The Church of Silence in Communist Poland volume 42 issue 3

The Church of Silence in Communist Poland Author(s): Richard F. Staar Source: The Catholic Historical Review, Vol. 42, No. 3 (Oct., 1956), pp. 296-321 Published by: Catholic University of America Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25016077 . Accessed: 28/02/2011 12:25 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at . http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=cuap. . Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

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THE CHURCHOF SILENCEIN COMMUNIST POLAND F.

Richard

Staar1

the funda does not recognize government a of the Church2 dual of sovereignty?that principle in spiritual matters and that of the State in temporal affairs. The communists consider that their authority alone should embrace the of human The regime's objective, therefore, never totality experience. The

current

mental

western

Polish

has been merely the separation of Church and State in Poland but a complete elimination from the lives of the Church and religion of this aim requires of the people under its control. Achievement a definite policy of isolation from the Vatican's influence, creation and universal toward the centralized of public opinion antagonistic within the of and of the Church, antagonisms aspect provocation leaders with persons itself by replacing bona fide religious Church to compromise. willing of 1956 is in the Poland of the Catholic Church never its in modern times has hold over the Probably paradoxical. never has its position been more Polish people been stronger, but of the population is the percentage Not only large precarious. in the to all Poles statistical almost it the make of enough religion The

position

real religion. The "crowded churches of the Roman Catholic faith to which

sense, but it is also the people's testify to the continued vitality the majority 1Mr. Arkansas. 2 The

Staar

since to

belongs

that

are

Poles

of

is professor "Church"

word

Church,

the

of

almost faith.

Trybuna

per ludu

in Harding

science

political

is capitalized ninety-eight

. . ."3

attached.

to denote

throughout cent of

the

Polish

Tribune]

[People's

College,

Searcy,

the Roman

Catholic

population

officially March 8,

(Warsaw),

1950. The

remaining

had groups Orthodox

religious Greek

approximate .

Jews Methodists Baptists Others

Christlicher

Nachrichten

Dienst

Ostdeutschland

Seraphim, source 43. The 3William H. 31,

1956.

Cf.

for

und

the number

Chamberlin, also pertinent

50,000

.

20,000

excerpts

by Peter

H.

30,000

..300,000 March 20, 1950; as cited (Berlin), Polen das Heutige (Braunschweig, of Jews "Restive

:

50,000 .

.

Total

follows

as

memberships

.150,000

is the New Satellite," from the

296

York Wall address

Times, Street

May Journal,

by Archbishop

p. 17, 1956.

1953),

May Jozef

RICHARD

297

STARR

F.

I The communist rulers of Poland are making a continuous attempt to influence this overwhelmingly Catholic population by a combina means. an tion of avante garde of "progressive" They are creating the regime at closely with is being accused the clergy the broad masses solidarity with

priests who collaborate that the remainder of

same

the

time

of

reactionary lack of of the nation, activities, and conspiracy with the Vatican. to create a The aim is apparently of to obedient The who will of the bow the will State. body priests other broad aspect in the communist of the Church penetration : the Polish Commit takes the form of several distinct organizations tee of Peace

the Catholic

Partisans, Friends.

Children's

Social

and the Society

Club,

of

Efforts on the part of the communist government toward organiz a a small of subordinate have achieved group ing clergymen actually amount of success. An estimated a out of total of 1,700 priests about 11,000 have attended provincial conferences of the "progres sives."4 The majority of these come from among former prisoners some were

in Nazi

concentration camps, while forces attached to the Red Army

chaplains in the Polish War II. In late 1949, Boleslaw Bierut held (at the time president of communist Poland) a reception at the Bel weder Palace inWarsaw for those priests who were participating in a conference sponsored by the Union of Fighters for Freedom o and Democracy [ZBoW'iD-Zwiazek Bojownikow Wolnosc

i Demokracje].5

Gawlina,

leader

spiritual

inWorld

Some

of Poles

of the priests

at

abroad,

as printed in the London Tablet, CCVII F.

"Ten

Staar,

of

the

Polish

4 Estimated

on

the basis

Marian in New

Wojcik York,

No.

was

created

organizations to combine

for

5ZBoWiD order

Republic,"

'People's'

of

reports

in the

two Warsaw

Slowo

Reverend

eleven

Oratory

in London

the Brompton

(April 28, 1956), 393; and Richard

Word] [Universal powszechne This does not mean, that few years. however, The latter has never is that high. passed

Agency

to Bierut

American

Mercury,

(November, 1955), 133-137.

LXXXI papers,

Years

remarked

"with

in Biuletyn 3 (January

ludu, Trybuna of actual the number the

300

[Bulletin]

of

19,

6.

1955),

in September, veterans and

1949, as a former German

the

class,

working

communist

and

peasant

daily news over the past collaborators

mark, according the Inter-Catholic

result

of

political masses,

fusion

to

the

Press

among in prisoners, and the whole

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

298

that the absence of an agreement between the hierarchy and the gov ernment made the work of the clergy more difficult. Bierut is reported to have stated in reply that the lack of a Church-State understanding was caused by ...

the

people's which

unfavorable State.

are

often

...

of

attitude In many

simply

cases

criminal,

Church higher can hear one

toward

authorities from

priests

the

. . . words

anti-State.6

At this conference a so-called Commission of Priests attached to was founded. the Union of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy on a larger scale were not undertaken until February, Activities when of a bi-weekly this the commenced 1950, group publication entitled Ksiadz

in December, obywatel [Citizen Priest], superseded so-called Kuznica These 1950, by kaplanska [Priests' Forge]. form the which have taken patriot-priests enjoy special privileges, a of preferential at treatment time when other church property was of their funds for the reconstruction being confiscated, government church buildings, and consideration in the matter of taxes. The patriot-priests, to create the nucleus of a schism who were in all the Catholic Church, are unpopular among (from appearances) the clergy as well as among the laymen. Their conferences, held in almost all provincial for the of purpose capitals gaining adherents, so far have not generated enthusiasm. The any widespread ZBoWiD Priests' its activities on propa Commission concentrated support for the phony "peace" campaign and the govern gandizing ment's of West the remilitarization It protests against Germany. also tried to convince the peasant masses that grain deliveries were in support of the just, called on other priests to use their authority State's

planned economy, and declared tion to be compatible with both moral

the 1952 communist constitu and the Christian principles

conscience.

was the to date of the patriot-priests achievement greatest a at in of conference Wroclaw former German (Breslau) sponsorship The

to fight and work toward permanent independence, people's democracy, Partia Kalendarz na Polska Zjednoczona peace/' Robotnicza, robotniczy for 1950] Almanac 1950 rok henceforth pp. 94-95; 1949), (Warsaw, [Workers' The ZBoWiD cited as Kalendarz issued a bi-weekly organ robotniczy (1950). i lud Za wolnosc the People]. called and The [For Freedom organization

nation and

claimed 400,000 members according 6 Slowo September powszechne,

to Trybuna 1, 1949.

ludu,

June

23,

1952.

F.

RICHARD

299

STARR

of the Western Territories."7 "Defense assembled a reported that the conference from and Catholic 1,550 participants?priests Apart lay workers. the local capitular vicar, no representative of the hierarchy attended. The conference adopted a resolution upholding Poland's right to the Oder-Neisse Line against Germany's revisionist border claims.

