You are right. After the Nazi-Soviet pact, the Russians were extremely brutal with the eastern Poland population. The Katyn massacre comes to mind when discussing this period of history. I submit that the Russians have no historical claim on East Prussia. It is simply an expansionist land grab. This is no different than what the Nazis attempted to accomplish. I cannot believe that the borders of this part of Europe will remain this way for the foreseeable future.
I am not pro-German, but I have to state this. That there are no Germans living in this area is a testament to the thoroughness and savagery of the ethnic cleansing that took place after WW2. Especially the regarding the East Prussians who were exterminated or deported to Siberian labor camps after WW2 and replaced by Russians. East Prussia does not exist anymore.
The Communists and Nazis were cut from the same piece of cloth. Poland is lucky that they were not doomed to the same fate.
@michael112254 You are overlooking the huge amount of refugees who left - and the overwhelming bulk of people were not deported to Siberia but to Germany - in conditions probably much better than Poles were deported from what had been eastern Poland.
@polskie winnipeg I did state and recognise in my above comment about Russian brutality towards the Polish people. I will also add that the Russians did murder and deport to Siberia the Ukrainians, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians and many others. This happened before, during and after World War 2. My statement was in regard to the fate of East Prussia. The East Prussian population after the war was completely wiped out by various means and carried out by the Russian troops and the NKVD.
@polskiewinnipeg I do know many of the Germans died attempting to escape the Russian troops. This took place during the winter and many died along the way. Many were overrun by the advancing Russian troops and were murdered on the spot. Many starved to death or died of illness. The Germans that did not escape and were left behind were subjected to the savagery of the Russian troops.
As a student of history, this is an example of ethnic cleansing.
@polskiewinnipeg no no no Germany has no interest in making Kaliningr5ad another Prussia they respect the fact thatwe are who we are they are helping in in technology things like that but not making new Prussia. They say we are Kaliningraders the new inheritance of the land and they repspect that.
@michael112254 There are no Germans there today. I have only seen Kaliningrad Oblast from the border - I have never visited. It certainly will stay part of Russia.
I worked in Vilnius in Lithuania in 2000. I have not been to either Estonia or Lativa but woul like to do so one summer!
@michael112254 Actually Kaliningrad is no only a part of Russia by affiliation Kaliningrad is now a Seperate Rupilic from Russia Medvedev Reconize that in JAnuary when the poeple kicked out Geory Boose from power and elected a Durma in place and started building there own defense force.
@baltic1284 What does this mean for the future of this new "republic" and does this mean that the Germans will reclaim this area? Will East Prussia be restored? I find it amazing as a student of history in the US how much the borders were changed in eastern Europe after World War 2. Germany was the big loser in the post World War 2 redrawing of these borders. Germany is the rising power in Europe while the US is declining under Obama in influence and power. Germany will be leading the West.
@michael112254 no there Germans left that still live in Germany and we still keep close ties to Russia but not like before we t5ell Putin and Medvedev they welcome come visit but no longer rule land only Kaliningrader Nations do now and we deal lot with Germany Russia and the Baltic states but not well with Poland.
@baltic1284 Are you suggesting that Kaliningrad will become an independent country? It is hard for me to believe that Putin would voluntarily give up this territory without something in return. The Russians have taken a hard line in the Chechnya region. I still suspect that the Germans as they grow stronger economically and militarily will not want to recover these lost territories sometime in the future. The US is set to decline in influence in the future due to serious economic problems.
@michael112254 They what western countries call a territory or semi independent and yes we are goin for a Independent country and Putin stated that he still want the naval base and the resources.
@baltic1284 It will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the future. I do see the E.U. and Germany filling the vacuum left by the US. Germany is the rising superpower and it will end up leading the E.U. I just wonder if the Germans will continue their benign attitude toward their lost territories. What do people in Kaliningrad think they will gain by loosening their ties to Russia? I can see that they may want the same relationship that Hong Kong has with the Chinese
@michael112254 some german very little less than 0.5 % live still why not.Most of them escaped before soviets came in 1945,some which remained was never expelled by poles but emigrated because communism.I was in kaliningrad it is very sad the teritory is in russian hands not polish or german the time simply stuck there.These area was never russian before was german and polish only.Even people would vote to be german or polish rather than in russia.Area forgotten even by moskwa government
@tommi 59txI do not think that this area is forgotten by the Moscow government. They do not like to give anything that they won. They will not give the Kuril Islands back to Japan. They will not give the Kaliningrad away either, after they won it in World War 2. Moscow has to stay loyal to the Russian colonist that they imported after the war even though this area has never been historically Russian. It is sad the Russians deliberately destroyed most of the city during and after the war.
