The last joint message by the Polish and German Episcopals, as well as the Church's support for building a common European defence system, shows that the Catholic Church in Europe has become a pillar of the imperial task Paneuropa. Thus the Polish clergy prosecute the objectives of the German political elite, aiming to build a fresh Sacrum Empire on the ruins of national states. It is simply a return to the times of Otto and Poland which constitute the state of the Empire. After 1,000 years of continuous efforts, the German elite yet managed to take control of the Polish clergy and put them into the implementation of the German project, and it is hard to get the impression that most representatives of the Polish Church do not realize any of this.
Catholicism as a tool for building the Roman-German Empire – it is 1 of the main besides Felix Koneczny, a origin of his investigation on civilizations. It was Koneczny who pointed out that Catholicism can affect different civilizations and functions differently in Latin civilization and completely different in this social control system, which he himself referred to as Byzantine civilization, and whose exposition was, among others, the German Reich. And just as Catholic ethics dominate Latin civilization, so in Byzantineism religion is simply a tool of power – it is simply a method for expanding and perpetuating this power.
Otto's dynasty utilized the structures of the Catholic Church to build its own administration – it was easier and cheaper. The bishoprics were cast – frequently secular, due to the fact that at the time it was inactive possible – as supporters of the German emperors who utilized their offices to strengthen imperial power. This was besides served by the Archdiocese of Magdeburg, founded by Otto I in 962, for the “mission” of the Slavic Christianity. Magdeburg Cathedral besides became the resting place of Otto the Great. In a word: Magdeburg was a base for the Christianization of Slavs behind the Elbe, whose real intent was to extend the power of German feudalists to the east.
And as we know from past lessons, the genius Lives I was relying on not to be baptized by German rulers, but through the Czech Republic. It was about Poland having its own church administration, which was not to be subject to Magdeburg. The Germans, of course, had an other interest. In 968 a bishopric was established in Poznań, which was a thorn in the eye of German rulers. Poland began to become a sovereign state.
Church Administration and Political Authority
And for many centuries the Germans failed to "put their hands on" the Polish church. The situation changed during the period of partitions (1795–1918) erstwhile the church administration in Poland was broken down and subjected to fresh state borders, resulting in the failure of nationwide structural unity. Each possessor sought to weaken the ties of the Church with Rome and to usage the hierarchy for state purposes. The administrative breakdown meant that bishops from various occupations could not formally meet on joint synods until independency was restored in 1918.
The consolidation of the structures of the Catholic Church after 1918 was a long-term process aimed at harmonising the legal and administrative systems inherited from 3 possessors. In 1919 the Polish Episcopal Conference (1919) was established, and in 1920 the diocese of Łódź was established, and in subsequent years individuals were created corresponding to fresh demographic and political realities (including the diocese of Katowice and Częstochowa). yet by the bull Vixdum Poloniae unitas (28 October 1925), Pope Pius XI carried out a comprehensive administrative reorganisation: Poland was divided into 5 metropolises (Gniezno-Poznańska, Warsaw, Vilnius, Lviv and Kraków).
During the Second WŚ due to the fact that the Polish clergy were inactive truly national and constituted a highly educated elite of the Polish people, it became the object not only of repression, but of extermination from the Germans. In areas incorporated into the 3rd Reich (e.g. the Warta Country, Pomerania) The Germans sought to complete the liquidation of church structures as a standing of Polishness. Many priests were arrested, seminars, monasteries and churches closed. Almost all priests were imprisoned or murdered in the Chelm diocese in 1939. In the General Government, administrative structures survived, but under strict supervision and constant persecution. The church was not formally dissolved here, but its activities were confined to a purely cult sphere. In the end Poland lost about 20% of the diocesan clergy during the occupation. A peculiar place of martyrdom became a camp in Dachau, where thousands of Polish priests were imprisoned. Thousands of temples were demolished, converted into warehouses or stables, and their furnishings and artworks were robbed.
