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Soviet Santa

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Re: Soviet Santa

#11

Post by fishnchips »

c-smile wrote: post #6
tomaszs wrote: post #4

I live in Poland. Before 89 when my country was occupied by Russia, "Soviet Santa" was forced here to replace Santa Clous. It was one of many things that was made to erase Christianity and replace it with atheism and communism. Fake Christmas, fake Santa, zero beliefs. I was young back than but i felt its shallow and dark. So for me Soviet Santa is a symbol of the occupation and Russian tyrrany Poland was under until…

Could you elaborate on "Poland was occupied by Russia"? Let's put alone that in 89 it was USSR so Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia, etc. all together. In any case there were no Russian troops stationed in Poland. Quite opposite, Poland and its army was one of leading members of Warsaw Pact (the name, sic!). So what does "occupation" mean in your statement?

Our leaders were Polish but their words came directly from Moscow. There were Soviet troops stationed in Poland ready for action were those words repeated without the necessary accuracy or zeal. I think the word ‘occupation’ is 100% correct.

Re: Soviet Santa

#12

Post by mc32 »

c-smile wrote: post #6
tomaszs wrote: post #4

I live in Poland. Before 89 when my country was occupied by Russia, "Soviet Santa" was forced here to replace Santa Clous. It was one of many things that was made to erase Christianity and replace it with atheism and communism. Fake Christmas, fake Santa, zero beliefs. I was young back than but i felt its shallow and dark. So for me Soviet Santa is a symbol of the occupation and Russian tyrrany Poland was under until…

Could you elaborate on "Poland was occupied by Russia"? Let's put alone that in 89 it was USSR so Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia, etc. all together. In any case there were no Russian troops stationed in Poland. Quite opposite, Poland and its army was one of leading members of Warsaw Pact (the name, sic!). So what does "occupation" mean in your statement?

What you’re saying is like asking whether or not the French were actually occupied during the Vichy government.

Re: Soviet Santa

#13

Post by fishnchips »

trhway wrote: post #8
tomaszs wrote: post #4

I live in Poland. Before 89 when my country was occupied by Russia, "Soviet Santa" was forced here to replace Santa Clous. It was one of many things that was made to erase Christianity and replace it with atheism and communism. Fake Christmas, fake Santa, zero beliefs. I was young back than but i felt its shallow and dark. So for me Soviet Santa is a symbol of the occupation and Russian tyrrany Poland was under until…

history is never one-sided like hand-picking of facts and interpretations tends to present. Together with the "occupation by Russia" Poland also got to annex significant parts of German territories (some of those had had no valid Polish claim, like for example the Prussia, some had been historically contested between German and Poland) - it was practically spoils of war gifted by the "Russian occupiers" to Poland (an…

Yes, we’re planning to return it to Sorbia once Germany grants it independence. /s

Re: Soviet Santa

#14

Post by dang »

cat199 wrote: post #7
tomaszs wrote: post #4

I live in Poland. Before 89 when my country was occupied by Russia, "Soviet Santa" was forced here to replace Santa Clous. It was one of many things that was made to erase Christianity and replace it with atheism and communism. Fake Christmas, fake Santa, zero beliefs. I was young back than but i felt its shallow and dark. So for me Soviet Santa is a symbol of the occupation and Russian tyrrany Poland was under until…

[flagged]

Please don't go on about downvoting–it's tedious and breaks the site guidelines: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html.

Also, please don't take HN threads into religious or ideological flamewar. Your comment doesn't exactly go there but it's a step in that direction, and we're trying to avoid that on this site.

Re: Soviet Santa

#15

Post by dang »

tomaszs wrote: post #4

I live in Poland. Before 89 when my country was occupied by Russia, "Soviet Santa" was forced here to replace Santa Clous. It was one of many things that was made to erase Christianity and replace it with atheism and communism. Fake Christmas, fake Santa, zero beliefs. I was young back than but i felt its shallow and dark. So for me Soviet Santa is a symbol of the occupation and Russian tyrrany Poland was under until…

All: come on you guys. Let's not have nationalistic flamewar for Christmas please.

Nor any other day on HN.

Re: Soviet Santa

#16

Post by ethelward »

trhway wrote: post #8
tomaszs wrote: post #4

I live in Poland. Before 89 when my country was occupied by Russia, "Soviet Santa" was forced here to replace Santa Clous. It was one of many things that was made to erase Christianity and replace it with atheism and communism. Fake Christmas, fake Santa, zero beliefs. I was young back than but i felt its shallow and dark. So for me Soviet Santa is a symbol of the occupation and Russian tyrrany Poland was under until…

history is never one-sided like hand-picking of facts and interpretations tends to present. Together with the "occupation by Russia" Poland also got to annex significant parts of German territories (some of those had had no valid Polish claim, like for example the Prussia, some had been historically contested between German and Poland) - it was practically spoils of war gifted by the "Russian occupiers" to Poland (an…

> Any plans on giving the annexed territories back?

Sure, if the Germans give it back to [the original Prussians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Prussians), it would only be fair.

Re: Soviet Santa

#17

Post by dmix »

andreyk wrote: post #2

As a Russian, can confirm this article is quite accurate - my family only ever celebrates New Years, it's the same as Christmas is usually in the West, and Ded Moroz is totally a thing.

How do you pronounce Ded Moroz in an anglophone way? I noticed you used “Dez” instead of Ded.

Re: Soviet Santa

#18

Post by firstbabylonian »

dmix wrote: post #17
andreyk wrote: post #2

As a Russian, can confirm this article is quite accurate - my family only ever celebrates New Years, it's the same as Christmas is usually in the West, and Ded Moroz is totally a thing.

How do you pronounce Ded Moroz in an anglophone way? I noticed you used “Dez” instead of Ded.

That’s a typo.

The pronunciation is close to “dee-yet mah-ross”

Re: Soviet Santa

#19

Post by twooclock »

Correct artice and being from ex communist country even after more than 25 years I certainly have issues celebrating christmas. "They were able to celebrate Christmas, but they had never done it before." most resonates with me. Makes me realize the importance of traditions and how fragile they are.

Re: Soviet Santa

#20

Post by [deleted] »

ethelward wrote: post #16
trhway wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

history is never one-sided like hand-picking of facts and interpretations tends to present. Together with the "occupation by Russia" Poland also got to annex significant parts of German territories (some of those had had no valid Polish claim, like for example the Prussia, some had been historically contested between German and Poland) - it was practically spoils of war gifted by the "Russian occupiers" to Poland (an…

> Any plans on giving the annexed territories back? Sure, if the Germans give it back to [the original Prussians]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Prussians ), it would only be fair.

[deleted]
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