A history professor from the University of Warsaw has been beaten up on a tram in the Polish capital after he was heard speaking German to a colleague.

Professor Jerzy Kochanowski needed stitches for cuts to his forehead.

The issue was first brought to light by a student of Kochanowski’s who wrote about the assault on social media.

“An incident yesterday on the no. 22 tram – which I commute on every day – saw... Professor Jerzy Kochanowski being beaten up because he, along with his professor friend from the University of Jena, spoke German,” the student wrote.

“One of the other passengers didn’t like this. In response to [the professor’s] question ‘Why should I not speak German?’, the other passenger stood up and hit him,” the post on social media read.

Professor Kochanowski confirmed these events, telling Newsweek Polska that the attacker was a “drunk proletarian”.

“He hears German, hits [people] in the head and the matter ends with stitches to the head,” Kochanowski added.

(rg)

Source: Newsweek, TVN, Radio Zet