Catholic Church in the Polish People’s Republic

The book is published within the framework of “39/89” Series, which depicts the most essential subjects and events of the Polish history between 1939 and 1989.

In his attempt to describe the Catholic Church in the Polish People’s Republic Jan Żaryn explores the issue of the legal and functional conditions imposed by the atheist party upon the Catholic Church in the communist state. The religious policy of the communist authorities was confronted with the Church resistance and the weakness of the state authorities. In the course of time the communist government had become less immune to the influence of the Catholic Church. In spite of communist repressions the church retained its authority and new generations found its ideas appealing.
The book shows also the attempts of lay Catholics to participate in legal politics, particularly the Christian Democratic and National milieus, which had been kept under surveillance and often repressed by the secret security. The publication includes archival photos and documents from the archives of IPN.