@michael112254 Kaliningrad was largely destroyed during the several weeks of siege. Therefore it was the Nazis, not the communists, who destroyed it.
@alanheath The Russians mercilessly shelled the city for weeks. The Communists deliberately tried to obliterate the German heritage of this city and the entire Kaliningrad Oblast. Many of the buildings were dynamited by the Russian Communists long after the war. There was very little restoration of the architecture that existed before the war. It was replaced by the awful Soviet style architecture. I hope that in the near future you travel to this Oblast and share with us your impressions.
@michael112254 As far as the shelling is concerned, what do you expect. The Soviet Union did not attack Nazi Germany, it was the other way around and one can scarcely expect the Soviets to behave any different to the Nazis. On the other hand I know that little was done to preserve the past and the castle was knocked down more than 20 years after the end of the war.
@alanheath Although the western allies (US, Britain, France) were no angels during the occupation of Germany after the war, they did not behave like the Soviets. Nazi/Soviet behavior is part of their nature. Stalin and Hitler were both leftists and their behavior was no surprise to anyone that is a student of history. It all comes down to has the power. Hitler made the first move. Stalin had the intentions of attacking Germany, but he needed more time to prepare for an assault on Nazi Germany.
@andrnikit1 You have clearly been brainwashed by propaganda in the Soviet Union - as for what the USSR did in Afghanistan I don't think I need comment. As for the opinions of those writers you mention on Poles I don't know although it may help explain how the Soviets treated this country during its 50 year occupation.
Fortunately the bulk of Russians are more intellectually gifted than you and do not fall into this racism.
@andrnikit1 The 'fucking loosers' as you put are pathetic racist people like you who have nothing to do with the overwhelming bulk of Russians who do not share your nasty opinions.
@CostyaDizzy Not at all. There are lots of beaches on the Vistula Lagoon - I have filmed my favourite although I don't say how to get there. By cutting through the forest on either side - the Vistula Lagoon or Baltic Sea there are wonderful beaches but the best are on the northern side of the Lagoon.
I was prompted to write as I saw the several images of storks here. I was just near the Polish-Russian border inland in Lidzbark Warminski last week and rode the bus from Olsztyn to see the castle there. The storks are still in this region. I loved their huge nests atop electricity poles. Have you been to Olsztyn?
For those that like to complain about the poor quality of my films this is your chance to have some input.
My Sony Cybershot - used for all films here but one - has given up on me. I do not want to buy a video camera - just a compact camera which I can carry around in my pocket.
You are right. After the Nazi-Soviet pact, the Russians were extremely brutal with the eastern Poland population. The Katyn massacre comes to mind when discussing this period of history. I submit that the Russians have no historical claim on East Prussia. It is simply an expansionist land grab. This is no different than what the Nazis attempted to accomplish. I cannot believe that the borders of this part of Europe will remain this way for the foreseeable future.
michael112254 1 year ago
I am not pro-German, but I have to state this. That there are no Germans living in this area is a testament to the thoroughness and savagery of the ethnic cleansing that took place after WW2. Especially the regarding the East Prussians who were exterminated or deported to Siberian labor camps after WW2 and replaced by Russians. East Prussia does not exist anymore.
The Communists and Nazis were cut from the same piece of cloth. Poland is lucky that they were not doomed to the same fate.
michael112254 1 year ago
@michael112254 You are overlooking the huge amount of refugees who left - and the overwhelming bulk of people were not deported to Siberia but to Germany - in conditions probably much better than Poles were deported from what had been eastern Poland.
alanheath 1 year ago 2
@michael112254 ya and what about the polish people deported to sibria fro minsk and lwow same thing dude
polskiewinnipeg 1 year ago
@polskie winnipeg I did state and recognise in my above comment about Russian brutality towards the Polish people. I will also add that the Russians did murder and deport to Siberia the Ukrainians, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians and many others. This happened before, during and after World War 2. My statement was in regard to the fate of East Prussia. The East Prussian population after the war was completely wiped out by various means and carried out by the Russian troops and the NKVD.
michael112254 1 year ago
@michael112254 still alot managed to escpae when the soviets where coming in
polskiewinnipeg 1 year ago
@polskiewinnipeg I do know many of the Germans died attempting to escape the Russian troops. This took place during the winter and many died along the way. Many were overrun by the advancing Russian troops and were murdered on the spot. Many starved to death or died of illness. The Germans that did not escape and were left behind were subjected to the savagery of the Russian troops.
