Communists Jokes, Laughter for Releif

While flying to Warsaw on Sunday I read my favorite newspaper the Financial Times, it is filled with fun facts. In the Life & Arts section they had a piece about Ben Lewis and his new book Hammer & Tickle. The book studies the jokes and their causes and effects during the communist period and in Eastern Block countries. Joking could be a laughing and dying matter. When Stalin, “suggested” that Warsaw build a huge building to praise the Soviets the Building of Arts and Culture was erected. The joke at the time was if you wanted to see how beautiful Warsaw was, it was best done from the top of the building. A least that way you didn’t have to see the building itself. I asked fellow traveler Ken Kiesnoski from Travel Weekly a question as we walked around Warsaw later that Sunday; he has been to Poland several times. How did the communists deal with Poland’s deep religious beliefs? He told me of another Stalin witticism, getting Poland to go communist was like saddling a cow. Humor is a relief during hard times, sometimes it was all there was. At least a Bush joke will not get you sent to Siberia.