Replies

Aha, so the Poles in general.

"Polskiye pany" was a common deifintion of the Poles, used by bolsheviks, during Polish - Soviet war 1919-1921.

It's related to the fact, that in Polish language words "mister" (or "sir")and "lord" ar the same - "pan" (plural - "panowie", but in vulgar language spoken by simple people - "pany").

So - when someone stupid heard, that Poles call each other "pan" - like for example a farmer Mr (pan) Jan Kowalski, or a nobleman Mr (pan) Jerzy Krasnodebski, or a worker Mr (pan) Jozef Nowak, or a factory owner Mr (pan) Zbigniew Krajewski - he thought probably, that all of them are "Polskiye pany" (Polish Lords)

But of course this is not a stereotype (sarcasm).

The name "Polskiye pany" was used by Bolshevick propaganda before the WWII. In fact, the Bolshevicks meant their class enemies ("capitalists and landlords") in Poland. I think the commissars took care to explain it to the Red Army soldiers. But the confusion you write about, could occur, I think.
Did the Polish peasants used the word "pan" addressing to themselves before WWII? Taking into account that at that time they were used to bow from the waist having taken off their hats in order to salute their landlords as well as kissed landlords' hands, I doubt it.