Silesia under This call was

the slogan, so popular

to exploit If it really were the aim of the communist government the patriot-priests in an effort to split the unity of the Church, to date this goal has not been attained. Recognition of failure in this partic ular area apparently motivated the Priests' the regime to dissolve Commission attached to ZBoWiD and to issue a directive that "all forces" should be integrated with the movement of peace partisans.8 Such a situation does not signify, however, that the communists have given up their attempts to create a breach in the almost solid front of the Catholic Church in Poland. of continuous conflict and contradiction in the atmosphere of 1956 contributes to the variety of motives which directs are prob the activities of the patriot-priests. Some of these motives to found in be the attraction of social reforms, ably personal ambition, fear of the accusation that the clergy refuses to participate in the

This Poland

national

the influence of psychological reconstruction, complexes to back War World the greatest role and, II, etc. However, dating one is played by the problem of the Polish the decisive perhaps, administered territories and the danger of a German (see map) revanche? Another toward Main

vehicle

7 These

areas

and

are

the

has

"recovered

German

annexed

there,

9 Cf.

with

13, 1951. For ludu, December na zawsze sjednoczona cf., Polska

July

powszechne,

the despatch

USSR

am Main, (Kitzingen to above was held

referred

Trybuna

saw, 1952). 8 Slowo

territories"

lands

This annexation agreements. on the For data statistical

States.

conference

called to former

Poland

Ostdeutschland

1951. ered

also

refer

Potsdam

the United (Ed.), The

clergy and lay Catholics political program was the and Catholic Activists [Glowna

co-operation of Intellectuals Commission

and by the Poles Communist which Yalta

for mobilizing both with the communist

by

Sydney

15,

east

of

[siemie odsyskane] the Oder-Neisse Line

of the help and in violation has not been recognized by cf. Friedrich Hoffmann area,

1950). at Wroclaw a transcript [Poland

toward of

the

Forever

the

end

United]

of

deliv

speeches

(War

1955. Gruson

in the New

York

Times,

May

19,

1956.

?0 POLAND DIOCESAN diocesan seat 1956 diocesan boundaries 1950 International boundary or limit of administration 1937 International boundary not now effective

0

I

BOUNDARIES,

50

1

100 Miles

1

50

. -_Voivodship 0

I I I I I

0

1956

100 Kilometers

National

O Voivodship

bound capital capital

F.

RICHARD

i Dzialaczy ja Intelektualistow of Peace Partisans. Committee

Komis Polish

301

STARR

to the attached Katolickich] in 1950, it originally Founded of faculties at the Universities

of the theological comprised members from the Catholic University and Krakow, Warsaw representatives were who Catholic writers and active of Lublin,10 and many laymen in the this In November, church workers. group participated 1950, at Warsaw. Peace held second International Congress (communist)

and Catholic Activists of Intellectuals Commission began to an of At role. the 1951 it influential play increasingly beginning conference of and the first national repre clergy laymen sponsored a is The commission Catholic completely senting public opinion.11 new type of organization, differing from all other Catholic groupings The

in Poland. Including both clergy and laymen, functioning its very name signifies that it comprises an elite. Its main objective is the integration of Polish Catholics into the "peace" campaign as of the "current Polish raison d'?tat/' with well as the implementation the greatest attention the requirements of being paid to fulfilling hitherto

the Church diction. ment

in the fields

and ecclesiastical of dogma, morality, on the basis of the Church-State co-operation, in the second part of this article), (discussed

Such of 1950

juris agree is con

sidered to be the principal duty of citizenship. The commission aims at introducing a new type of public activity for clergy and lay to become a school of thought and a It is attempting Catholics. 10The only Catholic institution of higher learning left in Poland, the Catholic University of Lublin [KXJL-Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski], is being liquidated the by slowly in the Warsaw two year.

communist

regime. Caritas

periodical

and

departments?humanities Quoted by the Free

Europe

An stated

announcement

official that

KUL

appearing

would

operate only academic 1955-1956

the philosophy?during Wiadomosci Committee's

o zyciu

w

Poisee

[News on Life in Poland], No. 38 (September 19, 1955), 2. Restrictions a

have

of

total

Monsignor

fifty-nine Maurice

also

of priests. the training Since 1952 upon imposed to been in Poland have closed according on Religion," Con "Communism Still Wars Sheehy, (April 11, 1956), A-2937. been

seminaries S.

Cll gressional Record, 11 with 1951. Trybuna ludu, 31, Together January over eighteen to collect the commission Committee, helped tures to the Stockholm Peace manifesto. (World Council) A

similar

(from against

a

in 1955 reportedly campaign total estimated population

atomic

bomb

production.

racy [Cominform Journal]

For

obtained at

almost

26,500,000)

a Lasting

(Bucharest), May

Peace,

the

Peace

million

Partisans' Polish

signa Ibid., June 6, 1951. twenty million signatures to the "Vienna Appeal" For

13, 1955.

a People's

Democ

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

302

center for the formulation of principles to the behavior pertaining of Catholics, to tries The it mold commission i.e., public opinion. takes a definite stand against the trend called "absolute apolitical to remain a passive it impossible observer behavior," considering of life. The

chairman of the commission, the Reverend Professor Jan a pro-regime was who dean of also of the priest Faculty of the of has benefits the Warsaw, Theology University emphasized between the clergy and laymen on the flowing from all collaboration one hand and the communist on the other.12 He has government Czuj,

indicated that such co-operation would lead to a deepening of the sensus Catholicus, which it is imperative that no Catholic lose in any The activities of these pro-regime Catholics, sim public appearance. to those of Priests' to the of attached the Union Commission ilarly for Freedom and Democracy, takes place within the over-all Fighters framework of the government's It is also prin struggle for "peace." on defense of the recovered i.e., on territories, cipally concentrated and border revisionist tendencies protests against the remilitarization ofWest Germany.13 One

of the conferences

called by the Commission of Intellectuals at took in Activists Lublin, and part at Majdanek, place where two million the Nazis murdered Jews from twenty different sent out an appeal to the in Europe. countries This conference sons had of Catholic representatives thought in the nations whose and Catholic

lost their

lives in Nazi concentration camps.14 The appeal empha that the authority of the Catholic Church in the West German for anti-Polish Revisionist purposes. Republic was being exploited statements of the German those of Josef Cardinal clergy, especially are of watched K?ln, very closely by Frings, Archbishop being sized

Polish

public

12 "Krajowa of Conference

opinion.

Catholic

and

Intellectuals

Activists] 12, 1951. the Wroclaw [At

and Tomorrow] February (Warsaw), wroclawskim" 13"Na zjezdzie October powszechne, the under Warsaw delegates

from

niemieckiego" ludu, April 14 Trybuna

30,

2,

1951.

auspices

all of parts [For a Peaceful 1953. ludu, May

i dzialaczy

intelektualistow

konferencja

A of

more the

Poland.

16, 1951.

Solution

recent

katolickich" in Dzis

national

with commission, "O pokojowe of

the

German

i jutro

Conference], was conference

[National [Today Slowo at

held of

300

participation zalatwienie

problemu

Problem],

Trybuna

The

and Catholic Activists

of Intellectuals

Commission

303

STARR

F.

