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Polish, German churches release joint WW II declaration

25.08.2009 09:32

A declaration issued jointly by Polish and German bishops to mark the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II is to be announced today.

 

The document, to be released during a press conference after a meeting of the permanent council of the episcopate is the outcome of a collaboration of the two countries’ episcopatesis and will be signed by the chairmen of the two episcopates – Archbishops Józef Michalik and Robert Zollitsch.

 

According to the spokesman of the Polish episcopate, Father Józef Kloch, the document takes into account the present-day context of bilateral relations between Poland and Germany but is also directed towards the future.

 

Father Kloch reminded that is it not the first joint initiative of the two episcopates. In 1965, Polish bishops addressed a letter West German bishops in which they asked them to forgive and accept forgiveness.  Strongly criticized by the communist regime at the time, it marked the beginning of the process of reconciliation between the two nations. (di)

Comments
  • boris badinov 25.08.2009 18:48 There exists no basis for anyone Polish to seek forgiveness from anyone German, this was an idiotic mistake on the part of the Catholic Church.

    It is not customary for the rape victim to seek forgiveness from the rapist.
    boris badinov
  • Kristin A. Delgado 25.08.2009 22:43 The forgiveness sought is for all involved, for the trespass that is war. There are no more victors or vanquished that remain, just scars and anguish, passed on to the children and grandchildren. Only with forgiveness can the children ever be free. Kristin A. Delgado
  • Leszek 26.08.2009 03:53 In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge were asked to join the political process in order to end the civil war. The Khmer Rouge were vicious perpetrators of horrific crimes but their new leader became the Prime Minister. It ended the war, though, and millions of people could begin to rebuild. In the same way, Poland showed the world that the heart of magnanimity continued to beat even in the face of government opposition - even in the face of being a victim of horrific crimes. It showed the world the difference between the Polish government of the time and the Polish people of the time. It showed what made Poles better than their government. Leszek
  • Jasiek 26.08.2009 06:06 It is the most important for the Poles to stay united with Germans and consolidate the friendship with them at all levels so they will not face any existential threat for ever. Jasiek
  • Sara Kowalska 26.08.2009 11:22 I found this statement rather pointless. Even allowing for wordplay, it is indeed idiotic for the Polish Church to place Poles on the same level as Germans regarding World War II. Beyond that, however, Poles and Germans enjoy excellent relations at all levels today, as co-members of NATO and the EU; so there is no sense in a long, rambling, clumsy document like this which merely stirs everthing up again. It would have been much better to have commemorated the anniversary, made the point about the expellees (the only novelty in the declaration) and then been very positive and forward-looking about the bright future of co-operation and mutual support both neighbouring nations face together. The time has ended for gloomy, pompous, self-important declarations like this from Church leaders.
    Finally, how that there possibly be any comparison whatever with the 1965 statement, which belongs to a totally different epoch. To suggest a continuity between the two merely relativises and undermines the historic gesture made 40 years ago. This is another serious error by the Polish Church - but we are, of course, getting used to these!     Sara Kowalska
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