ADSS 1.88 Pacini to Maglione: tensions among German and Polish Catholics in western Poland

ADSS 1.88 Alfredo Pacini, Charge d’Affaires Warsaw, to Luigi Maglione, Sec State.

Reference: Report 250 (AES 4778/39)

Location and date: Warsaw, 10.07.1939.

Summary statement: Reports of troubles in Germany and in Poland on account of the language used during religious services in the minorities regions.  Bishops have made provisions to this effect.  Stanislaw Adamski (Katowice) has banned the use of German in services in the diocese.

Language: Italian

Text:

I feel it my duty to inform your Eminence about an order given by Bishop Stanislaw Adamski, Bishop of Katowice, regarding the use of the German language in the churches of his diocese (1).

As it is known, in the Archdiocese of Gniezno and Poznan, in the Diocese of Culma [Chelmno] and even more in that of Katowice, there are German speaking communities for which religious services have always been held in German: sung mass, sermons, lectures, catechism etc: for the administration of sacraments there is even more freedom, as not only in the above mentioned Dioceses, but all over Poland all possible languages are used …

This state of affairs has been in force for a long time, and in Article 23 of the Concordat with Poland (2) in the Diocese of Latin rite any change regarding sermons, supplementary prayers and instructions courses without a special authorisation given by the Latin Rite Bishop’s Conference is prohibited.

Now, while in Poland, as Cardinal Hlond assures me, the Bishops had scrupulously followed this prescription, it seems that in Germany – where the Polish speaking populations had the same privilege – this use has in many cases been abandoned; hence protests and threats of reprisals against the Germans in Poland.

These reprisals recently have become so frequent, from both sides, and have taken on such proportions that there was no respect for persons or things or scared places and the very churches become battlefields.  Then Monsignor Adamski, Bishop of Katowice, in whose diocese more than in others these acts were taking place, published a Pastoral Letter in very stern terms at the end of this May, with the hope of remedying these evil practices.  Bishop Adamski writes that this letter brought peace: but others say that “it had the adverse effect”, so that, on 22 June, in a meeting of deacons of his entire Diocese, he gave the order by word of mouth, to stop all religious ceremonies in the German language, permitting it only when giving the sacraments, in funeral services and in public meetings of German organisations.

The reasons given by Bishop Adamski for this order are the following:

1. The clergy complained of the difficulties they were encountering on account of German language ceremonies.

2. The Protestants and other religious sects, using only the Polish language, were vaunting their patriotism against the Catholics who continued to use the German language.

3. The political and nationalist associations were agitating for the exclusive use of the Polish language: if not appeased they would start trouble even inside the churches, as had already happened in many cases.

Not ever twenty-four hours had elapsed since the measures were applied when a letter reached Bishop Adamski from Cardinal Bertram, Archbishop of Wroclaw (3) asking if it was true that the Katowice Curia intended to abolish the use of the German language in the churches of the diocese.  I do not know what Bishop Adamski replied, I only know that the above-mentioned by a decree dates 27 June suspended all Polish devotions, I his large archdiocese, ordering that, in place of sung Mass with Polish hymns and Polish sermon, a low Mass without hymns be introduced.  The decree mentions the possibility of reverting to Polish ceremonies in more serene times.

The reasons put forward by Cardinal Bertram are more or less the same as those given by Bishop Adamski for the suppression of the German language in Poland.  Bishop Adamski, in a second letter written to me on this subject on 01.07.1939 says that, in consideration of the good results produced by his verbal order, he was going to confirm it in writing directly to the clergy, without, however, publishing it in any newspaper or magazine, not even in the Official Bulletin of the Diocese.

Up to now the Nunciature has not received any protest form the German Minorities: it is believed that protests will come from other quarters, but I have no positive information.

Bishop Adamski, who it seems, has mentioned something about this in previous Episcopal Conferences, write to me that he will present the entire question at the next Conference which will probably be held in September: but in the meantime Cardinal Hlond writes to me that he has received requests for the abolition of German in his parishes in Poznania, Kaszczor, Rawicz, Swiecichoa and Miasteczki: this I believe is also the case in the Diocese of Culma.  But it seems that these Bishops do not let themselves be pushed and manage things with the calm which the case requires.

If there are other developments I shall not fail to inform your Eminence.

Notes: 

(1) Stanislaw Adamski (1875-1967), bishop of Katowice 1930-67.

(2) Concordat with Poland, Article 23: “Any change of language used in the Diocese of Latin rite for sermons, prayers, supplementary prayers and instructions, except those of sacred sciences in seminaries, shall be made only by special authorisation given by the Conference of Bishops of the Latin Rite.”  Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 02.06.1925, p283.

