Loyola University Chicago

Warsaw Extremes

Warsaw is a city of extremes. From the founding of the town under a monarchy in the thirteenth century to its present day state as the capital of a newly formed independent, democratic Poland, Warsaw has enjoyed great prosperity and suffered horrible tragedy. Warsaw is a city which was nearly obliterated during World War II only to be resurrected from the ashes much as it had in the seventeenth century after a Swedish invasion. In the eighteenth century, Warsaw was regarded as a cultural hotspot of Europe. In the twentieth century, it serves as a political hotspot.

Through the peaks and valleys of Warsaw's history, the Polish people, especially the Varsovians, have managed to maintain their pride and determination to keep Poland an independent and prominent member of the European community. This has obviously not been an easy task to accomplish. As a result, the Varsovians have found themselves living in a city of extremes.

The first sign of extremes is made immediately noticeable upon entry into the city where one observes its architecture. The center of Warsaw and what is held most dear in the hearts of Varsovians is the Old Town which was rebuilt after World War II. Its medieval character and Gothic qualities are in drastic contrast to the recently built Marriott Hotel skyscraper and fascist style architecture crowded within a short walking distance. There is no gradual progression of architectural style through the streets of Warsaw. A building is either new or old. It appears either warm, cozy and inviting or large, impersonal and cold.

Another obvious and probably the most significant extreme is noted once one begins to speak with the Varsovians on a personal level. This is much like observing the "new" and "old" architecture. The difference in character and outlook between the generations is great. The older generation holds on to traditional values, beliefs and ethics hoping that current political, social and economic turmoil will subside without much long-lasting harm being done to Poland. They are not naive, however, and readily admit that Poland is not as it used to be and most likely never will be again. Nevertheless, this senior generation continues to be open and extremely hospitable to strangers and offers unsolicited opinions and honest advice freely. Their interaction with others has remained the way it had been in the past indicating their resistance to a changing of "the old way of life."

The younger generation, on the other hand, appears to be more aloof and distrusting. Born into a society which promised them the essentials of life, these young people find themselves unable to cope with fending for themselves in the current "new world of democracy." Many view the future with suspicion, ambivalence and uncertainty. Some young people have turned to crime to earn an easy living. Pickpockets, drug abuse and Mafia-style mobs have replaced the blackmarket as the most rampant and uncontrollable crimes in Poland. Fear of strangers and the breakdown of what was once an intimate ethnic bond among countrymen have increased the tension. These trends have changed what used to be a very expressive culture into a closed high-context culture in which asking questions is often looked down upon with annoyance or is viewed with suspicion.

Poland is a transforming new democratic nation seeking to join the rest of Europe in its prosperity. In order to achieve this, Poland must experience each extreme so that it may find its own niche in the modern world. For the moment, this movement between extremes is most apparent in Warsaw.