How Do Germany & Poland Compare?

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▶ In this video I present a comparison of the two European and neighbouring countries of Germany and Poland. Starting with a comparison of both countries' flags and coat of arms, demonstrating their interesting differences and similarities. Then going into their territorial history and providing some historical context regarding their shared history and struggles throughout time; namely the various partitions of Poland and the more recent Polish annexation of old German Imperial territories after World War 2. Then, I compare their territory today, focusing on their size but also on their border which follows the Oder Neisse rivers. I then move onto to a brief infrastructure comparison, namely on railways and roads. Moving on to a population comparison: size, distribution, density, demographics, life expectancy, immigration. Then comparion both countries' religion paradigms and showing how Poland is mostly Catholic, while Germany is divided between Catholics, Protestants and Non-Religious people. Comparing government types and currencies (one using the Euro and the other using the Zloty), as well as the two States' military forces. Finally taking a look at their economies, GDP, GDP per Capita, Gini Coefficient, Wealth Distribution, Average Salaries, Inflation and Unemployment. As well as the Human Development Index values, briefly mentioning security and safety too. To wrap up this video I mention the two languages they speak: German and Polish respectively, and how despite being very different they also have some words of common origin.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro
00:30 Flags
00:53 Coats of Arms
01:16 Territorial History
02:57 Territory Today
03:40 Infrastructure (Railways & Roads)
04:28 Population Size / Density
05:11 Demographics & Immigration
05:55 Religion
06:53 Government Type
07:24 Diplomacy
07:32 Currency (Euro vs Zloty)
07:45 Military
08:21 Economy / GDP
08:48 GDP per Capita (PPP)
09:00 Gini Coefficient (Income Equality)
09:54 Human Development Index
10:15 Security & Safety
10:33 Language
11:08 Summary

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[General.Knowledge]

*Which other countries should I compare next?*

[SocialistNerd]

A reason why the polish economy isn’t that good is because they started true development in 1990 since before that they were soviet ruled.

[salad]

These countries cannot be compared, because Germany was able to develop after WW2, although theoretically defeated, they could normally build industry, their own brands and get rich. Poland not only lost 1/5 of its area, was devastated and robbed, but also became a Soviet colony.

[bitnerka]

Statistic about young people living with their parents is not true for one important reason. In Poland there is no urge to inform the authorities that you do not live with your parents anymore. Many people practicaly move out when they are 19 and go to university, but they stay registered at parent's house, because the dorm at the university is not seen as permanent domicile. Then they can live with their partner for years, but the official adress will probably change, let's say, around 35th birthday, when they buy their own apartment.
Personal example: many of my Polish friends, age 30-32, live abroad, but are registered at parent's to have also a Polish adress. They all moved out when they were 19-23.

In Germany the registration right after moving to a new place is a big deal and you have to have it done quickly, even if you live in a dorm.

[Alberto]

Poland's Emblem can be dated back to the 7th Century as legend has it that Lech, the supposed founder of Poland, saw a Wite Eagle on The Sunset and made it his symbol.

[kj]

The word "Germans" in Polish language is "Niemcy" and means "people who cannot speak". 😂 It was probably because when the two sides met, they did not understand each other's languages.

[kj]

There is one major difference between Germans and Poles. Germans love garden gnomes and Poles hate them. This difference of cultural sensitivity is sometimes too strong. Not everyone can handle it.

[mejsjalv]

Gotta love the Polish people. Too bad I've never been to Poland yet, but I've met poles randomly and really cannot complain. Very down to earth people, very welcoming, and they pretty much do magic with cabbage.

[frtzkng]

Interestingly, the motorway speed limit of 140 km/h is also one of the highest in the world, shared with Bulgaria and the state of Texas (85 mph). Only a strip of motorway connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai has a higher limit of 160 km/h, while Germany has no hard limit, but an advisory speed of 130 km/h, above which you are always at least partially liable in case of accidents.

