Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Poland feels the strain of Ukraine's refugees

Poland feels the strain of Ukraine's refugees

The kicks are high and the punches straight, but the Ukrainian children here are delivering them in an environment of peace: a karate class for new arrivals in eastern Poland.

The 14 students are given the basic moves by a Polish teacher, who ensures there's plenty of laughter. For this hour at least, the trauma they've gone through in the past fortnight is replaced by enjoyment.

Some of them have family back at home fighting for real. Fourteen-year-old Dariy Gulyk hasn't heard from his father for three days and is worried. The emotions make it hard to feel settled here.

"In Poland, it's very cool", he says, "but we want to go home - because home is home."

His cousin, Sasha Minaiev, 17, appreciates the temporary distraction.

"When we're in the karate class, we forget about the war in that moment", he says, "but when it ends, we remember again, and we understand we must do all we can to help our people in Ukraine."

The old centre of Zamosc is a Unesco World Heritage site


The class takes place in the small eastern Polish town of Zamosc, population 60,000. Its beautiful old centre, a Unesco World Heritage site, is dotted with Renaissance churches and coloured facades: a far cry from the horror unfolding across the border.

It, like many others across Poland, has been transformed in the past two weeks into a refugee hub. On some days, up to 35,000 people have arrived - most going on further west but some staying. Around a thousand beds have been provided at the reception centre, schools, private homes and even the sports club where the karate class takes place.

'Left alone'


The mayor, Andrzej Wnuk, says it's a huge strain on Zamosc, warning that the welcome has its limits.

"Polish people seem infinitely ready to give, but it will end one day", he says. "We thought there would be a first wave of refugees and then we would get significant support from the government and the EU but it turns out we were left alone. We need financial help or the quality of our hospitality will drop drastically."

The impulse in Zamosc to offer refuge is partly due to its history as a place that has known the cost of oppression. Almost half of its pre-war population, some 12,000 people, were Jews. During occupation first by the Soviets and then the Nazis, most were sent to the ghetto here and then to concentration camps. A monument to the tragedy, made from the headstones in the town's old Jewish cemetery, stands on the outskirts.

The locals here are proud of their heritage of hospitality, extended to the new arrivals. The restaurant at the Renesans hotel is now only cooking for refugees. In the kitchen, pots of Ukrainian beetroot soup and fruit compote bubble away, as staff box up portions of pork ribs and pasta.

The owner, Damian Poterucha, says as a father, it was a natural decision to change his business once he saw the children fleeing the war.

"I can't believe Polish people are responding like this", he says, "it's nice to see."

But he says he's running short of money and can only continue offering the handouts for another two weeks. "After that, I will think about what I can do next", he adds.

Damian Poterucha now uses his hotel kitchen to prepare food for refugees


'Help from the world'


The food is delivered to the main shelter, where some 300 volunteers help out. All the while, buses arrive with new arrivals - and others leave, taking those on board to larger cities in the west, where many of the refugees have friends or family.

"We need help from the world", says Barbara Godziszewska, a town hall employee now helping to serve hot food. "Everybody looks at us and gives us a 'bravo', but it's too small - someone needs to tell us what we can do with the refugees. If the numbers continue like this, I'm afraid maybe they'll go on the street to sleep because every hotel is full."

In the space of a fortnight, Poland has gone from rejecting migrants from the Middle East to opening its arms to those from Ukraine. There is discomfort among some Poles with what appears to be a volte-face by their government, from pushing away the mainly Muslim men of Syria to welcoming the predominantly white, Christian women and children of Ukraine.

But Poland's migration policy will be pored over by historians in future years. For now, the focus is on the present influx. And as the fighting worsens in Ukraine - and begins to spread to the west - towns like Zamosc are wondering how long they can cope.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
×