RICHARD

also mani

in the parliamentary elections activity during of the "people's front" the fall of 1952. At the very first meeting of Catholics in the pre-electoral the participation national conference, was established.15 definitely Many appeals were issued by campaign an active part in the to all take the commission Catholics urging reasons the Three for communist balloting. regime were supporting considerable

fested

to strengthen of the recovered the polonization widely publicized: a new war to to counteract and fulfill the territories, six-year plan, as well as any disorders inside the country. A basic postulate in the work of the Commission of Intellectuals and Catholic Activists is that its activity provides the Catholics with a voice in matters of importance to the nation as a whole. This is an to stand the achievements of social the upon attempt apparently in Poland, connecting the latter with the Catholic Weltan were time the in progress between the schauung. negotiations Church and the government the second of this part (see article) for the purpose of reaching an agreement, the semi-official organ revolution

At

of the Catholic . . .

Church

wrote:16 a purely

is becoming

Religion that

socialism Polish

socialism

is a sad

thing the

what It our

brothers,

prayers

efforts.

and

is

that

the

March

National

25, this

i Swieckich Front

imprisonment

collective

never

arisen. in one

cease

and to

down

. . .

century. have

communists,

will

comes

to be

We

to see

want of

camp the

and between

believers

purpose

of

our

One

Catholic

is still Activists17 the Catholic of population of its spokesmen, Dominik

1952. "Stanowisko Group], 1949.

organization of Priests

grupy

was and

Dzis

i Jutro"

powszechny

Przeglad

on changed Activists

Lay

[Position [Universal

October

of

the

Review] 15,

to

1953,

Komisja [Krajowa to the All-Polish

attached Katolickich] Dzialaczy two weeks occurred after This only the primate, Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski, by the

Committee. of

the

this gap communists.

Commission

Duchownych People's

of

the whole

essentially

differences

great

Intellectuals

Ibid., September 10, 16 Stanislaw Wawrzyn, and Tomorrow" "Today name

In

. . .

15

(Warsaw), 17 The

matter twentieth

the

us. This

of Commission to breach attempting and

in

and

socialists

The

Poland

like

such

with

in Christ?together

. . . The

a voice.

have

matter.

private

it is not Christ and the Church but Marx

field of the modern world,

the

arrest

communists.

and

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

304

Horodynski, recently urged in a parliamentary ernment recognize the following "facts" : of religious Poles

Millions it as

own

their

of

The Polish

building

that the gov

and view

socialism

system." has

Experience "enemies

are "selflessly

speech

shown

that

as

non-believers

well

as

believers

can

be

socialism."

revolution has produced a broad socially progressive

Catholic

movement.

Within of

the Polish Catholic community "a sharp struggle" over the cause

socialism

exists

between

"old

and

new."18

from the two organizations there exists Apart already described, another small is that yet group unique because of its representation in the Polish parliament. It is known as the Catholic Social Club and is headed by one Boleslaw [KKS-Klub Katolicko-Spoleczny] Piasecki, movement.

founder pre-war This man was

northeastern with

Poland

toward

in 1936

of

the rightist by the Soviet the end of World War

arrested

youth Falanga secret police in II and charged

anti-Russian

in the Wilno and Nowogrodek partisan activities areas. He is reliably reported to have saved his life at this time in return for a promise of collaboration with the communists.19 The aims of the Warsaw are to use this group, which was regime obviously

founded in 1945, to break up Catholic Church unity in Poland. The communists also want people outside of Poland to believe that there is an area of genuine co-operation between the government and the Church. The Catholic Social Club allegedly constitutes proof that can be published freely (the KKS Catholic newspapers in June, 1956, was publishing only one paper, Kierunki, mentioned below, note 24) and that Catholicism has made its peace with the present realities in Poland. Actually, this group has only a very small amount however, of support from the population. one of the six parliamentary Witold Bienkowski, deputies (total from the Catholic Social Club, openly admitted that the interests 444) of the Catholics could not be adequately defended by the KKS because the latter was not large enough.20 He also acknowledged that Tygodnik

powszechny

[Universal

Weekly]

!8 New York Times, May 19, 1956. 19 L'Osservatore Romano, June 29, 1955. 20 Slowo March 9, 1947. powszechne,

(published

in Krakow

F.

RICHARD

Curia by the Metropolitan reactivation subsequent by of the Catholic Social Club of KKS were limited, due nity was not represented

305

STARR

in March, until its confiscation 1953, and was very critical the pro-regime Catholics) for the development and that possibilities to the fact that the entire Catholic commu

in parliament. Bienkowski also admitted Social Club was supported by the communist regime some individuals who had that KKS had disappointed

that the Catholic

and disclosed been ready to co-operate passively with the government. In order to justify the financial subsidies, which it receives from the regime, the Catholic Social Club has increased its efforts to create and publicize a theory designed to reconcile Catholicism with dialectical Previous efforts of this sort have seemed to be more materialism. of an attempt to justify publicly of the authors the opportunism a new dogma rather than a studied effort to develop and proselytize as

and,

been

have

such,

an

In

unsuccessful.

conspicuously

article

entitled "Our Guiding Boleslaw Piasecki formulated Principles," the objective of his group as being the liberation of the Catholic "from the bonds by which it had been linked with the community A second task mentioned in this connection was perishing world." the ideological campaign in the press "to safeguard the Polish nation from subversion," presumably directed against representatives of the Vatican. The article continued : . . . The

creation

faithful of

the

Catholics basic

of

a

theoretical

in

the

contemporary of our recent

objectives

are linked with

We

raison

contemporary

are

certain former

Mikolajczyk's of Piasecki's

group.

socialist

similarities Polish Both

for

revolution

of

participation constitutes

one

activities.

not merely capitalism, a socialist

form

practical

camp, not only by the call of

the revolutionary

d'?tat,

the world from liberating the necessity of establishing

There

and

conviction

by but

also

because

economic

and

the

usefulness

of

are

convinced

of

social

the policy

between

Peasant

of we

of

Party

individuals

. . .21

structure.

(1945-1947) sought to establish

Stanislaw and that a modus

21 Dzis

i jutro, November Cf. also the manifesto 1950. 26, by published and "Czwarta rocznica signed Andrzej Micowski, by a certain z panstwem" kosciola of the Church-State porozumienia [Fourth Anniversary as well as the latest statement of policy 14, 1954; Agreement], ibid., April by this

group

Piasecki [Ideological

1955.

himself

in

Dynamics

"Ideologiczna dynamika of International Events],

wydarzen Slowo

miedzynarodowych" powszechne,

June

29,

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

306 vivendi.

The principal difference is that the peasants did not then and do not now wish to participate in the process of communization. conserve to their and to arrive at a compromise class They attempted a into coalition with the communists and later by becom by entering a was crushed ing legal parliamentary opposition party. Mikolajczyk because he would not adapt himself to the communist dictatorship. Boleslaw Piasecki22 has followed a different path. He abstains from the responsibilities of government, in which he probably would not be allowed to take part, but at the same time tries to make his influence felt among the Catholic masses. Whatever his true motives may be, Piasecki has been recognized as sufficiently dangerous to issue a decree23 condemn for the Vatican istotne ing his newspaper Dzis i jutro as well as his book Zagadnienia at "Pax" in Warsaw 1954. The [Vital Problems], published by editorial discussing this decree stated in part that Piasecki "has made himself the defender of a perfect agreement between Catholics and in the political-social communists field, but in reality he is a promoter of the total surrender of Catholics to communism."24 More

than the activities directed against the adult popu dangerous are those instigated by the the Catholics by "progressive" itself in its to effort the minds of the youth. This regime capture means is an of intensive goal being sought by campaign of indoctrina lation

tion. Prior

to 1939 many of Poland's schools were operated by the In 1946 only one-fourth of the 160 then still exist Church.