[dawidgrzeskow]

Origin of Polish coat of arms is coming from legend, where Eagel sits in place which later on become first Polish capital - Gniezno which comes from "nest".

[danasadomaitis]

As for lithuanian, it would be very interesting to see you comparing The Baltic States

[jorzemjo]

of course, the historical aspect was taken in favor of germany.. the dispute over the city of danzig, the creator of this material presented as if it was always german, ignoring its origins and affiliation to plc. the issue of borders is the same problem. German control over the present Polish lands is clearly stated, but how far to the west the borders of Poland once stretched and that even Dresden under Bolesław Chrobry belonged to Poland and Lubusz was called the gate to Poland is completely passed over. starting the history of relations between the two countries with the Teutonic Order is also a joke and completely ignoring the history of relations (sometimes very positive) until then. in general, it looks like a compilation of basic information without going into depth and with motives resulting from specific sympathies.

[kojotto]

Fun fact
In 1939, Poland had about 35 million inhabitants. At the same time, Spain (mainland) had 25 million inhabitants, Switzerland 4.2 million and Brazil 40 million.

In 2020, Spain, which did not experience losses during the Second World War, had 47 million inhabitants, and Switzerland 8.5 million. Proportionally, if Poland had developed demographically like Spain or Switzerland, we would now have about 66-70 million people. This is only a guess, but it is worth noting that in both countries where there were no war-related population losses, the population more or less doubled between 1939 and 2020, and in Poland it changed by about 10%.

[Maximmuss_]

Poland created Prussia, and by extension the German State we know today. The unification of Germany under Prussia happened, because a Polish duke invited some crusaders to help him fight off the baltic pagans, crazy when you think about it.

[TheRealTonie]

4:33 How? How could we have so little people? 🤔
I wonder if it's connected with how people were MURDERED during WWII and even after that Poland was betrayed and left behind an iron curtain so some people couldn't return back home due to repressions from the soviets and even more people were leaving even in the 2000s just because Poland wasn't the greatest of places to live and earn a good living, since, you know. The Germany (the western part) had a thing called Marshall plan and that basically helped early day Germany to fix itself. You can see the aftereffects even now by looking at the eastern Germany where Population density is less than the west, and more like in Poland.
Then take Poland, where we had no marshall plan, not even reparations and even we had this thing called nowadays russia parasiting and stealing whatever it can.
Oh, also. If you say that Poland refused reparations then get help. Poland was not a free country until around 1991.
But no need for details, who the hell will even read this.

[konstanty]

Fun fact:
At the end of 2022 Poland had the biggest population in history ~43 million
38 million isn't accurate because it doesn't count people without citizenship (it's hard to get) so now is around 40/41 million

[javiervll]

Note that Poland 🇵🇱 is the fifth largest economy in the EU 🇪🇺 and the fifth most populous country in the EU after Germany 🇩🇪, France 🇫🇷, Italy 🇮🇹 and Spain 🇪🇸. As we say in Spanish: “¡Ni tan mal!” 😁

[arturms]

Why the Polish and German economies are not at a similar level is primarily due to our dear neighbours.... and I am not talking about the partitions (also by the 2 German-speaking countries Austria and Prussia together with Russia, of course), I am talking about World War II and the total destruction of the Polish state, infrastructure and business by dear Germans. Of course Soviet Russia also froze our country for almost half a century.... so we started to really develop in 1990 when the economy was freed.

[kacpernurnberg]

You were wrong at 10:10, there are 16 Voivodships in Poland. Also that "tiny bit" of the border not on the Oder is done that way on purpose. The southern part, if left on the river, would divide a city called Szczecin in half, so Stalin decided to give that region to Poland (I'm from there, very beautiful city, similar to Wroclaw). The northern part is on an island and was handed over to Poland to allow an internal waterway to Szczecin because of the harbour. Other than that very cool video :D

[FelixMapper]

3:26 Szczecin is there. A valuable port and city.