(3) Adolf Bertram (1859-1945), Cardinal Archbishop of Wroclaw (Breslau) 1914-45.

ADSS 1.70 Orsenigo to Maglione: German-Polish tensions

ADSS 1.70 Cesare Orsenigo, Germany, to Luigi Maglione, Sec State.

Reference: Report number 48 (27/810) (AES 4189/39)

Location and date: Berlin, 23.06.1939

Summary statement: Incidents between Germany and Poland call attention to the latent danger of a conflict.  Some place their hope in the moderating influence of the HS.  Some trouble over use of Polish or German in the liturgy by minority groups.

Language: Italian

Text:

I hasten to bring to your Eminence’s attention the following events:

Great impression has been created in these diplomatic circles by the news, recently secretly learned, regarding the existing tension between Polish and German populations.  The news leaked out that in a Polish town, Thorn (1) some fanatic and degenerate people have assaulted and castrated three Germans.  The news came to the knowledge of the German Press Agency (Deutsches Nachricktenbüro – DNB) who collected it and issued a press release.  I enclose a copy of it.

According to the opinion of the diplomats such a publication would have been sufficient to start a popular upheaval of such magnitude as to lead to a war.  Fortunately, at the last moment, the Führer, having heard of it, forbade its publication.  A feeling of fear, however, has remained in everybody’s mind as the episode has shown how fragile is the prudence, both of the German and the Polish populations, regarding matters which could start a war. (2)

To this we must add the speech made by Minister Goebbels last Sunday in Danzig and made more dangerous by other more menacing phrases, as for example “within three months Danzig will belong to Germany”, said during an interview with Foreign newspaper men, although he requested that it should not be published. (3)

Some diplomats, even amongst neutrals and Germany’s friends, find again new hope of preventing war in some tentative effort of the Holy See: even the Secretary of State at the Foreign Office, Baron von Weizsäcker, on Tuesday, talking to me, mentioned very respectfully the moderating influence that the Catholic Church could exert on the Polish population.

News arrived here of increasing hostility by both sides against religious services in the language of the minority population.  In German Silesia the numerous Polish people who live there rarely have religious services in their own language as previous was the custom.  At the same time in Katowice, Archbishop [sic] Adamski, has been compelled, in order to preserve dignity and decorum in the churches, to forbid the service in two parishes in the town, which were regularly celebrated in German. (4)

Notes: 

(1) There is no way of verifying this story.  Given that German propaganda indulged in lurid cases of Polish atrocities against ethnic Germans, it is highly likely the story is fictional.  The only verified account of so-called Polish “atrocities” against Germans was in the opening week of the war, 03-04.09.1939,in Bromberg where German soldier and some civilians, possibly saboteurs, fired upon retreating Polish soldiers which lead to a fight where between 40-50 Poles and 100-130 Germans were killed.  Savage reprisals followed. German propaganda inflated the number of dead and used the incident as “proof” of Polish savagery.

(2) Compare the letter of 28.06.1939 of Nevile Henderson (1882-1942) UK Ambassador in Berlin 1937-39: “Unwelcome though I feel that my warnings are, in London, about Polish provocations, I cannot help it, for it is my duty to repeat to you that they constitute a serious danger.” (DBFP, Series 3, Volume 6, n161, p184.

(3) Henderson had expressed his surprise to the Secretary of State that Goebbels could speak as he liked about foreign policy. Ibid.

(4) Stanislaw Adamski (1875-1967), Bishop of Katowice 1930-67.

ADSS 3.2.472 Report from Bishop Stanislaw Adamski of Katowice, Poland: persecution and papal silence

In September 1942 and January 1943 Bishop Stanislaw Adamski of Katowice in Poland wrote reports on the situation of the Polish Catholic Church.  In the second and longer report, several notes were collated and formed into one document when the various sections arrived in Rome.  The process of delivery from Warsaw to Rome is not made clear, but the information contained is identical in many respects to the September report.  Does this mean that Adamski was not sure if the first letter had reached Rome?  At this point I am not sure.  What can be stated with certainty is that the Polish church was undergoing terrible privation and suffering.  Adamski broaches the issue of Pius XII's "silence" in terms of an anti-papal propaganda campaign put about by the enemies of the church.  He alleges it has not succeeded.

The whole document needs to be read and not only the paragraph dealing with the alleged "silence" of the pope.  

