Actually, there was a survey of average IQs that came out a few months ago showing that Poles were in the top 5 WORLDWIDE and were second in Europe behind Sweden, I believe.
The important fact is that they were ahead of Germany!
The important fact actually is that the Poles have a long and wonderful and distinguished history, a culture second to none, and their people remarkable in humanity.
But they must have been terribly defeated in some battle 500-1000 years ago, which forever marked their psyche.
This is not a trivial matter; most historians and sociologists trace the present-day Serb mentality and attitude to some crushing defeat suffered by them circa 740 years ago.
What has always gotten me was that Poland could have owned Russia, some time back during the later Middle Ages, but spurned the prize. Which of course was all too bad, because a Russia dominated by Poland then would have had a happier history since then.
I saw the same IQ survey that put the Poles a close second from the top, but it didn't surprise me. I've been to Poland often and have met enough people from Warsaw University to know that it has first class students and faculty. Given freedom, peace, and a little time, the Poles will well outdistance their neighbors.