Post-WWII period – the beginning of the end, i.e. the return of the Ottoman project
The scale of persecution and suffering of the Polish nation, including the clergy, never occurred in the planet perception – what truly happened in occupied Poland, global public opinion never truly found out. Not just due to the fact that we are in the sphere of the russian Union's influence. Unfortunately, but a immense function was played in this Vatican, which under Pius XII saved German criminals from justice by their victims and did everything to guarantee that the fact about the scale of these crimes never got to public awareness1. The slogan behind the paravan was “showing Christian mercy” – the Church officially declared that in this way it demonstrated the superiority of Catholicism over the judaic rule of “right of vengeance”. Catholic discipline of the virtue of justice was simply omitted.
Pope Pius XII made many interventions in the business authorities (mostly American) in order to cancel or mitigate sentences for German war criminals, motivating this besides to avoid weakening Germany in the face of the threat of communism. Requests for grace were made in the case of those convicted in the Nuremberg processes (substantial processes), The Vatican intervened peculiarly in cases of those sentenced to death in the alleged Einsatzgruppen trial, including Otto Ohlendorf, commander of Einsatzgruppe D, liable for mass execution on Jews. The Pope supported petitions to pardon prisoners held in the Landsberg prison, including Oswald Pohl (the head of the SS Central economical and Administration Office, overseeing concentration camps). The interventions active many another representatives of German elites whose death or life sentences were frequently the subject of diplomatic procedures of the Holy See. Many of these efforts were successful – under the influence of, among others, the intervention of the Church, the American advanced Commissioner of Germany, John J. McCloy, in 1951 he softened much of the death sentences to prison sentences or shortened life sentences2.
Pope Pius XII besides intervened on the pardon of German criminals convicted in Poland, the most celebrated of whom was Arthur Greiser. Greiser was politician of the Reich in the Warta Country (Wartheland), liable for mass deportations, Germanization and extermination of the Polish and judaic population. After his death conviction by the ultimate National Court in Poznań in 1946, the Vatican (via the Secretariat of State) issued a request for grace to the Polish authorities. At the time president Bolesław Bierut rejected the request for pardon. The papal intervention met with large outrage of Polish public opinion. Arthur Greiser was hanged in Poznań on July 21, 1946. This intervention was only 1 of many specified cases and is cited in discussions on Pius XII's attitude towards Nazi crimes, being 1 of the most controversial points of his pontificate in relations with Poland.
The little well-known issue is that Pius XII turned to the Allies besides in the case of Hans Frank, but besides in this case he failed to save the apparent criminal and executioner of Poles.3. It is worth recalling that the 1 with an evident "weakness" to the Germans, the ecclesiastical ruler, supported German revisionism after the war by emphasizing that the resettlement of the Germans was the highest injustice. The destiny of the Polish victims of the Germans was fundamentally uninterested in him, and specified are the facts which must be recognized by everyone for whom the fact is the highest value.
The issue of the Holy See’s engagement in the rescue of German criminals has never become a subject of greater interest among Catholics. The method of distracting Catholics from this subject was persuasion: saying anything negative about Pius XII was expected to indicate that communist propaganda was being submitted4, attack the Church or even deficiency of Catholic faith. This last persuasion strategy is applied by Fr. The Pope and Poland. Reason for Pope PIUSA XII's attitude to Poland during planet War II. The author claims that anyone who dares to have doubts about the actions of the head of the Church is opposed to Christ himself! The Pope must not be criticized under any circumstances and in any matter, due to the fact that his decisions, as the Vicar of God, are flawless. The presentation of this apologetic work to the Pope shows that the subject of the attitude of the Holy See to German criminals and their victims was alive in Polish society and was a serious problem for the Polish clergy5. Thanks to the apologetic activity of specified people as Pacuszka, Polish Catholics did not even announcement the fact that the Vatican had completely ignored the Volyn crime, which was attended by many Greek Catholic priests who are under Rome.
The actions of the Roman Curia were the consequence of her policies already during the First WW, erstwhile Rome unofficially supported the Germans, hoping that after they won the war, the German aristocrats would reverse the processes of modernization, democratisation and nationalization in Europe and reconstruct the feudal alliance of the throne and altar. The restoration of Poland's independency Rome did not anticipate, as Roman Dmowski was painfully convinced erstwhile visiting the Holy See during the war. Let us remind you that Eugenio Pacelli, future Pope Pius XII, serving as Apostolic Nuncio in Germany from May 1917, was an ardent opponent of the Treaty of Versailles: his activity described above was a continuation of various actions he took in favour of the Germans at the Peace Conference in Versailles. The continuation of this intimacy between the German elite and the highest ruler of the Church was their joint commitment to European integration after the Second WWII.
