Historical narrative of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland speaking about WWII before 1989 and after

Abstract

The paper attempts to present the principal motifs concerning World War II that are present in the official historical narrative of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. It also outlines the evolution of this narrative, which became particularly visible after the political transformation of 1989. To achieve these objectives, the author employs a conceptual framework developed within the field of memory studies.

The main conclusions presented in the paper demonstrate that the Church’s references to the events of 1939–1945 constitute an important element in the construction of a community of remembrance. Initially, this community was shaped through references to the traditional paradigm of heroic history and through attempts to provide a theological interpretation of wartime experiences.

More recently, a subtle shift in emphasis has occurred in the Church’s interpretation of the war period. This change is related both to the evolution of the teachings of the universal Church and to transformations in the functioning of collective memory within Polish society.

In the conclusion, the author points to a number of paradoxes visible in the Church’s historical narrative. These paradoxes may ultimately make it more difficult, or even impossible, to maintain the Church as a relatively coherent community of remembrance.