Catholic 22 The

to Piasecki attached can be by the communists importance a few "official that he was at among government guests" in Warsaw. held festival harvest Trybuna 19, ludu} September to the Belweder the preceding he had been invited Palace month,

increasing the fact

seen

from

the

national

1955.

During a conference

for "The

Political

with Bureau

five of

members the United

XV and East European Review, 23 Sacra Congregado Suprema

of

the

Polish (April,

S. Officii,

Politburo. Workers*

Cf.

Richard

Party,"

F.

Staar, Slavic

libri

et pro

American

206-215.

1956),

"Decretum

proscriptio

hibido ephemeridum, die 8 Junii 1955,"Acta Apostolicae Sedis, No. 9-10 (June 24-27, 1955), 455. 24 "La n?cessita also

ibid., November made [Directions]

Tygodnik Obviously does not never

made

di due

L'Osservatore condanne," 20, 1956, 10, 1955. On May inWarsaw. its first appearance

Romano, June 29, 1955. Cf. a new paper entitled Kierunki i futro and It replaces Dzis of the Catholics. "progressive"

as the official organ powszechny a mere of retention in name, with change decree in any way the Vatican acknowledge public

by

the communists.

the

same

which,

editorial incidentally,

board, was

RICHARD

F.

307

STARR

ing private schools were sponsored by the Church.25 By 1950 there was none. The communist regime effected this reduction by simply to the Catholic to issue the necessary permits refusing operating schools when they applied for them.26 The government began spon instruc soring its own system of private schools which ban religious tion from their curricula. Created in 1949 as a fusion of former socialist and peasant organi Friends zations bearing the same name, the Society of Children's not operates only primary Dzieci) (T~PD-Towarzystwo Przyjaciol recrea and secondary schools but also teachers' colleges, dormitories, with tion centers, in the theaters, and other projects conjunction of Enlightenment. All of the TPD institutions attempt to Ministry instill atheism and avowedly aim at bringing up the younger genera tion as firm supporters of of the communist regime. The Society Children's Friends has been officially described as a mass social organi zation "uniting all of those who desire to co-operate with the people's state in the field of educating the younger generation."27 The basic task of TPD educational

is claimed institutions

to be that of bringing

up

in the schools

and

individuals

"whose universally developed is soundly based upon thorough knowledge and upon the character of a scientific outlook on the strong foundations (i. e., Marxist) of free all and e., world, (i. religion)."28 prejudice superstition school year a total of 577 schools during the 1949-1950 Already were being operated by the Society of Children's Friends. The enroll ment in these institutions was 150,000 for the same period. Other TPD included 376 recreation halls, six mobile puppet theaters, operations the for some 80,000 children, 2,000 rural summer kindergartens summer camps, twenty-eight orphan placement of 113,000 youths in in rural areas for ages for 3,000 children, as well as 150 nurseries 4,500 infants, and 125 mother and child medical centers.29 The Polish boasted that the year 1952 brought with it a substantial communists In the few years that institutions. increase in the number of TPD were TPD to have schools claimed been had active, they 25 Christian Science Monitor, September 5, 1946. 26 Stefan w Polsce szkolnictwa of Educa Bialas, Organizacja [Organization tion in Poland] (Krakow, 1950), pp. 111-112. 2TKalendarz p. 323. robotniczy (1951), 2? Ibid. 29 Ibid. No later figures could be found, and this may be pp. 96-97. (1950), an indication that the TPD has not been successful due to resistance program by the Polish people.

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

308 . . . attained

the

confidence

and

of

respect

the working

class,

dear

become

. .

to all who desire the education of the [future] builders of socialism. TPD schools ideologically are the closest to the working class.30

It is highly probable that in time the Society of Children's Friends to spread its anti-religious the attempt throughout philosophy an entire educational of In such line with communist Poland. system a has been made the Piasecki aim, suggestion already by pro-regime

will

group that all religious teaching be removed from the public schools and that special halls be built near each school where priests could instruction.31 provide II In spite of the unwavering it enjoys amor?g the support which of the Polish population, in that the Catholic Church great majority a is in for its is This existence. country very engaged today struggle above all a struggle for the minds of the youth in Poland.32 In this field, as indicated in the foregoing, the Church ismost vulnerable. However, even government restrictions upon the Church itself have been exten severe sive and have resulted in the loss of much landed property, on charitable over limitations and control vital regime activities, statistics.

The most was passed

important legislation affecting the wealth of the in the spring of 1950,33 only a few weeks before the signing of the agreement between Church and State. This law of all land in possession of the Church provided for the nationalization with the exception of that used by parish priests for their own sub sistence. Farms retained by an individual clergyman, however, could Church

not

exceed fifty hectares land (about 123.5 acres). The remaining together with all buildings, enterprises, and livestock to be found upon it was expropriated The income by the State without compensation. m Ibid. (1952), p. 319. 31 New

York 32 Cf. Richard

19, 1956. Times, May F. Staar, "Regimentation Science

western Social 33 "Ustawa martwej utworzeniu by sion

the

henceforth

dnia

of Youth

XXXVII 1950

roku

in Satellite

(June, 1956), o przejeciu

Poland,"

South

7-19. przez

panstwo

dobr

posiadania gospodarstw rolnych of March 20, 1950 on Nationalization to Parish the Posses Priests Guaranteeing

reki, poreczeniu proboszczom funduszu koscielnego" [Law of

State

of Farms

polskiej

z

Quarterly, 20 marca

Property, Surplus and Creation of a Church

Fund],

Dziennik

ustaw

i

rzeczypospolitej

[Journal of Laws of the Polish Republic], No. 9 (March 23, 1950) ; cited

as Dziennik

ustaw.

RICHARD

309

STARR

F.

such "surplus" property was to be placed for religious and charitable purposes. from

in a Church

Fund

All of these provisions were subject to expansion and contraction in scope by decision of the Ministerial Council (rada ministrow). Some of the nationalized could be left in the hands of a property institution to use and administer, providing the Council of religious so decreed. Since the law could be subjected to considerable on both local and national levels, without additional legal manipulation it is almost impossible to judge on the basis of the implementation, alone how the law may have operated in practice.34 provisions Ministers

This statute is but one example of how every aspect of religious life in Poland today is affected by Church- State relations. The major these rather tense relations and al post-war document formalizing a modus vivendi is the agreement legedly establishing signed in April, these two between This is particularly document 1950, organizations.35 in view of the fact that the 1925 had in the which concordat, important in Poland, was past regulated the activities of the Catholic Church declared void in a resolution of the Ministerial Council.36 The official reason given for this action was that the Vatican had allegedly violated the concordat by favoring Germany inWorld War II. Im 34 Very is treated

few monographs in parts of the

have

on

appeared

following

books,

in Eastern religion as indicated: Gary

Poland

Europe.

