KACZYNSKI-SPRINGER SPAT: Polish Prime Minister Kaczynski Denounces German Media

SPIEGEL Online ^ | February 01, 2007 | Oliver Hinz

[wolf78]

Poland's Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski is furious about being compared to Putin by the Polish edition of Newsweek, published by Germany's Axel Springer. He's calling for "limits" to be set on German influence in Polish media.

The German publisher Axel Springer has made plenty of enemies in its 60-year history. Generally, though, the right-leaning publisher has to fight off attacks from the left. But this time it has managed to offend one of Europe's most prominent right-wing politicians, Polish Primer Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

Kaczynski is annoyed about the current Polish edition of Newsweek, which is published by Alex Springer under license. The magazine ran a front-page story entitled "Almost Like Putin" which drew parallels between Kaczynski and the Russian leader -- as well as depicting Kaczynski as a Russian matryoshka doll, nested inside a larger Putin doll.

Kaczynski warned the publisher that it "should think carefully whether it's worth writing that kind of nonsense," according to the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza.

The prime minister told public radio station Polskie Radio that "a very large part of the media in Poland is German," and demanded that "limits should be set." Kaczynski called the Newsweek article "sick aggression" and "untrue."

The article's sub-title accuses Kaczynski of "exploiting the law" and having "an authoritarian style, contempt for election results and nationalistic tendencies," while in the story itself, deputy editor-in-chief Aleksander Kaczorowski accuses both Putin and Kaczynski of pursuing "strong arm" nationalistic policies and relying on the secret services.

In remarks to SPIEGEL ONLINE, Axel Springer spokeswoman Edda Fels emphasized the publisher's independence. At other times the publisher is accused of being too friendly to the Polish government, she said.

[wolf78]

Here we go again, the Kaczynskis vs. the media. Only one mistake: A national socialist (n.b.: NOT Nazi) government is not necessarily "right wing".

But now I know where vox_PL got the absurd idea about German intelligence - it was the League of Polish Families.

[si tacuissem]

The prime minister won't be pleased by the photograph you choose:

Poland: Say Cheese!

By VICTOR HOMOLA

Polish press photographers were briefly barred from taking pictures of Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, left, from the side. The rule was published by the Polish government’s press office, the newspaper Nowy Dziennik reported.[...]

[wolf78]

ping

[Lukasz]

Well, somebody should show him Dziennik, other newspaper owned by Axel Springer where other publicist totally slammed this article from Newsweek. Author is indeed ignorant or rather propagandist and should be ignored. But note that he was asked by other newspaper what he think about this article. Answer was honest.
What interest me more is growing anti-Polish atmosphere before handball WC final, I read reports about anti-polish rhetoric and offensive language of some German newspapers, also anti-Polish song in German radio. Additionally the case with no tickets for Poles for final game! What the f… is going on? I believe that tomorrow the refs will gonna crazy.

[wolf78]

What interest me more is growing anti-Polish atmosphere before handball WC final, I read reports about anti-polish rhetoric and offensive language of some German newspapers, also anti-Polish song in German radio.

Ah, you must mean that song about WWII and bombing the other one's cities that is constantly sung at sporting events... ah, no, it was the British who sing that whenever they encounter the Germans in a soccer arena.

If it ain't as bad as that I would consider it good-natured rivalry.

As to the handball: Who cares? It's not like it's football (association football, that is).