It is increasingly said that Pope Pius XII was an ardent supporter of the construction of a European superstate6. The Holy See, without distinguishing German imperialism from the nationalism of another European nations, felt that only the abolition of sovereign national states could give Europe lasting peace. And Rome was not disturbed by the fact that this united Europe was built by the same people who had previously built the 3rd Reich, specified as Walter Hallstein, the first president of the European Commission. Finally, these people officially cut off from the 3rd Reich and became chadeks overnight – for the pope it was apparent that they would now support the thought of building a Christian Europe... This task would not be possible if the occupied European nations demanded reparation, compensation, redress, or average justice for the crimes and looting that Germany has done. Hence, the Church divided and trotted to build a "conciliation" between the European nations, which consisted solely and exclusively of silenced those who demanded justice, disavowing them as nationalists and those who did not realize what Christian mercy and the desire for revenge was.
And this is precisely what the post-war activity of the increasing part of the Polish clergy is about.
Message of Polish Bishops to German Bishops
The most clear manifestation of this policy was the celebrated message of the Polish bishops of 1965, addressed to German bishops, during the Second Vatican Council, which contained the controversial phrase "we forgive and ask forgiveness". On the occasion of the circular anniversary of the message, Tygodnik Powszechny placed a peculiar service – “Message of Polish Bishops 1965: a peculiar service” – which included many noteworthy articles on the occasion of the creation of the celebrated letter7.
Among another things, in an article by Mark Zajek God's madmen. Pioneers of Polish-German reconciliation “At the same time, the pioneers of Polish-German reconciliation – let us repeat – were no alien to reasoning in terms of the state’s right. From the Polish point of view, the strategical turn from the East to the West was of large importance here – from today's perspective. Breaking from the trap of geography, or the location between 2 hostile powers. due to the fact that the beginning to Germany undermined the domination of the russian Union and the Yalta order. A confidential note, which Bishop Kominek gave to the German Episcopate before publishing, strikes with a bold vision. "Europe is the future – nationalisms are yesterday" – Constatus Kominek and postulated the gradual construction of the federation of nations, which will renounce part of sovereignty in areas of safety and economy"8.
It is besides worth pointing out the archival article by Mark Mutor, reminded by the editor of “The Weekly of the Common” entitled Bolesław Kominek understood the Polish state's right. Who was the author of the Message to the 1965 Germans?, from which we can learn about these interesting facts: “From Polish-German relations, Bolesław Kominek besides referred to matters of broader scope. On 18 November 1965, a gathering of Episcopal Presidents from various European countries was held in Rome on the day the Message was signed. They decided to set up a working group aimed at creating structures for the cooperation of the Church in Europe – an effort to bring integration trends to the church ground. The working group, called "Comité des 6", included six bishops: Höffner from Germany, Dwyer from England, Campos from Spain, Pailler from France, Majaisky-Parelli from Italy – and Kominek from Poland. As a consequence of the group's work, the existing Council of the Episcopal Conference of Europe has become 1 of its "founding fathers" and then 1 of its vice-presidents9‘’.
There is so absolutely no uncertainty that the initiator and author of the message, Bishop Kominek, was in favour of weakening national states in order to build a united Europe and that the "conciliation" initiated by him served political purposes. It was not a real reconciliation, as the Germans never saw the magnitude of their crimes committed in Poland and their consequences, in the form of permanent spiritual, mental, intellectual and material Polish mutilation. Bishop Kominek started the same fiction of reconciliation in the Polish-German section, which the Church had previously founded for Western Europe.
