Ambasador beznadziejnie słusznej sprawy. Kazimierz Papée w walce o utrzymanie Ambasady RP przy Stolicy Apostolskiej w latach 1945–1948
An Ambassador of a Hopelessly Righteous Cause. Kazimierz Papée in a Struggle to Maintain the Polish Embassy to the Holy See in 1945–1948

Summary/Abstract: This article is a contribution to the biography of the Polish diplomat Kazimierz Papée (1889–1979), who was appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Holy See shortly before the outbreak of World War II. He continued his mission over the following decades, representing the Polish authorities in exile at the Vatican. This paper aims to show, from Papée’s perspective, the 1945–1948 crisis faced by the institution he led, which could have led to its dissolution. To that end, it uses not only official documents formulated by the ambassador but also a diary in which he regularly recorded personal reflections and which so far has remained largely unpublished. The article reconstructs the path taken by Papée, which eventually allowed him to overcome the crisis and continue his work. The factors he influenced in the process were identified, as were those he did not. This made it possible to identify two distinct phases of the crisis, which were linked to changes in the international situation. In this respect, the year 1947 was an important landmark. From that moment on, there were more and more signs giving hope that the Polish Embassy to the Holy See, together with its head, would not cease to be recognised by the Vatican.

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