I’m not one to defend Poland in its current state, or whitewash it’s checkered history especially with regard to how it treated Ukraine, but…
Poland didn’t even exist for 125+ of those 500 years, as it was completely erased off the map by the Hapsburgs, Russians, and Prussians. Its neighbours have always treated Poland as a playground for proxy wars and political intrigue, and both Russians and Germans think of the Polish as yokels or shit disturbers, worthy only of subjugation or exploitation.
In other words, it’s not hard to see why Poland quickly turned into an anxiety-ridden bully. Like an abused kid grown up into a shitty adult.
I’m not talking about 1500-2000, more like 1300-1800. It was only after their neighbours finally ereased it off the map that it became a playground. Remember that Thirty Years War? Fucking hell, the trauma of that can still be detected in the DNA of the people of those regions. But details aside, in general we agree and that it is a problem. I said it earlier and I’ll say it again, polish facism is the bigger future threat that’s growing in the shadow of Russias current threat.