The deficiency of a strong consequence on the part of the clergy to these actions was due to the necessity to submit to Rome, as well as to the fact that among the Polish clergy that were murdered by the Germans there were those most patriotic priests and nuns – Germans during the Second WW did "cleaning" the Polish Church from the "nationalist element". Hence, the postwar clergy did not see through the actual intentions of the "building bridges" and did not realize it to this day, and, accustomed for centuries to acting as leaders of the nation, lost all self-criticism. This, unfortunately, besides applies to JP II, which yet became the main developer of the Magdeburg task in the 21st century.
Joint message by the Presidents of the Polish and German Episcopals
In October 2025, the 60th anniversary of the message of Polish bishops to German bishops was celebrated jointly by Episcopals of Poland and Germany. For this reason, the president of the Episcopal of Poland and Germany, Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda of Gdańsk and Bishop of Limburg Georg Bätzing, signed a fresh message concerning reconciliation. The paper is named The Courage of Reached Hands. Among another things, we read:
"Germany and Poles share work for Europe and the planet today. The current challenges go beyond the Polish-German borders. (...) The temptation to follow its own national way and decision distant from a policy of cooperation based on global principles must be resisted. The European thought of creating a common area of law and peace remains crucial. We see this peculiarly in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. We are convinced that Europe must fight force together. applicable solidarity with victims of aggression and compassion is needed for all victims of war. erstwhile we address the Ukrainian people today, we do so with stretched, helpful hands. We encourage our countries to take all possible measures to guarantee the endurance of the Ukrainian people in this war, to put an end to their suffering and to contribute to the defence of fundamental values specified as surviving in freedom and in dignity. A lot has already been done, mostly besides by Polish and German. But now that there are signs of fatigue everywhere, no of us – neither individual countries nor society – can quit providing support"10.
It is worth mentioning that this message contains a lie in the form of stating that the consequence of the German bishops was "full of gratitude and hope" – literature on how cool and distant the reaction of the German clergy was mostly available.
The very celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the transportation of the message were held for 2 days (18 and 19 November) in Wrocław, as Cardinal Bolesław Kominek, the author of memorable words, lived in the capital of Lower Silesia. The celebration was attended by the highest church dignitaries from Poland and Germany, as well as Polish politicians and local governments.
In an interview given on this occasion “Gazeta Wrocławska” Archbishop Józef Kupny, the metropolitan of Wroclaw, said: “We want to remind you of that large event, due to the fact that the times require specified a reminder. In human memory, events 60 years ago, which have weighed on Polish-German relations, even European ones, are blurring. The young generation cannot remember that. Therefore, it is essential to remind again about the value of reconciliation, especially in those times erstwhile we are dealing with what is happening in Ukraine, the hybrid war in Poland and in addition there are any tensions between Germany and Poland. Recalling that event, we make a certain space to engage in dialogue, to talk, and not only to express pretension. You could then, you could today. These words were uncomfortable at the time: the communist government mobilized almost the full society against the Church. He even forced any people into anti-ecclesiastical behaviour due to the fact that there were organized protest actions in the workplace. The bishops suffered a little. Today, too, any people want to usage this reconciliation in any political way, they are curving at the very thought of Polish-German reconciliation, but then bishops were besides accused of not being realistic and were told not to go out with specified slogans.”11.
Bishop Georg Batzing, Bishop of Limburg, president of the German Episcopal Conference, expressed his conviction that Germany and Poland request each another during the celebrations. Above all, for the construction of a Europe that should be a warrant of safety and peace, freedom and social justice. He emphasized that in the last 4 years Poland and Germany have stood close together, supporting Ukrainians in their fight, providing humanitarian aid and strengthening the stableness of the continent.
On the another hand, Bishop Bertram Meier, Bishop of Augsburg, co-chair of the Contact Group of Polish and German Episcopals pointed out that no another Episcopal Conference is with German bishops in specified a regular and intensive exchange as Polish bishops do.