The MacEoin, Lino Gussoni

on Religion pp. 188-214; (New York, 1951), The Silent Church and pp. 63-108; Brunello, (New York, 1954), Gsovski Church and State Vladimir Behind the Iron Curtain (Ed.), (New pp. 159-252. York, 1955), the first nor the second Neither of these volumes is very well documented, Communist

War

and Aristede

not only the last book contains excellent but also a com footnotes of translated laws and a good general survey. pendium 35 "Protokol w zwiazku i episkopatu rzadu komisji wspolnej rzeczypospolitej z zawarciem of the Joint Commission porozumienia" [Protocol Representing the Government of the Republic and the Episcopate in Connection the with

whereas

do

kosciola

an Understanding]

of

Achievement w

roznych

Different Countries] 36L'Osservatore been made be

found,

public

(Warsaw,

however,

Concordat had

been

Void], signed

the

pp.

1952),

in

"Uchwala

ze

konkordat Republic

Swiatkowski, on February

Stosunek panstwa Swiatkowski, the State toward the Church in

[Attitude

Romano, September in the official Polish

roku

stwierdzajace Government of

in Henryk of

krajach

10,

132-137.

25, journal

rzadu

1945. of

This

rzeczypospolitej

przestal obowiazywac" on September 12, op. cit., 1925.

pp.

declaration

laws Dziennik

116-117.

z

has ustaw.

never It can

12 wrzesnia [Resolution

1945 by

the

the 1945, Declaring The concordat original

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

310

that war Church-State relations in Poland were mediately following certain articles of the 1921 constitution. Even regulated officially by were as to to their those, however, subject dispute interpretation. These articles were no longer listed as binding in an official 1948 handbook37 issued by the government. Hence, prior to the 1950 agree ment the Catholic Church in Poland in a legal actually operated vacuum. The so-called Little Constitution38 did not touch upon the of the declaration subject of religion at all, and the parliamentary same year, which listed the basic rights and freedoms of citizenship, mentioned "freedom of conscience and religion."39 only guaranteeing From the beginning of 1948 until the signing of the agreement, anti formed a steady crescendo. At first, Catholic moves by the government were a press campaign revolving around the only overt manifestations attitude of the Vatican and of the Polish the allegedly Germanophile as a as in slow campaign intensification the well slight hierarchy a number There followed of arrests and education. against religious of the newspaper trials of clergy40 and a little later suppression Warszawski

Tygodnik cese

published

(Warsaw Weekly)

by the Archdio

of Warsaw.

became Stefan Wyszynski this time (January, 1949), Archbishop The death Cardinal the Hlond. of of Poland upon Primate August a to for press newly appointed leader of the Church apparently began with State authorities which had been started renewal of negotiations once before but were discontinued. Two months later a meeting took At

place between the secretary of the hierarchy, Zygmunt Choromanski, of Public Administra and the Minister Bishop of Warsaw, Auxiliary talks opened in a very unfavorable Formal Wolski. tion, Wladyslaw atmosphere, however, because the Vatican had just published a decree of the Holy Office ordering the excommu of the Sacred Congregation who

of Catholics

nication

37Prezydium

actively

rady ministrow

communism.41

supported of

[Presidium

the Ministerial

Council],

The

first

Rocznik

polityczny i gospodarczy 1948 [Political and Economic Yearbook for 1948] (Warsaw, 1949), pp. 8-10; henceforth cited as Rocznik polityczny (1948). 38"Ustawa dzialania

z dnia

konstytucyjna

organow

najwyzszych

19

lutego

rzeczypospolitej"

1947

roku

o ustroju

[Constitutional

i zakresie Law

of

February 19, 1947, on the Organization and Sphere of Activities of the Highest Organs in the Republic], Dziennik ustaws No. 18 (February 20, 1947). stoRocmik polityczny (1948), p. 11. 40 For

a

and "Church 41 Vatican July

1, 1949,

discussion State

of

these

in Poland,"

trials

in Gsovski, 1949. Note

Radio, 13, July but that the official

cf.

Stefan

Rosada

and

Jozef

Gwozdz,

op. cit., pp. 225-226. issued on that the decree was actually came almost two weeks announcement later.

RICHARD

F.

311

STARR

to this decree of Poland government by the communist to the after had its the announced appeared day willingness regime resume negotiations statement with the Church.42 The government boded ill for the future of such talks, since it declared the papal ex in Polish internal communication order to be an act of interference reaction

affairs

and

be that priests attempting to enforce the order would a Polish be law. To make certain that there would punished by legal basis upon which such clergymen could be punished, the government issued a decree which created offenses new to criminal law.43 a Church-State these complications, agreement was finally Despite on a It 1950. signed April 14, represented compromise which appeared from the beginning to work more to the advantage of the government than that of the Church. Nevertheless, the Church's position has so that in the middle of 1956 it presumably would deteriorated regard the agreement as one with which the Church could be reasonably well content, if it were only observed by the communist regime. The agree some provisions ment to the Church, which contained favorable bound the State to a definite set of rules. These were the following : of the right to teach religion

1. Recognition to

from

refrain

the

schools.

Where

schools

parents will

ing religion, schools

obstructing

where

is

religion

participation are established

have

as

in the

to send their children

were outside exclud

to such

taught.

2. The Catholic University activities

the right

in schools. Authorities

in religious observances or transformed into one

of Lublin will

be permitted

to continue

its

past.

3. Catholic organizations (together with the Sodalities of Saint Mary) will be allowed to function, although only after fulfilling the obligations established

by

a

State

decree

on

governing

organizations.44

4. The Church will be able to conduct charity work of religion within the framework of State regulations.

and the teaching

42 Trybuna ludu, July 28, 1949. 43 "Dekret wyznania"

z

dnia

[Decree

o ochronie 5 sierpnia 1949 roku wolnosci of August the Freedom 5, 1949 on Preserving

sumienia of Conscience

and Religion], Dziennik ustaw, No. 45 (August 6, 1949). 44 These

zmianie 5, 1949, Dziennik

z dnia 5 sierpnia were set forth in "Dekret 1949 roku o obligations o stowarzyszeniach" of August prawa niektorych przepisow [Decree on the Change in Certain on Organizations], of the Law Regulations No. 45 in the ordinance issued ustaw, 6, 1949) ; and (August by

the Minister

of Public

Administration

No. 47 (August 20, 1949).

implementing

this

decree,

found

in ibid.,

i

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

312 5. The statutes

Catholic and

as

6. Public worship

do

other

with

the same rights,

enjoy

defined by

publications.

traditional

in churches, meet

care

7. Religious

and religious

pilgrimages,

obstacles.

in the armed forces, prisons

and hospitals

will

be

organized.

appropriately

orders will have freedom to operate within

8. Monastic and

calling

not

will

processions

press will

Church

ordinances,

in accordance

the

with

of

laws

the

the fields of their

State.45

the Church was compelled to "guarantees," which later became of inestimable value to the com munist regime in its anti-Catholic propaganda campaign. The hier assurances : would that it archy gave In return

make

for these

concessions

1. Teach respect for the law and for State authority; 2. Call upon the faithful for an intensification of efforts to reconstruct the country and raise the standard of living; 3. Request

to change

the Vatican from

territories

recovered

the Church to

temporary

administration

permanent

in the on

bishoprics,

the

ground that these areas form an integral part of the Polish republic ; 4. Oppose the revisionist and anti-Polish strivings of the German clergy ; 5. Be guided by Polish raison d'?tat, with provision that in the fields of dogma, morality and Church jurisdiction, the pope is the highest author ity for the Church; 6. Not to obstruct the spread of production farms] in the villages; 7. Condemn

anti-State

anti-State

purposes;

for 8.

