Thursday 16 July 2015

Warsaw


Got back from Warsaw last night. One of the few places I've never visited before (Poland, that is).

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the Marriott Hotel was situated just on the edge of what used to be the infamous Warsaw ghetto - it was only a 13 minute walk to a synagogue that was in the heart of the area and had been rebuilt. Wish I'd had some time to explore, but it was a flying visit.

It's hard to believe that some 300,000 Jews from here died during WWII under the Nazi occupation. The Poles in general suffered the most from both the Nazis and the Russians. About one fifth of the population, or 6 million, perished. 3 million ethnic Poles and another 3 million Jews.

A few shots across the city from my hotel window:




This one is the Palace of Culture. There's an identical one on Riga in Latvia. Seems Uncle Joe Stalin built one of these in every major city he conquered. The Joe Stalin School of Monumental Architecture! In Riga it's called Stalin's Birthday Cake. A hideous, lumpen monstrosity, but so monstrous it has a certain beauty.



1 comment:

idaczerwcowa said...

Dear Chairman, next time you are in W., I would be honoured to show you round a little and prove the city has not only history, but quite happy future also...
On one hand it's nice somebody reminds that tragic past, on the other it's tiring to be judged only through infamous history...
Greetings from the capital -
ida