Yes, the word Cyganie, which translates as Gypsy, has in Polish a similar history to the N-word in English.

In old times Roma lived in their wagons, traveling from one place of camping to another. Their musicians were attractions at bazaars. Their free lifestyle had some romantic appeal. The Polish phrase "to go with Gypsy," means abandoning civilization and living carefree.

But, as they did not have any stable place of living, they always were at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Consequently, colloquially, the term became a negative description of a person.

Unlike the Gypsy, blacksmiths were highly regarded as having a good profession and usually being better off than others. To give justice to our ancestors, one of the most well-known Polish sayings is: “The blacksmith was guilty; they hanged the Gypsy.”