Interviews in Warschau

Krzystof, 48 Jahre alt, geb. in Gdynia (Polen), in der Finanzbranche tätig, wohnhaft seit ca. 12 Jahren in Warschau → Anhören

Eastern Europe in my opinion was starting with Poland, between Germany and Poland. But originally, I think Eastern Europe was even in Germany, some historical parts of Germany can be somehow tied to Eastern Europe because the border between us changed a lot. The border itself is not the real border between Eastern and Western Europe. So, we should include Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Bulgaria too. Republic of Serbia, Macedonia – it´s difficult because they were treated like Ex-Yugoslavia, Balkan countries. The Balkan region is in my opinion something separated from Eastern Europe.

For sure is solidarity somehow connected with Eastern Europe. We are more acting as one nation, so each country has a very strong nation-orientation.

I don´t think that Eastern Europe is some worse. But when we entered the European Union, before the date we were treated like the second Europe. Worst part of Europe was outside of EU.

I wouldn´t call myself a Eastern European citizen, I would rather call myself a European citizen. I traveled a lot to different cities in Western Europe. 15 years ago, they were dramatic differences in price and earnings. But right now, the earnings closed a bit and the price is more and less the same.

Tomasz, 34 Jahre alt, geb. in Poznan (Polen), Programmierer, wohnhaft seit ca. 2 Jahren in Warschau → Anhören

I think it depends. When you think about the history of our country, then you can definitely say that is part of East Europe (…). But right now basically if you check where the point of Europe you will find it definitely somewhere in the middle. And I even think that the geographical middle point of Europe is also somewhere on the polish territory, so I think definitely  young people say that Poland right now is the central eastern Europe and if you ask about east Europe, I think that common all will say that it starts somewhere in Belarus. Definitely I don’t think that Poland right now should be considered as West Europe. But I don’t even know what does it really mean, like what the significant of that distinction. We want to think about Poland, that this is in that center.

Definitely, I have a Middle European identity. But right now I think my Polish people think only about being citizens of Europe, I don´t think that they are like try to put some borders where the middle or the east starts, I don´t know if it even matters right now.

Pavel, 22 Jahre alt, geb. in Silesia (Polen), Student, wohnhaft seit ca. 3 Jahren in Warschau → Anhören

About Eastern Europe, so I think that Poland can´t be considered as Eastern Europe. We are most similar to the countries like Czech Republic, Slovakia and I think that those are the countries that are much more similar to Poland. And another group is that the Eastern European countries like Ukraine, Belarus and Russia etc.

I think Eastern Europe right now is about the politics and its about the influence on the countries by Russia and the countries on which Russia can influence on, they can be considered right now as Eastern Europe."

I can say that in my opinion, there are older people, they mentality is much more Eastern European, but the mentality of young people is Western European.“

By the geographic, so even the Russia belongs to Europe, so I think it’s like we are in the geographic place we are in the center, in the middle.

Richard, 72 Jahre alt, geb. in Stettin (Polen), pensionierter Lehrer, lebt ca. 150 km von Warschau entfernt → Anhören

I think that Poland is a part of the middle Europe. Eastern Europe is Belarus, Ukraine and Russia of course.