At the time of writing, January 1943, news was reaching German-occupied Europe of the encirclement of the Sixth Army at Stalingrad. Perhaps Adamski felt the first glimmers of hope that the war might end before the Germans had destroyed the Polish church entirely. 

ADSS 3.2.472 Report of Stanislaw Adamski (Katowice)

Reference: AES 2029/43

Location and date: Warsaw, end of January 1943

Summary statement: Overview of the clerical situation in Poland; economic situation and morale of the clergy in the General Government.  Status of the bishops. Propaganda suggesting the Pope has forgotten Poland and steps taken to counter it.  Diocese of Warsaw and the imprisonment of the Rector of the Seminary.

Language: German

Text:

The situation (1) as reported from other parts of the country that form the Government General, has identified many of the priests who were forced to leave.  As far as can be ascertained, and with few exceptions, they have through the help of Mass stipends (2), assistance from friends and relatives and their own income through civilian activities, been able to make themselves secure.   Since all these priests are unable to be sufficiently engaged in pastoral work, they have taken on other work as officials etc.  This activity not only gives them a necessary contribution to their income, but is necessary to avoid being sent away for forced labour.

Many priests have not yet recovered from the hardship caused by the war and are suffering from nervous shock. Many also suffer from excessive anxiety.  It is natural to expect that some may be “derailed”.  Creating organised spiritual direction is not possible at present partly because many priests are in hiding, the danger of having meetings which is particularly dangerous for these men.

Bishop Bukraba of Pinsk (3), now lives in Warsaw at the St Joseph Sanitarium, 18 Emilii Plater Street.  His health is normal, although he suffers from high blood pressure.  Auxiliary bishop Niemira (4) also lives in Warsaw and is in good health.  Their applications to return to Pinsk have been refused.

The diocese of Pinsk is divided into three parts between East Prussia, Ostland and Ukraine.  The boundaries may be crossed only upon specific authorisation.  For each part of the diocese the bishop has appointed a Vicar General and they have taken office.  The diocese is organised sufficiently and the bishop is in contact with them.

The Vicar General of Pinsk, Monsignor Iwicki and the Vicar General in Novogrodek, Dean Daleki were shot (5) Recently another 35 priests, after a short imprisonment, were also shot.  The reasons are unknown.

Bishop Lukomski (6) resides freely in his home in Lomza.  His auxiliary bishop, Zakrzewski (7) lives in Ostrow Mazowiecka and is Apostolic Administrator of diocese of Lomza that is within the Government General (about 5 parishes).  He cannot go to Lomza but is in contact with the bishop.

The Archbishop of Vilna (8) is outside his diocese interned in the Marian monastery Mariampol in Lithuania.  He is in good health and has some contact with Vilna.  The current administrator of the Vilna archdiocese seems to have done nothing about the messages reporting the poor material circumstances of the re-settled archbishop.

Archbishop Sapieha (9) in Krakow is in good health and very active in spite of many difficulties.  He was made it clear to the Leader of the Government General in spoken word and in writing, making it very clear that existing abuses are uncovered.  His approach has given him widespread acclaim.

Bishop Szlagowski (10) in Warsaw has received his faculties as a residential bishop with the greatest gratitude.  He is active and working.

The rector of the seminary in Warsaw, Archutovski (11), was arrested suddenly a month ago.  The reason is unknown.  So far, attempts to secure his release have been unsuccessful.

There are no changes in Lvov, Przemysl, Tarnow and Krakow.  Bishops and auxiliaries are in good health and about their normal work.  The same is true for Krakow [sic] and Luck (Luceoria), as well as in Sandomierz, Lielce and Czestochowa. 

The Vicar General of Poznan, auxiliary bishop Dymek (12) has been ordered to leave the Chancery building and his apartment on the second floor of the parish house of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Mr Wolf, the Head of the Gestapo department for Church Affairs lives on the first floor (13).  The Vicar General of the archdiocese of Gniezno, Canon van Blericq  (14) was ordered to leave Gniezno and go to Hohensalza (within the diocese).  He exercised his ministry there along with Vicar General Dymek from Poznan, but only for Polish Catholics according to the limits set by the police.

The auxiliary bishop Kozal of Wloclawek was sent to a concentration camp for several weeks.  He died in KZ Dachau (15).  Bishop Nowowiejski of Plock died in KZ Soldau over eighteen months ago (16).

Auxiliary bishop Wetmanski of Plock (17) has not been heard from in over eighteen months. 

Both bishops of Lodz are living as internees in Biecz monastery near Krosno (Galicia).  Bishop Fulman of Lublin (18) is interned in the parish house in Neu-Sandez (Galicia).  His auxiliary bishop, Goral (19) is in a concentration camp.