From Komink to Tusk and “Schengen Military”
In the spring of 2025 there was a plenary assembly of delegates of the bishops of the European Union. Its subject was "Perspectives for the European Union in a fresh word of office and in the context of current geopolitical changes". The president of the European Community Episcopal Commission COMECE, Archbishop Mariano Crociata, pointed out the request for European cooperation in defence and safety to defend citizens and European values. Episcopals pointed out that setting up, however, is not an end in itself. It must be necessary, proportionate and appropriate and, above all, must not be at the expense of investment in human development, social justice and environmental protection12. In a reflection published on June 23, The function of the European Union in a changing world COMECE warned against the EU's besides unilateral focus on defence and competitiveness and called for a European Peace Strategy. COMECE encourages enlargement of the European Union. According to European bishops, this process is to be fair, citizen-oriented and based on gathering the criteria. At the same time, COMECE points out the request for interior reforms to guarantee the Union's ability to integrate fresh members13.
In principle, bishops support the request to build a common European defence, but call on the EU to return to its roots, fearing that it will increase technological and centralist tendencies. And here we get to the basic problem, that is, the question of who utilized who after the 2nd WW to implement their project? Is it the Church, showing the German criminals “Christian Mercy”, outsmarted everyone around and utilized the German card to carry out its task to build a universal Christian state? Or was it the German elite that cleverly utilized the Church to accomplish their goals, namely the demolition of the sovereign European states and the construction on their ruins of the most technocratic, centralised and highly militarized "geopolitical Europe"? There is no uncertainty that this second option corresponds to reality, which the clergy simply do not want to acknowledge, due to the fact that they would gotta admit that the highest command of the Church has misjudged the situation and pursued a incorrect policy. Hence, continuous ecclesiastical declarations of alleged errors and distortions of a fundamentally right design.
There is no uncertainty that now both the Polish episcopate and the Polish government are yet pursuing precisely the same policy, calculated to deepen the common European defence, and this implies a request for deeper integration with Germany, in order to support Ukraine within a united Europe and jointly defend the Old Continent against the Russian threat. The issue of convergence between government and the Polish Church has a deeper, ideological bottom: abandoning the thought of a full sovereign national state and choosing a pan-European way to build a transnational political structure. According to the above words, Bishop Kominek consciously initiated the process of rapprochement between Polish and German in order to depart from the model of the sovereign national state, and the latest message of both episcopates mentions not to succumb to “the temptation of following his own national path.” The celebrations of the memorable message were accompanied by quite a few comments on the importance of building a united Europe. 1 could even draw a conclusion: it prepared the way for Donald Tusk, who is the president of the European Council and is presently building a "Schengen military" with Germany.
Without doubt, the process of building the European Communities would not have been possible without the absolutely crucial engagement of the Church in this project. Similarly, building a "military Schengen" requires ecclesiastical support for this project. The real nonsubjective of a common European defence policy, however, is not to defend against Russia, but to destruct national armies which, as sovereign armies of states, have a stand-alone combat capacity and could argue Brussels and Berlin in the future. Building common defence structures will make national armies lose this independency and become de facto parts of ‘imperial army’14. And so, after 1,000 years, the German elite may yet be able to accomplish their goal of subjugating Europe as a whole. Undoubtedly, 1 of the main actors of this process became the Catholic Church, which in the Polish context serves as the fresh Magdeburg, providing the main support for the expansionist activities of the German elite. The execution of Polish – but besides another nations – truly national elites during the Second WW, including a patriotic and well-educated clergy, as you can see, has paid off very much. The point is that further support of this task by the Church at the end will tragically end for the Church itself. Finally, as we know from history, it was the Empire that tried to subdue the Papacy, which, in order to defend itself against German emperors, reached for support... of the army of national monarchies. Who will defend the Church against the EU this time, erstwhile all European nations will be under the yoke of Brussels, read Berlin with active support from the clergy? Claiming that specified an EU does not want, but yet telling Catholics for decades that a Union like this is better than a Europe of sovereign national states.
Magdalena Ziętek-Wielomska – investigation Institute Pro vita bona
1 Due to the fact that Pope Francis opened Vatican archives concerning this pontificate, more and more facts showing the tremendous commitment of the Roman Curia to the rescue of the Germans are coming out. See Simon Unger-Alvi, Nina Valbousquet, The Global Pontificate of Pius XII: War and Genocide, Reconstruction and Change, 1939-1958, Berghahn Books, fresh York/Oxford 2024. See the Global Pontificate of Pius XII website, https://piusxii.hypotheses.org/.
