Kwestia kościelna w polsko-czeskim sporze o ziemię raciborską i głubczycką w latach 1945–1947
The question of the Church in the Polish-Czech conflict over the Land of Racibórz and the Land of Głubczyce in the years 1945–1947

Summary/Abstract: In the years 1945–1947, in the context of the territorial claims concerning the southern parts of the County of Racibórz and the County of Głubczyce, the Czech side repeatedly made strong references to the fact of the many-century-long belonging of these lands to Olomouc diocese, although during the interwar period the Czech services had been removed completely from the churches in these areas. Following the defeat of Germany and taking over the territory by Poland, all the laws and duties pertaining to jurisdiction and ownership in the counties of Racibórz and Glubczyce that had remained within the province of Olomouc Ordinary to date were taken over by the Polish Church administration. At the same time, however, the Czech language was restored to some churches of the upper Silesia and Moravia frontier. The administrative authorities strove, in turn, after a complete detachment of the inhabitants of the borderland from any influence of the Czech Church, the most spectacular effect of those endeavors being the displacement to Czechoslovakia of the last general curate in charge of the Prussian part of Olomouc archdiocese, Joseph Nathan, who resided in Branice. It was also demanded that vicars of Bolesław, Pietrowice Wielkie and Szamborowice, who were performing church services in the Moravian dialect, should be removed, which eventually did not take place. The location of the parishes in the borderland, regulated by the jus canonicum (canonical law), which used to belong to the Olomouc and Prague archdioceses was finally settled by Pope Paul Vi’s bulla of 28 June 1972 that definitely annexed them to Opole diocese.

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