There is an organised anti-papal propaganda campaign among various elements of the Polish population, which asserts that the Holy Father, as an Italian, does not care about the Polish people, nor does he care about their fate etc.

This propaganda was, as has been determined, organised by old opponents of the Church.  Knowing the situation of the Polish nation cut off from reliable sources of information, and with no independent public papers, these enemies went “fishing” in trouble waters, and on the one hand attempted to exploit the possibility the Church and Pope could counter these charges and consolidate their position after the war, but on the other hand, they could also steer Catholics away from the Church and the Pope.

Thanks to the reports of the activities of the Holy Father in favour of Poland, as well as the intense reaction of good Catholics, this propaganda is on the wane and continues to loose support.  The efforts have proven the absolute groundlessness of the anti-papal propaganda have encouraged all, in deepest gratitude to listen again to the Holy Father, in order to have a lot more of the truth.

Notes:

(1) This document was compiled from fragments that were written out on plain paper with no signature or date.  It arrived at the Vatican in March 1943.  Some information provided by various dioceses was cut and corrections made.  The document here is therefore a reconstruction of two letter, and may not contain all the notes of the original.  See Maglione’s response, ADSS 3.2.502.  The dating of the letter was construed from the news of the imprisonment of the Seminary Rector, Archutovski “a month ago”.  The arrest occurred in November 1942 and the conjecture was made that part of the letter was written towards the end of December 1942.

(2) Mass stipends refer to money given by a person to a priest asking for the Mass to be offered for a particular intention.  This is a common Catholic custom. The money is a gift acknowledging the work of the priest.

(3) Kasimiriz Bukraba (1885-1946) bishop of Pinsk (1932-1946).

(4) Karol Niemira (1883-1965) auxiliary bishop of Pinsk (1933-1946).

(5) Witold Iwicki (1884-1943), was arrested and shot during a reprisal action by the Germans.  It is believed Iwicki was active in hiding Jews.  Michael Dalecki (1884-1942) was murdered during a German action against Polish intelligentsia on 31.07.1942.  On the anti-intelligentsia action see http://www.stankiewicze.com/index.php?kat=31&sub=470 (Polish website)

(6) Stanislas Lukomski (1874-1948), bishop of Lomza 1926-1948.

(7) Tadeusz Zakrzewski (1883-1961), auxiliary bishop of Lomza 1938-1946.

(8) Romuald Jalbrzykowski (1876-1955), archbishop of Vilnius 1926-1955.  He was a deeply unpopular bishop among Lithuanian Catholics.

(9) Adam Sapieha (1867-1951), archbishop of Krakow 1911-1951.

(10) Antoni Wladyslaw Szlagowski (1864-1956), auxiliary bishop of Warsaw 1928-1956.

(11) Roman Archutowski (1882-1943), rector of the Warsaw diocesan seminary 1940-1942.  He was arrested in November 1942 and sent to KL Majdanek where he died on Palm Sunday, 23.03.1943.  He was beatified as a martyr by John Paul II on 13.06.1999.

(12) Walenty Dymek (1888-1956), auxiliary bishop of Poznan 1929-1945.  He succeeded as archbishop in 1946.

(13) Franz Wolf (1895- ) and his family lived on the ground floor of the parish house; the remaining clergy were permitted to live on the second floor.

(14) Edward van Blericq (1895-1946), vicar general of Poznan 1939-1946.  Expelled form Poznan by the Gestapo in July 1941 and spent the rest of the war in Inowroclaw, southern Poland.

(15) Michael Kozal (1893-1943), auxiliary bishop of Wloclawek 1939-1943.  Died in KZ Dachau.  Beatified as a martyr on 14.06.1987.

(16) Anthony Julian Nowowiejski (1858-1941), bishop of Plock 1908-1941.  Arrested by the Gestapo in 1940 he was later sent to KL Sodau where he died on 28.05.1941.  He was beatified as a martyr on 13.06.1999.

(17) Leon Wetmanski (1886-1941), auxiliary bishop of Plock 1927-1941.  Arrested 06-07.03.1941 he was sent to KL Soldau where he died around the beginning of October.

(18) Marian Fulman (1866-1945), bishop of Lublin 1918-1945.  Imprisoned in KL Sachsenhausen 1939-1940 and KL Nowy Sasz 1940-1945.

(19) Vladislaw Goral (1898-1944), auxiliary bishop of Lublin 1938-1944.  Imprisoned and died in KL Sachsenhausen. Beatified as a martyr 13.06.1999.