Combat

utterances

and

activities,

underground

co-operatives

the utilization

condemn

and

of

[collective

religious

penalize

feelings

clergymen

in any anti-State campaign; and guilty of participation 9. Support all efforts to make peace permanent and oppose all tendencies to create

war.46

points were extensive verbiage,

These

45 "porozumienie polskiej Government 46

a

softened in the actual document by considerably some modifying each containing clause. Never

zawarte

episkopatem" and

Swiatkowski,

miedzy

the Episcopate], op.

cit.,

pp.

rzadu

przedstawicielami

[Agreement

between

Swiatkowski, 136-147.

Representatives op.

cit.,

pp.

rzeczypospolitej of 132-133.

the

Polish

RICHARD

313

STARR

F.

of the theless, the tremendous anti-Catholic propaganda potentialities can readily be seen.47 several concessions made by the hierarchy the Church has the government state of affairs

the past six years the campaign against new of 1951 momentum. At the beginning gained that the temporary issued a declaration announcing in the western territories instituted by the Vatican was a factor aiming against the disruptive Germany During

annexed

from

interests of the people.48 This an

State and was contrary to the will of the Polish ecclesiastical nouncement ordered the liquidation of the temporary and the removal of apostolic administrators, administration appointed from these areas. A partial in August, 1945, by Cardinal Hlond, on this issue when, after a victory was achieved by the communists visit with President bishop Wyszynski,

in early February, 1951, the primate, Arch to the newly ap canonical jurisdiction granted vicars.49 Bierut

pointed capitular to permanent ecclesias In actual fact the change from temporary in the Polish territories tical administration recovered (see map) was far from definitive, although vic it did represent a propaganda were not The vicars elected for the communist tory regime. capitular by the cathedral chapters in bona fide dioceses but by diocesan councils in temporary districts. Thus the administration of the Church over of those areas was still not permanent. (As June, 1956, the Vatican to conform with de jacto still had not redrawn diocesan boundaries was made This evident circumstance national boundaries). Polish in late 1951 and again in 1952, when the whole problem came to the the end of the year in a slightly different form. Toward fore?though 47 The Affairs was

government immediately to handle Church matters.

outlined

tymczasowego

in "Uchwala statutu

an

established The

rady ministrow urzedu do spraw

Office

of organization z dnia 27 maja wyznan"

for

Denominational

this

agency

[Resolution

sprawie Council

important 1950 roku w by

the

of Ministers of May 27, 1950, in the Matter of a Provisional Statute for the Office of Denominational Affairs], Monitor polski [Polish Monitor] (Warsaw), July 8, 1950. Successive Bida

(May,

of

directors 1950

to

this

September,

Germany, Jan Izydorczyk

office

have 1954)

been ; the

the post-war

(September, 1954 to April,

pre-war

atheist, ambassador

Antoni to

East

1955) ; and a hitherto

1955 to date). Marian unknown person, Zygmanowski (April, 48 28, 1951. ludu, January Trybuna 49 to the faithful, In his message 18, 1951. February powszechny, Tygodnik as ecclesiastical the new administrators called upon them to recognize the primate of a split among the possibility the clergy. This may have averted superiors.

314

CHURCH

OF

SILENCE

IN

POLAND

COMMUNIST

DIOCESAN INCUMBENTS, 1956 Name

of Diocese

Seat

Incumbents

I. Gniezno-Poznan

Metropolitan 1. Gniezno

A rea

Gniezno

(Arch.)

Gniezno

2. Poznan

Poznan

3. Chelmno

Pelpin

4. Wloclawek

Wloclawek

Stefan

(m, c, i) Stefan Wyszynski, (m, c, i) Baraniak, Antoni (a, i) Bernacki, Lucjan (vg, i) Dymek, Walenty (o) Jedwabski, Franciszek (a) Marlewski, Franciszek (vg) Kowalski, Kazimierz (o) Czaplinski, Bernard (a) Pawlowski, Antoni (o) Korszynski, Franciszek (a) Wyszynski,

II. Warsaw Metropolitan Area

Warsaw

5. Warsaw

(Arch.)

Warsaw

6. Lodz

Lodz

7. Lublin

Lublin

8. Plock

Plock

9.

Sandomierz

Stefan (m, c, i) Stefan (m, c, i) Wyszynski, Waclaw Majewski, (a) Choromanski, Zygmunt (a) Klepacz, Michal (o) Wyszynski,

Tomczak,

Sandomierz

Siedlce

10. Siedlce

Kazimierz

(a, vg)

Kalwa, Piotr (o) Tomasz Wilczynski, (a) Piotr Stopniak, (vg) Zakrzewski, Tadeusz (o) Dudziec, Piotr (a) Figielski, Stanislaw (vg) Lorek, Jan (o) Swirski, Ignacy (o) Jankowski, Marian (a)

III. Krakow Metropolitan Krakow

Area

11. Krakow

12.

Czestochowa

13. Katowice

(Arch.)

Krakow

Czestochowa

Katowice

vacat

Baziak, Eugeniusz (cv, i) Rospond, Stanislaw (a, i) Jop, Franciszek (cv) Wozny, Bonifacy (vg) *Huet, Stanislaw (vg) Golinski, Zdzislaw (o) Czajka, Stanislaw (a) Adamski, Stanislaw (o, i) Bednorz, Herbert (a, i) Bieniek, Juliusz (a, i)

RICHARD

F.

315

STARR

DIOCESAN INCUMBENTS, 1956 (continued) Name

of Diocese

Incumbents

Seat

*Piskorz, Jan (cv) *Kowolik, Piotr (vg) *Pruski, Wladyslaw (vg) 14. Kielce

Kielce

Kaczmarek, Sonik,

(o, (a,

i)

cv)

Jaroszewicz, Jan (vg) Stepa, Jan (o) Pekala, Karol (a)

Tarnow

15. Tarnow

Czeslaw

Franciszek

IV. Lwow Metropolitan Lwow

Area

16. Lwow 17. Luck

(Arch.)

18. Przemysl

20.

Baziak, Eugeniusz Baziak, Eugeniusz

Luck

vacat

Barda, Franciszek Tomaka, Wojciech

Przemysl

V. Wilno Metropolitan Area 19.Wilno

Lwow

(Arch.)

Lomza

(m, i) (o) (a, vg)

Wilno

vacat

Wilno

Suszynski, Wladyslaw (a, i) Reinys, Mieczyslaw (a, i) Sawicki, Adam (vg, i) Falkowski, Czeslaw (o) Moscicki, Aleksander (a) Roszkowski, Antoni (vg) Niemira, Karol (o, i) Krzywicki, Michal (a, i)

Bialystok

Pinsk

21. Pinsk

(m, i)

VI. Apostolic Administrations (formerly German Dioceses) Wroclaw 22. Slask Dolny *Lagosz, Kazimierz (cv) *Jablonski, Waclaw (vg) Oliwa 23. Gdansk Splett, Karol (o, i) Cymanowski, Jan (cv) 24. Warmia Zink, Wojciech Olsztyn (cv, i) *Biskupski, Stefan (cv) Gorzow 25. PomorzeZachodnie Szelazek, Zygmunt (cv) *Klosowski, Eugeniusz (vg) 26. Slask Opolski Opole Kobierzycki, Emil (cv) Banach, Emil (vg) NOTES

:

a?Auxiliary

bishop

cv?Capitular *?pro-regime patriot-priest

i?impedito or

c?Cardinal vicar

(in prison

otherwise

vented

from

cising office)

pre exer

m?Metropolitan o?Bishop vg?Vicar

ordinary general

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

316

of patriot-priests, Catholic lay activists and other 1951 a mass meeting were took place at Wroclaw50 who into clergy pressured attending to denounce the remilitarization and German "re of West Germany to attack once again and incidentally the visionist" statements, as in stand of the Catholic Poland allegedly pro-German hierarchy well as of the Vatican. At

the same

time an interview

with the primate51 the expulsion of the apostolic administrators by the communist regime, he was able to persuade the pope during a visit to Rome in the spring of 1951 to appoint Polish bishops in the re covered territories. This would probably have meant the installation of a Pole as bishop also at Gdansk with its (Danzig). Although approximately elicited that, after

renunciation

of the 1925 concordat the communist of government has no legal right to approve the nomination of bishops, in to take an actual fact it does so52 and even requires new appointees to the people's oath of allegiance republic.