2 Lieutenant Gerald J. Steinacher, Forgive and Forget. The Vatican and the Escape of Nazi War Criminals from Justice, Revue d’Histoire de la Shoah 2023/2, No 218, 301-321, https://shs.cairn.info/journal-revue-d-histoire-de-la-shoah-2023-2-page 301?lang=en.
3Pope asks mercy for nazi; intercedes for Hans Frank, ex-governor of Poland, The fresh York Time, 6.10.1946, p. 31, https://www.nytimes.com/1946/10/06/archives/pope-asks-mercy-for-nazi-intercedes-for-hans-frank-ex-governor-of.html.
4 Cf. work by IPN: Marcin Sanak, Pope Pius XII in communist propaganda in Poland from 1945 to 1958, Warsaw 2024.
5 Czesław Pacuszko, The Pope and Poland. Reason for Pope PIUSA XII's attitude to Poland during planet War II, Płock 1946.
6 Recently, Dr. Anna Mandrela has published information on her social media, who believes that in the current political situation Catholics should collectively support the EU and prosecute the Christianisation of European institutions, as Pope Pius XII wanted. In her opinion, only a united Europe can argue Russia. This pro-Berlinian communicative fits perfectly into German – first Nazi and then Chadetic propaganda – about the request to abandon “tight” nationalism, to build the European Empire. Dr. Anna Mandrela is an example of the fact that any form of anti-communism simply leads to the promotion of German geopolitics goals in the form of the construction of a large European continental space.
7https://www.weekykWyszechny.pl/oredzie-biskupow-polskie-1965-6521.
8 Marek Hare, God's madmen. Pioneers of Polish-German reconciliation, 12.11.2025, https://www.godekposzechny.pl/bozy-szalency-pioniers-Polish-German-conciliation-192176.
9 Marek Mutor, Bolesław Kominek understood the Polish state's right. Who was the author of the Message to the 1965 Germans?, 09.11.2015, https://www.weekykposzechny.pl/boleslaw-kominek-sense-polska-rations-state-whom-was-author-regards-to-German-from-1965-r-31150.
10The Courage of Reached Hands, Joint message by the Presidents of the Conference of Polish and German Episcopals on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the exchange of letters, 18.11.2025, https://episkopat.pl/doc/238223.Common statement-president-Conference-Episkopatow.
11 Robert Almond, “We forgive and ask forgiveness” – words that changed history, 60 years ago, flowed into the world, 18.11.2025, https://getawroclawska.pl/we apologize-and-please-forgive-word-which-change-history-60-year-theme-poplinely-in-world/ar/c1p2-28185563.
12 The president European bishops: we recognise the request for a strong European Union, 28.03.2025, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/kosciol/news/2025-03/European biskupi-recognize-need-strong-Union-European.html; European bishops call for unity in defence of Ukraine and fair peace, 6.33.2025, https://deon24.com/2025/03/06/European-bishops-call-in-unity-in-defence-Ukraine-and-fair-room/; EU bishops on the request to defend against possible Russian aggression, 27.03.2025, https://www.ekai.pl/biskupi-ue-necessity-pre-potential-Russian aggression/#:~:text=On%20th%20step%20we understand%20necessary%C4%99%20cho%C4%87by%20European,Episcopopat%C3%B3w%20European%20(COMECE)%2C%20bp%20Mariano%20Crociata; EU bishops talk about the request to defend against possible Russian aggression, 26.03.2025, html.
13 Charles Freeros, European bishops propose a European Peace Strategy, 24.06.20205, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/kosciol/news/2025-06/European-bishops-proposal-European-strategie-room.html; Bishops call on the European Union to be creatively faithful to their roots, 24.06.20205, https://www.ekai.pl/biskupi-calling-unie-European-to-creative-faith-their-roots/; The European Union’s function in a Changing World: From Founding imagination to Global Mission, 23.06.2025, https://www.comece.eu/ahead-of-the-european-summit-come-urges-relaxing-eus-peace-and-development-mission/.
14 I make this thesis in my work entitled German Dream of Empirewhose main thesis was summarised in the review: Grzegorz Grzymowicz, European integration in Prussian. Poland as a resource of EU authorities, 14.11.2025, html.
