish subcultures don't distinguish between Nordic-type lefty government, and communism, which leads to problems when surveying that.

Also, most of Poland was effectively destroyed by German and Swedish military in the history, which means a lot of intersettlers. I am not much into Baltic cultures, but they generally seem similar to Swedish, which is considered Nordic. So, the question is... are Poland, Lithuania, etc, Slavic, Baltic or maybe Nordic countries? Well, definitely more culturally Nordic than Finland.

And another thing... what brought Finland to the "Nordic passport union"? Maybe brexit will separate England and make it a Nordic country?

[Peterski]

most of Poland was effectively destroyed by German and Swedish military in the history

Poland's terrain is difficult to defend and easy for attackers due to being mostly flat fields (Russians learned it in 1915 during the Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive by the Central Powers, and Germans in 1945 during the Vistula-Oder Offensive by the Red Army - both quickly overran enemy defenses).

But it was not always the case, in the Early Middle Ages Poland was heavily forested and very hard to successfully invade:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAPT26tPvTk



^^^
In that video you can see also reconstruction of the Polish-German war of 1109:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...iecka_1109.png



^^^ Description of the siege of Głogów in 1109 by a contemporary chronicler:

"(...) From all sides the Germans, yelling terribly, assaulted the stronghold. The Poles were defending. From all sides engines of warfare are hurling stones, crossbows are clanging, projectiles and arrows are flying in the air, pierced shields are fracturing, armours are gushing, helmets are being crushed, corpses are falling, wounded are giving their ground, and are being replaced by fresh warriors. Germans are loading their crossbows, and Poles their ballistas. Germans are shooting arrows and slinging stones, Poles are throwing down millstones and sharpened wooden poles on German heads. When Germans, protected by cover made of wooden boards, attempted to approach the rampart, Poles poured boiling water on them and then showered them with firebrands. Germans approached towers with iron rams, Poles rolled down spiky wheels with iron stars and thorns on them. Germans, using siege ladders, were climbing upwards and Poles, fastening iron hooks to those ladders, were hurling the attackers into the air. (...)"

Description of German withdrawal back to Germany after the siege of Głogów:

"(...) Wherever the Emperor marched..., he was followed by Bolesław... When the Emperor was decamping, Bolesław continued to be his inseparable companion. Whoever detached from the main column of Emperor's army, was never finding his way back. If any larger unit, trusting in their own numbers, drifted away from the camp in search of food or forage, Bolesław was bursting between them and the Emperor's main army, cutting off their way back and so those, who attempted to collect war booty, were themselves becoming war booty of Bolesław. With such methods, Bolesław brought the huge and qualitative Emperor's army on the verge of collapse and caused such fear, that... nobody dared to stick out their noses from the camp. No German squire dared to gather grass for horses, nobody dared to go beyond the line of watches for the purpose of defecating. There was great fear of Bolesław at nights and during daytime, they were warning each other: - Bolesław is not sleeping! - when they saw some holt or shrubbery, they were calling: - Beware, Bolesław is lurking there! - There was not a single place, which was not suspected by them of presence of Bolesław's forces. In this way, Bolesław was tirelessly harassing them, capturing several at once either from the front of the marching column, or from the rear, or sometimes after attacking their flanks. This is why Emperor's warriors had to march all day long in full armour and with weapons ready for a fight, constantly and everywhere expecting Bolesław's attacks. During nights they were also all sleeping in their armours, or standing on their posts, others were on the guard as watches, some others were encouraging them: - Watch over!... Beware!... Each day many noble men were dying, their corpses, after disembowelment, were being filled with salt and herbs and put on wagons, which were supposed to transport those corpses back to Bavaria and Saxony, as the only tribute exported of Poland... The Emperor realized, that his very large army could no longer sustain itself, because Bolesław, just like a lioness whose puppies were taken away, was encircling it from all sides. Horses were starving and dying of hunger, people were agonized by constant lack of sleep, long time of the campaign and starvation. Add to this impenetrable thickets of forests, never drying marshes, stinging flies, sharp arrows of obstinate peasants - all of this did not allow the Emperor to accomplish his task (...)"

[jötunn]

but doesn't mean Poland was not destroyed during the Swedish deluge and World War 2

Basically, forests are no good defense against air assault...

[Peterski]

The Swedish deluge coincided in time with Russian, Cossack, Brandenburgian and Transylvanian invasions as well.

But still Poland won against all of them, even though it was a pyrrhic victory that left the country devastated.