I have had many German friends, as well as Poles(my favorite eastern European people) and some Russians and what I learned is :Germans hate Poles and Russians. Poles and Russians hate Germans. Russians hate Germans and are sh!t-scared of them. It’s no joke that East Germany was always the one place the USSR kept the largest contingent of occupation forces. When it came time to leave Eastern Europe the Russians left E.Germany last. And the last military train out of the old GDR was one mostly of flat cars carrying T-72 tanks with the turrets swung to the rear. That old habit Russians have of always looking over their shoulder. Continuing, Russians hate Poles and Poles hate Russians with a fury most Americans would find astonishing. One word to in Polish sums it up: “Katyn’’. I love Polish food, I’ll tell you that.
There is no nation on earth with a worse set of neighbors than the Poles. I like them too. They seem to possess the best qualities of the Slavs with few of the faults. Historically a very cultured people. Have to say, though, I’m not that fond of their food. Too bland for my taste. A Polish friend of mine once gave me a big cookbook of Polish specialties. I accepted with genuine gratitude and feigned enthusiasm.