Poland

regime seems finally to have accepted the Church's concession. At the end of 1952 Archbishop Wyszynski installed a per personally manent cathedral chapter for the Archdiocese of Wroclaw, composed The

entirely of prelates and canons having Polish nationality.53 Anxiety on the part of the Church, revealed through these concessions, is un new com the result of its for the fear future under the 1952 doubtedly munist constitution. Article 70 of that basic law provides for freedom of conscience and religion, without any safeguards for the Church in the separation of Church and State but pro the future. It announces itself. Furthermore, this article for the Church vides no guarantees declares

that "the abuse

purposes

aiming against

and religion for of freedom of conscience the interests of the people's republic of Poland

is punishable."54

50 51

ludu, December in Tygodnik

Trybuna

in the first

13, 1951 ;mentioned

December powszechny, 52 ludu, November 27, 1952. Trybuna 53 Slowo In addition powszechne, June 3, 1952. Reported

Dioceses there

part

of

article.

this

1951.

16, to the

three

pre-war

German

of Breslau were

administrations

and Allenstein Danzig (Gdansk), (Wroclaw), (Olsztyn), II two other introduced into Poland after World War apostolic to Germany: that had formerly and belonged Oppeln (Opole)

an Landsberg 54 "Ustawa

der Warthe konstytucyjna

rzeczypospolitej ludowej" tion of the Polish People's

(Gorzow). z dnia [Constitutional Republic],

See 22

map.

lipca Law

Dziennik

1952 of

roku, July

ustaw,

22, No.

konstytucja 1952, The 33

(July

polskiej Constitu 23,

1952).

F.

RICHARD

317

STARR

The Catholic Church in consequence probably looks upon the 1950 Church-State its guarantees, imperfect as they may agreement with have been, as something to be returned to at considerable cost if neces its regret that the sary. The official ecclesiastical weekly55 expressed were not in contained the agreement being incorporated provisions into the constitution, the draft of which was then undergoing "public" discussion. A reply from the regime soon appeared in the form of an editorial,56 fiercely attacking the Church, published by the communist party's official daily newspaper. The future of the Catholic Church under the new constitution would thus appear to be quite uncertain. one of the techniques used by the communists As already mentioned, in their attempts to eliminate the influence of religion from the Polish of the Church by maneu the organization society is that of weakening vering into positions of authority persons who will subordinate them selves to the regime. A step in this direction was a decree57 announced in early 1953 which at in effect provides the communist government Warsaw with the "legal" power to fill ecclesiastical posts. According to this decree, all ecclesiastical appointments must be sanctioned by the State

appropriate

In

authorities.

other

words,

trans

nomination,

any

fer, or release of a clergyman requires the consent of the State. Such measures as pertain to the offices of bishops, whether or ordinaries the the of government permission presidium, require suffragans, lower level changes are approved by the presidia of respec whereas Church authorities are no longer able any posts or to alter their functions without All priests must also take an of the government. prior permission oath of loyalty to the State which reads as follows :58 tive provincial people's to change or eliminate

55 56

Tygodnik Trybuna

57 "Dekret

powszechny, ludu, March rady

panstwa

by koscielnych" [Decree ments to Church Positions], ^Monitor this

oath, same man

anti-Church

councils.

March

16, 1952.

22, 1952. z dnia 9

lutego Council

Dziennik

ustaw,

few 13, 1953. A polski, May the Polish submitted hierarchy who had formerly been president) This campaign. Church-State reviews

hensively this Although of twenty-one

protest

was

pages

in

(October 7, 1953).

document relations

never the

1953

State

the

roku

o

obsadzeniu

stanowisk

of February 9, 1953 on Appoint No. 10 (February 10, 1953). days prior to Premier

to

a statement

is dated since

May 8, the April

inside of Poland, published Polish is available language

the

announcement Bierut

Boleslaw

the

protesting 1953,

of (the

and

regime's it compre

14, 1950, agreement. a long reproduction in Biuletyn, No. 40

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

318

I solemnly swear to be loyal to the Polish people's republic and to its government. I promise to do all [in my power] toward the development of people's Poland and toward the strengthening of [Polish] power and security. In accordance

with

as a citizen

duties

my

ecclesiastical

[in my

activities],

I will call on the faithful to respect the laws and State authority, to intensify their

in

work

nation's

the

reconstructing

national

in

and

economy

the

raising

prosperity.

I promise that I shall not take any steps which would conflict with the interests of the Polish people's republic or affect the security and extent of [Poland's] borders. Bearing the welfare and the interests of the State in mind, I shall make every attempt to protect [the State] from all dangers to my

which,

it.

threaten

knowledge,

as well as the rest of the clergy, have, therefore, The hierarchy, is constant. been placed in a situation where the threat of repression to ecclesiastical Since the decree on appointments appears positions to be of prime importance it is quoted verbatim: 1. Ecclesiastical

in the Church may be occupied only by Polish

positions

citizens. 2. The

creation, as well

positions,

prior

requires

approval

the

by

(b) The in cases

only

4. The of

ment;

bishops

in all

transfer

State

organ

people's councils and Lodz).

and

ordinary

other

5. Persons

or

release

their

State

ecclesiastical

sphere

of

cases,

the

(including

organs.

Church post necessitates

prior

organs.

is applicable

to a different

position.

issues

approvals

is,

presidium

of

which

the

suffragans,

territorial

appropriate

of

presidia

in

the

case

the govern provincial

the people's councils for the cities of Warsaw

ecclesiastical

occupying

Church competence,

under point "a" of this paragraph

regulation of

in

appropriate

State

of

elimination

change

of an ecclesiastical

appropriate

appropriate

diocesan

the

by

3. (a) The acceptance approval

or

transformation, as any other

Church

positions

take

an

oath

of

allegiance to the Polish people's republic at the Office of Denominational Affairs or at the presidium of the appropriate people's council (including and

Warsaw

Lodz).

person who holds an ecclesiastical Church post and participates in activity conflicting with law and public order or supports or shields such activity is removed from the position he occupies by his superior Church 6. A

organ

itself

7. The the ministerial

or

upon

the

implementation council.

demand

of

State

of this decree

organs.

is assigned

to the chairman

of

RICHARD

F.