As a student of history, this is an example of ethnic cleansing.
I am American and a student of history.
michael112254 1 year ago
@polskiewinnipeg no no no Germany has no interest in making Kaliningr5ad another Prussia they respect the fact thatwe are who we are they are helping in in technology things like that but not making new Prussia. They say we are Kaliningraders the new inheritance of the land and they repspect that.
baltic1284 11 months ago
This area used to be a part of Germany. Are there a lot of Germans still living in this area?
Have you been to the Kaliningrad Oblast? Do the Russians plan to keep this territory that they captured after the WW 2?
Have you been to the Baltic States?
michael112254 1 year ago
@michael112254 There are no Germans there today. I have only seen Kaliningrad Oblast from the border - I have never visited. It certainly will stay part of Russia.
I worked in Vilnius in Lithuania in 2000. I have not been to either Estonia or Lativa but woul like to do so one summer!
alanheath 1 year ago
@michael112254 Actually Kaliningrad is no only a part of Russia by affiliation Kaliningrad is now a Seperate Rupilic from Russia Medvedev Reconize that in JAnuary when the poeple kicked out Geory Boose from power and elected a Durma in place and started building there own defense force.
baltic1284 11 months ago
@baltic1284 What does this mean for the future of this new "republic" and does this mean that the Germans will reclaim this area? Will East Prussia be restored? I find it amazing as a student of history in the US how much the borders were changed in eastern Europe after World War 2. Germany was the big loser in the post World War 2 redrawing of these borders. Germany is the rising power in Europe while the US is declining under Obama in influence and power. Germany will be leading the West.
michael112254 11 months ago
@michael112254 no there Germans left that still live in Germany and we still keep close ties to Russia but not like before we t5ell Putin and Medvedev they welcome come visit but no longer rule land only Kaliningrader Nations do now and we deal lot with Germany Russia and the Baltic states but not well with Poland.
baltic1284 10 months ago
@baltic1284 Are you suggesting that Kaliningrad will become an independent country? It is hard for me to believe that Putin would voluntarily give up this territory without something in return. The Russians have taken a hard line in the Chechnya region. I still suspect that the Germans as they grow stronger economically and militarily will not want to recover these lost territories sometime in the future. The US is set to decline in influence in the future due to serious economic problems.
michael112254 10 months ago
@michael112254 They what western countries call a territory or semi independent and yes we are goin for a Independent country and Putin stated that he still want the naval base and the resources.
baltic1284 10 months ago
@baltic1284 It will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the future. I do see the E.U. and Germany filling the vacuum left by the US. Germany is the rising superpower and it will end up leading the E.U. I just wonder if the Germans will continue their benign attitude toward their lost territories. What do people in Kaliningrad think they will gain by loosening their ties to Russia? I can see that they may want the same relationship that Hong Kong has with the Chinese
michael112254 10 months ago
@michael112254 some german very little less than 0.5 % live still why not.Most of them escaped before soviets came in 1945,some which remained was never expelled by poles but emigrated because communism.I was in kaliningrad it is very sad the teritory is in russian hands not polish or german the time simply stuck there.These area was never russian before was german and polish only.Even people would vote to be german or polish rather than in russia.Area forgotten even by moskwa government
tommi59tk 7 months ago
@tommi 59txI do not think that this area is forgotten by the Moscow government. They do not like to give anything that they won. They will not give the Kuril Islands back to Japan. They will not give the Kaliningrad away either, after they won it in World War 2. Moscow has to stay loyal to the Russian colonist that they imported after the war even though this area has never been historically Russian. It is sad the Russians deliberately destroyed most of the city during and after the war.
michael112254 7 months ago
@michael112254 Kaliningrad was largely destroyed during the several weeks of siege. Therefore it was the Nazis, not the communists, who destroyed it.
alanheath 7 months ago
@alanheath The Russians mercilessly shelled the city for weeks. The Communists deliberately tried to obliterate the German heritage of this city and the entire Kaliningrad Oblast. Many of the buildings were dynamited by the Russian Communists long after the war. There was very little restoration of the architecture that existed before the war. It was replaced by the awful Soviet style architecture. I hope that in the near future you travel to this Oblast and share with us your impressions.
