Exhibition “Reconciliation in progress… Catholic church and the German-Polish relations after 1945” will be simultaneously presented from 18 November in Wrocław and Berlin, exactly 50 years after the famous pastoral letter was sent by Polish bishops of the Roman Catholic Church to their German counterparts (“We forgive and ask for forgiveness”).
The process of the German-Polish reconciliation after the Second World War was not initiated by state authorities but by the Church and against the government as well as the majority of society.
The Polish bishops sent on 18 November 1965 a pastoral letter to their German counterparts, which was an invitation to the 1000 Year Anniversary Celebrations of Poland's Christianization in 966 and the letter was answered by bishops of both of the Germanys together. That caused a strong reaction from the Communist authorities and started an anti-church campaign in Poland. The exhibition prepared by Dr Robert Żurek presents this process, which cannot be treated as accomplished.
Presentation in Wrocław: Old Town Hall (Stary Ratusz) 18 November 2015 – 17 January 2016
Presentation in Berlin: Crown Prince's Palace (Kronprinzenpalais) 18 November – 16 December 2015
Organised by Remembrance and Future Centre (Ośrodek Pamięć i Przyszłość) and Maximilian Kolbe Foundation (Maximilian-Kolbe-Stiftung) and supported by ENRS.