This document discusses common stereotypes about Poland and the Polish people from both historical and modern perspectives. Some stereotypes mentioned include that Poles do not speak foreign languages well, are intolerant and anti-Semitic, abuse alcohol, and are involved in organized crime and car theft. The document also notes stereotypes about Polish roads, jokes that play on Polish people or culture, and discusses how Poland and Polishness are perceived differently by natives versus immigrants. It concludes by asking how one can see their own country through foreign eyes and discussing ways to change negative stereotypes.

1. Stereotypes about Poland
Natalia Biel
Tomasz Szydło
Katarzyna Wąż

2. Introduction
The aim of this presentation is to make the
audience acquainted with the very term and,
using the example of our own culture, show them
how differently it is seen by its natives and
immigrants.

3. What are stereotypes?
Stereotypes are grossly oversimplified and
overgeneralized abstractions about groups of
people and are usually highly inaccurate although
they may contain a grain of truth.
(Pennington 1986: 90)
A stereotype refers to those folk beliefs about the
attributes characterising a social category on
which there is substantial agreement.
(Mackie 1973: 435; cited by Schneider 2004: 16)

4. Stereotypes are qualities perceived to be associated
with particular groups or categories of people.
(Schneider 2004: 24)
Stereotypes can be conceived of as processes which
have the function of simplifying judgement and
which occur in situations characterised by little
information, high complexity and pressure of time.
[...] They are thus tools for the management of
one’s environment with more or less distorting
effects.
(Schäfer 1994: 461; translated by Franklin)

5. Common stereotypes about
Poland

6. Historical background
- First opinions about Poles: late Middle
Ages
- After the defeat of the Teutonic Order in
the battle of Grunwald
- Poles viewed as valiant

7. - A very numerous social stratum of aristocratic
knights emerges, the so-called nobility
- They were characterised mainly by great
patriotism, fighting for the motherland
- associations: freedom, equality, democracy of
nobility, honour, courage, manhood, loyalty,
hospitality
- But also: quarrelsomeness, litigiousness, religious
intolerance, dissipated lifestyle, rowdiness

8. - The proclamation of the Martial Law in
December 1981: large emigration of Poles in
the 1980’s
- Then, after the decay of Communism: borders
lifted, more emigrants from Poland
- The beginning of jokes about the Poles being
notorious for stealing cars

9. The latest great wave of emigration occurred
after the Polish accession to the European
Union in 2004
And so the story begins…

10. Poles do not speak
foreign languages.
Watch the video here:
http://youtu.be/_JIoyj6JrKc

11. Polish paradox: A Pole complains that most
Poles complain.

12. Poles are intolerant and full of anti-Semitism
You slob,
You Romanian,
You…
You Jew!!

13. The Poles abuse alcohol.
Drunk as a Pole (French: Ivre comme un Polonais)
– a typical French saying

14. Organised crime and car theft
are part of everyday life in Poland.

15. A German on A Russian on A Pole on
vacation vacation vacation

16. What does Google suggest?

17. Let’s make fun of Poles!

18. Polish roads

19. A man walked into a bar and asked the
bartender, "Hey, have you heard the latest
Polack joke?" The bartender replied coldly,
"No. And I'm Polish." That's O.K.," said the
man, "I'll talk slow."
How do you sink a Polish battleship?
Put it in water.

20. - How many Polacks does it take to kidnap a
child?
- Twelve. One to kidnap the child and the
remaining eleven to write a ransom letter.
The first prize in a certain contest was a
week in Poland. The second prize was two
weeks in Poland.
- Why wasn't Christ born in Poland?
- Because they couldn't find three wisemen
and a virgin.

21. How do we perceive
Polishness???

23. Readability of Polish signs…

24. When I realised I was the symbol of Poland,
I broke down.

25. - Who are you?
- I’m your little Polish friend, socks and sandals
I always keep at hand!

26. Jesus turned water into wine.
Mr Józek turned 30 decagrams of meat
into one kilo of ham!

27. UEFA has finally decided what to do with our
National Stadium: it’s ready for rice cultivation

28. Discussion
1. Try to see your own country with the eyes
of a foreigner. What stereotypes are they
likely to create?
2. What are the ways to change a negative
image of one’s country? What should be
done to eliminate stereotypes? What can
you do?