THE CHURCH'S CASE (1982-1988)
In January 1982 Prymasowski Komitet Pomocy Osobom Pozbawionym Wolnosci
was founded. The committee collected information about internees, organized
help, organized the distribution of donations and gifts. The authority
agreed to it. In a new social and political situation church's attitude
was defined at the beginning of the martial law's introduction. During
his sermon, which was announced on December 13th 1981 in Warsaw, primate
Jozef Glemp called people to keep peace, not to resist and not to fight.
He did not approve of any violent actions. Later church was not officially
engaged in supporting any underground activities. However it became an
important centre for charitable, cultural and scientific opposition's activity.
Which is more, church was a mediator between the government and the opposition.
The situation in Poland started to get normal. In spite of this, in that
time the police terrorism intensified. Also then took place political murders.
The biggest ones were: the case of Grzegorz Przemyk and murder of priest
Jerzy Popieluszko.
On May 12th 1983 police beat nineteen years old Grzegorz Przemyk
in the police office in Jezuicka street in Warsaw. He died in the hospital
on May 14th.
The case of murder of priest Jerzy Popieluszko
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| Jerzy Popieluszko |
Since October 1981 in st Stanislaw Kostka's church in Warsaw priest
Popieluszko delivered masses for homeland, where many people used to come.
He was attacked very often in the official press. In 1983 police made an
investigation against him and on July 14th 1984 his case was taken to court.
The case did not take place because on July 22nd an amnesty was announced
for those who had been arrested for offences against the country. On October
19th 1984 priest Popieluszko was going by car from Bydgoszcz to Warsaw
in the evening. On the route Bydgoszcz - Torun the car was stopped by policemen.
The driver Waldemar Chrostowski was told to get out of his car and get
into the police car. He was cuffed and a gagged. Despite that, he succeeded
in escaping. He told what had happened to the press.
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| The article about
founding the priest Popieluszko’s body. |
The circumstances of the disappearance of the priest stirred up public
opinion. The authorities were compelled to react. The minister of the interior
general Kiszczak took over control of investigation. On October 23rd on
the base of collected materials Grzegorz Piotrowski, who was a member of
the investigating team, was arrested. On October 27th on TV general Kiszczak
announced that kidnappers of Jerzy Popieluszko were arrested: the head
of the Home Office department Adam Pietruszka and Piotrkowski and two members
of his section: Pekala and Chmielewski. On October 30th Popieluszko's body
was found in the water near Wloclawek.
His funeral was a demonstration. Official delegations of Solidarity
appeared from all country for the first time since the martial law. Jerzy
Popieluszko was buried near saint Stanislaw Kostka's church. Since that
time this church became a sanctuary of Solidarity.
Since December 27th 1884 there was a court case against the murderers
in Province Court in Torun. Until February 7th 1985 the court passed sentences
from fourteen to twenty five years in prison.
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| A call of pope Jan
Pawel II to primate of Poland Stefan Wyszynski. |
In 1983 the pilgrimage of pope Jan Pawel II to Poland was a great opportunity
to rebuilt feelings of social unity and solidarity. At first pope was going
to visit Poland in 1982 but at last his visit took place on June 16 - 23rd
1983. There were a lot of disputes between the authorities and Church connected
with pope's route around Poland. Church demanded to place Gdansk among
cities which would be visited by pope. However the authorities were afraid
of huge anti governmental demonstrations in Gdansk and the meeting between
pope and Lech Walesa, which was unavoidable, would help the illegal Solidarity.
Finally, pope visited Gdansk. He met Walesa in Dolina Chocholowska on the
last day of his visit to Poland.
Pope's arrival was held in a sublime and solemn atmosphere. There
were plenty of flags and banners with captions "Solidarity" among the crowds
of people. Pope's words supported solidarity and Solidarity organization.
Thanks to taking part in those meetings frustrated society became one Nation,
recovered its identity.
In 1987 there was the second pilgrimage of pope Jan Pawel II to Poland.
Also then he referred to Solidarity during his sermons.