Siostry elżbietanki w Festung Breslau
Sisters of St. Elisabeth in Festung Breslau

Summary/Abstract: The capital of the Wrocław diocese played an important part in the functioning of the Grey Sisters of St. Elisabeth. What was located in the city before 1945 were the authorities of the general board, and novitiate. The help of the sick, the poor, children and elderly was offered in nine houses. Along with the approach of the Red Army to Wrocław, similarly to the inhabitants of other monasteries, the Sisters of St. Elisabeth in Wrocław confronted a dilemma: whether to be evacuated from the areas in danger or to stay with the ones who, for different reasons, could not run away. According to the charism given to the congregation by Maria Merkert, many sisters stayed to help the elderly, the sick and mothers with small children. They took up work in lazarets in the city changed into a fortress. Similarly to other civilians in Wrocław, they were exposed not only to the results of the air raids and artillery fire by the Soviet army, but also to the consequences of the defensive actions taken by the German side, for example burning the whole plots of the city. As a consequence, many monasteries fell into ruin, also the former General House on St. Joseph Street. After the surrender of the fortress (6. May), the next threat were the Soviet soldiers. As opposed to other sisters staying in Silesia at that time, the Sisters of St. Elisabeth were able to avoid murders and mass rapes.

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