24-06-2019, 08:21 PM
I notice it's only the English language Wikipedia that makes this claim (based upon the aforementioned two sources).
The Polish and German versions are substantially different from the English version, and neither makes this claim.
But realistically, 18 languages wouldn't be difficult given his early upbringing. He was born in the north east of Poland in a thriving area with much commerce from Russian, Belarus and Lithuania. His Russian was obviously good enough for him to study in Russian universities. And he had an excellent command of English, and probably a passing knowledge of Italian and French, given his business trips to those countries. Add in a few stock phrases of "A beer and a packet of nuts please" for German, Swiss and Austrian, and there we go. From the sounds of things it was obviously a private joke of his (all of them badly), repeated by his friend.
The Polish and German versions are substantially different from the English version, and neither makes this claim.
But realistically, 18 languages wouldn't be difficult given his early upbringing. He was born in the north east of Poland in a thriving area with much commerce from Russian, Belarus and Lithuania. His Russian was obviously good enough for him to study in Russian universities. And he had an excellent command of English, and probably a passing knowledge of Italian and French, given his business trips to those countries. Add in a few stock phrases of "A beer and a packet of nuts please" for German, Swiss and Austrian, and there we go. From the sounds of things it was obviously a private joke of his (all of them badly), repeated by his friend.
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