319

STARR

8. This decree becomes binding on the day that it is announced.59 The 1952 constitution had already given rise to the fear that it would weaken the value of the Church-State 1953 agreement. The decree on ecclesiastical the translated above, strengthened positions, basis for this fear. The greatest danger to the Church apparently lies in the prognosis that its affairs will be regulated in detail by means of legislation which strikes at its very has already been established.60 The its policy as regime clearly discloses an Church the into association, ing

A precedent for this the communist of activity

foundations. whole

transform on the functioning toward

being directed existing and

basis of the State's laws. A major move against the hierarchy in Poland on the part of the communists was announced in the form of a government communique which stated that the primate, Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski, who had been secretly arrested on September to 26, 1953, was "forbidden" execute the "functions connected with the ecclesiastical positions he held."61 On the same day that this action was taken, the hierarchy elected Michal Klepacz, Bishop of Lodz, as its chairman. It also requested of the communist be regime that Cardinal Wyszynski to reside at one of the monasteries. The government permitted had hitherto

and also granted the bishops' approved the election of Bishop Klepacz the primate. The increasing wave of communist request concerning pressure upon the Church, following the cardinal's arrest, culminated in the publication of a joint pastoral letter of the hierarchy62 to all the 59 Dziennik

ustaw,

60 to

10

No.

23,

ludu, April that Catholic

Trybuna the effect

(February 10, 1953, included priests

were

cited

1953), reports

appearing

from

previously. the various

before

presidia

provinces of

people's

of loyalty. councils for oaths 61 [Warsaw Zycie Warszawy on the basis of made apparently and specific L'Osservatore cardinal XII

and

charges

were

Romano, discusses

a photograph carries of the 27, 1955, which September In late December, his Pius imprisonment. 1955, Pope an apostolic channels to the Polish letter underground

place.

via

transmitted

He hierarchy. the communist ticular,

urged

9,

Catholics and that

in Poland

denounced the primate

to refrain

the persecution was still being

from of

collaboration

the Church.

detained

full

1954),

an

text 1-2.

of

this

letter

in the Polish

language,

with In

par at an unknown

letter in a special edition of Wolna appeared over Poland from eight-page pamphlet dropped in Munich, the Europe during Germany, spring the courtesy of Dr. through Jerzy Ptakowski.

[Free Europe], Free by Radio

(June

all

regime the pope stated The complete

Information 62 For the

was arrest This 29, 1953. Life], September no open the February, 1953, decree, although the primate. Cf. the article in brought against

cf. Biuletyn,

Europa balloons of No.

1956. 23

CHURCH OF SILENCE IN COMMUNIST POLAND

320

faithful on May

of international 29,1954, which urged the preservation condemned atomic warfare, and supported the concept of volun maintained tary disarmament. Although along the lines of the pope's views on these subjects, the release of the letter at this particular time could be interpreted as a surrender to the Warsaw regime's demands

peace,

behind the spurious peace offen was immediately picked up and

that the hierarchy place its prestige The statement sive of the Kremlin.

by the communist propaganda apparatus throughout Poland.63 used against the bishops, con Besides the tactics of "persuasion" at the tinued pressure was also applied to ecclesiastical authorities level. As a result of the February, diocesan 1953, decree, no bishop

utilized

ordinary is permitted to make any personnel changes unless permitted to do so by the government's This, together with the representatives. in Poland, has resulted of regime's policy arresting leading clergymen in situations like that within the Archdiocese of Gniezno (see chart) where all three of the bishops have been arrested by the communists. In this particular instance, new priests must be ordained by a bishop from an adjoining diocese. Such a state of affairs per se would not seem to be too dangerous were all dioceses in the hands of the legitimate authorities of the Church. Unfortunately this is no longer the case, since the communists have been able to capture completely three of the diocesan administra at a fairly high tions and to penetrate two others with patriot-priests level. In the former category are the Dioceses of Slask Dolny (Lower and Warmia where all top echelon Silesia), Katowice, (East Prussia), are regime appointees.64 The second group administrators includes 63

24

No.

Ibid.,

16,

(June

A

8-9.

1954),

subsequent

letter,

pastoral

issued

in September, 1955, urged the Catholics to remain faithful to the Church in its

struggle 1956. The

this date. ^4 Two

of

of

bishops. Kazimierz neither for

has

calling

Paragraph a bishop"

had

these

men who

Lagosz the diocesan

are holds

consecrated

diocesan

been have

[not

a vicar

general

was synods

L'Osservatore out

smuggled even

been

Jan Piskorz, the corresponding a bishop, Kuznica

synods. 1 of Canon 357 states:

Cited in Biuletyn, No. and

not

collaborators

These Logosz been

communism.

atheistic

against message

"A

both

of Poland

post

February shortly

the powers at Katowice, and Silesia. Although

vicar in Lower

reportedly

had

begun

(Warsaw), April is called and synod

vicar

27, before

to assume

attempting

capitular

kaplanska diocesan

or a capitular

Romano, until

without

a

special

preparation 15, 1955. chaired

by

mandate].

19 (May 11, 1955), 12-13. The maneuver by Piskorz

apparently through

abandoned, the middle

because of

June,

nothing 1956.

had

been

heard

of

RICHARD

F.

321

STARR

areas and Pomorze Zachodnie (Western Pomerania) one pro-communist in each. As the chart indicates, seventeen active dioceses remain free of penetration for the time being. On the other hand, ten dioceses have lost one or more bishops due to arrest or banishment by force. It should likewise be noted that all or large the Krakow

with

of Bialystok, Pinsk, Przemysl, Luck, Lwow, parts of the Dioceses are currently within the de jacto boundaries of the USSR. and Wilno

Ill The struggle against the Catholic Church in Poland has not only taken the form of persecution as such arresting leading members of the of other duly appointed officials, hierarchy, limiting the jurisdiction and the attempt at creating a schism by "brain-washing" the younger But this persecution has clergy through special courses in Marxism. also made

in eliminating instruction from the progress religious schools65 and in completely the All Catholic press. liquidating genuine are a part of a master-plan, of these moves directed by one of the the central apparatus of the communist party,66 to destroy sections,in the prestige of the Church and to transform that body into a govern ment directed group, sensitive to communist orders. The communique issued in September, 1955, by the Warsaw regime to the effect that Cardinal Wyszynski would be released "very soon," was quickly fol lowed by a statement from one of the better known pro-regime Cath olic laymen, Dominik Horodynski, that "he (the Cardinal) will not be considered here any longer as Primate of Poland."67 It is obvious that the communist government of Poland will permit no other organiza tion to compete against it for the allegiance of the population. College

Harding

65 L'Osservatore

Romano, Paul for Mrs.

(pseudonym

Christian Century, LXXIII ?6 Cf.

Richard

F.

Staar,

19, 1955. "Communist

August Super),

also

Attack

Ann on

Sue Polish

Cardwell Church,"

(February 22, 1956), 232-233. "The

Secretariat

of

Party," Journal of Central European Affairs, XV 07 New

Cf.

the United

Polish

Workers'

(October, 1955), 272-285.

to "an authoritative 1955. According 29, released from almost two months source," prison to take up residence at a monastery later and permitted (still incommunicado) in southeastern Poland. Ibid., November 28, 1955. to the alleged from Warsaw communist Cf. also the despatch offer pertaining to reside at Warsaw, to grant the right the cardinal full including liberty, York

Times,

Cardinal

"provided

May

that

19, 1956.

he

September was Wyszynski

does

not

resume

his

functions

as Primate

of Poland."

Ibid.,