Pastoral activity of chaplains in the Polish Army in the Soviet Union in 1941-1942 Cover Image

Działalność duszpasterska kapelanów w Armii Polskiej w ZSRR w latach 1941–1942
Pastoral activity of chaplains in the Polish Army in the Soviet Union in 1941-1942

Author(s): Stanisław Ciupka
Subject(s): Political history, Social history, Theology and Religion
Published by: Wyższa Szkoła Ekonomiczno-Humanistyczna
Keywords: General W. Anders; pastoral ministry; chaplains; Polish Army

Summary/Abstract: The Catholic Church wrote beautiful pages in Polish history during the Second World War. One of the most beautiful pages of this history of the Church during this war was written by priests of the chaplains. The Polish nation suffered a dramatic shock caused by Hitler’s aggression, which was additionally increased by aggression on 17 September with Soviet aggression against Poland. The tragedy of this situation is intensified in the eastern territories of the Second Polish Republic, both against the soldiers of the September campaign and civilians as a result of deportation and deportation into the Siberian lands. The ministry and activities of Polish chaplains have been included in all of this Polish drama. Thanks to religion, strong faith, great attachment to national tradition, the Polish population persecuted and deported managed to defend human dignity as well as Polishness. The challenge posed to chaplains living in Soviet Russia was extremely difficult and difficult. However, they always tried to be present among the civilian population, and then when the Polish Army began to form, act in the ranks of soldiers. Both, whether among the Polish civilians or among soldiers, they focused their efforts on matters related to morality, religion, faith, cultural life, and caring. Issues related to the organization of the Polish Army in the USSR, the activities of this Army in the Middle East and the Polish II Corps have significant literature, but the issues of military pastoral activity have not been studied in a similarly intense way. Therefore, below we will try to bring closer the activities of the military pastoral ministry in these military formations.

  • Issue Year: 2017
  • Issue No: 5-6
  • Page Range: 23-38
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Polish