michael112254 7 months ago
@michael112254 As far as the shelling is concerned, what do you expect. The Soviet Union did not attack Nazi Germany, it was the other way around and one can scarcely expect the Soviets to behave any different to the Nazis. On the other hand I know that little was done to preserve the past and the castle was knocked down more than 20 years after the end of the war.
alanheath 7 months ago
@alanheath Although the western allies (US, Britain, France) were no angels during the occupation of Germany after the war, they did not behave like the Soviets. Nazi/Soviet behavior is part of their nature. Stalin and Hitler were both leftists and their behavior was no surprise to anyone that is a student of history. It all comes down to has the power. Hitler made the first move. Stalin had the intentions of attacking Germany, but he needed more time to prepare for an assault on Nazi Germany.
michael112254 7 months ago
@michael112254 yes they will not to give it back or sell ,you are right man
tommi59tk 7 months ago
@michael112254 I meant little germans remained on the polish side only
tommi59tk 7 months ago
@andrnikit1 You have clearly been brainwashed by propaganda in the Soviet Union - as for what the USSR did in Afghanistan I don't think I need comment. As for the opinions of those writers you mention on Poles I don't know although it may help explain how the Soviets treated this country during its 50 year occupation.
Fortunately the bulk of Russians are more intellectually gifted than you and do not fall into this racism.
alanheath 1 year ago
@alanheath lol
BobbytheCanadiankid 1 year ago
@andrnikit1 The 'fucking loosers' as you put are pathetic racist people like you who have nothing to do with the overwhelming bulk of Russians who do not share your nasty opinions.
alanheath 1 year ago
Nice stranded beaches!
CostyaDizzy 1 year ago
@CostyaDizzy Even now, in the height of summer, you can find completely empty beaches - provided you know where to look for them!
alanheath 1 year ago 2
@alanheath Hahaha, right! A bit risky though?
CostyaDizzy 1 year ago
@CostyaDizzy Not at all. There are lots of beaches on the Vistula Lagoon - I have filmed my favourite although I don't say how to get there. By cutting through the forest on either side - the Vistula Lagoon or Baltic Sea there are wonderful beaches but the best are on the northern side of the Lagoon.
alanheath 1 year ago
@alanheath Well, this may be worth trying out someday then!
CostyaDizzy 1 year ago
@CostyaDizzy But only in the summer when it is hot!!
alanheath 1 year ago
@alanheath Really? Freezing breeze otherwise?
CostyaDizzy 1 year ago
isnt that the music from rambo?
livininpoland 1 year ago
@livininpoland Yes, this is from Rambo II - where he escapes from the camp.
alanheath 1 year ago
wow RAMBO 3 MUSIC
andrewcobra2000 1 year ago
This is Ostpreussen.
arsoys 2 years ago
the music is just great here I like it alot!!! :)
kirillzapple 2 years ago
Storks eat frogs. actually they eat a lot of frogs !
nightravenonline 2 years ago 2
That is what I thought too! I thought frogs were the staple part of their diet (along with fish and occasionally small mammals and birds).
alanheath 2 years ago
hey dude the video is all right...
However, I cannot agree with your opinion concerning the storks. Essentially, they do not eat frogs.
BladeSiwy 2 years ago
Are you sure? I was sufficiently intrigued by your comment to look it up and I have got frogs as an important part of their diet.
alanheath 2 years ago
I was prompted to write as I saw the several images of storks here. I was just near the Polish-Russian border inland in Lidzbark Warminski last week and rode the bus from Olsztyn to see the castle there. The storks are still in this region. I loved their huge nests atop electricity poles. Have you been to Olsztyn?
boxjelly 3 years ago 29
Yes I have but there is no film of it here!
alanheath 3 years ago
i,m form olsztyn. but i,m a german polark not an estonian or russian polark.
cabbage=kapustakuart suasage=kelbeilshawrust
beer=piwobeir
KPmzXplict 2 years ago
For those that like to complain about the poor quality of my films this is your chance to have some input.
My Sony Cybershot - used for all films here but one - has given up on me. I do not want to buy a video camera - just a compact camera which I can carry around in my pocket.
What camera should I buy and why?
alanheath 4 years ago