Rachel Evans
Poland was a Catholic-dominated country before World War II, with 65% of its population identifying as Catholic. During the Nazi occupation of Poland, the country lost 20% of its population, including three million Jews (90% of the country's Jewish population). The Nazis imposed the death penalty for anyone found sheltering Jews, and many Poles were afraid to help for fear of their own lives and the lives of their families. However, research shows that in Warsaw, the number of Poles aiding Jews far outnumbered those who collaborated with the Nazis. Hundreds of clergymen and nuns were involved in aiding Jews during the war, and thousands of Poles have been honoured as Righteous Among the Nations for helping Jews.
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What You'll Learn
Nazi death penalty for helping Jews
During World War II, Poland was predominantly Catholic, with 65% of the population identifying as Catholic in the 1931 census. The Catholic Church played a crucial role in Poland's independence movement and in providing spiritual support to the Polish people during the Nazi occupation.
The Nazis viewed Poles, and especially Polish Jews, as subhuman. They implemented a policy of genocide against Poland's Jewish population, aiming to completely isolate them from the rest of society. Any Pole found providing aid or assistance to a Jewish person was subject to severe penalties, including beatings, property confiscation, imprisonment, forced labour, and even the death penalty.
Governor Hans Frank signed the Third Ordinance on Restrictions on Residence in the General Government on October 15, 1941, which imposed the death penalty on Poles who "knowingly give shelter" to Jews living outside designated areas. This ordinance was intended to isolate Jews and deprive them of any outside contact. Similar ordinances were soon issued in all districts of the General Government, signed by local governors or SS and police leaders. The ordinance issued by the governor of the Warsaw district, Dr Ludwig Fischer, on November 10, 1941, was even more restrictive, providing for the death penalty for any Pole who "consciously grants shelter or otherwise helps hiding Jews".
The exact number of Poles executed for helping Jews has not been precisely determined, but historians have made attempts to document these cases. Szymon Datner presented 105 such cases in 1968, while Prosecutor Wacław Bielawski named 872 people who were murdered and nearly 1,400 anonymous victims in 1987.
Despite the risks, many Poles courageously chose to aid and hide Jewish people during the Nazi occupation. According to Gunnar S. Paulsson, the number of Poles aiding Jews in Warsaw far outnumbered those who collaborated with the Nazis. During the occupation, 70,000–90,000 Polish gentiles aided Jews, while 3,000–4,000 were blackmailers who collaborated with the Nazis.
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Catholic clergy and nuns aiding Jews
During World War II, Poland was predominantly Catholic, with 65% of the population declaring themselves Catholic in the 1931 census. The Catholic Church bolstered its leading role in suppressing any crushing authorities, and thousands of clergymen and nuns were involved in aiding Jews during the war.
The Nazis suppressed the Catholic Church in Poland, most severely in German-occupied areas. They closed, seized, or destroyed thousands of churches and monasteries, and church leaders were especially targeted as part of an overall effort to destroy Polish culture. The Nazis viewed ethnic Poles, who were mainly Catholic, as "sub-humans". Priests were imprisoned, deported, and forced to work in labour gangs. Some were even shut up for the night in pigsties, barbarously beaten, and subjected to other tortures.
Despite this, many Catholic clergy and nuns played a crucial role in saving Jews from persecution in Nazi Germany. They lobbied Axis officials, provided false documents, and hid people in monasteries, convents, schools, sympathetic families, and even within the institutions of the Vatican itself. Members of the Catholic Church saved hundreds of thousands of Jews; Israeli diplomat and historian Pinchas Lapide estimated the number saved to be between 700,000 and 860,000. This figure is contested by some historians, who argue that the actual number may be significantly lower.
In Poland, the Council to Aid Jews (codename Zegota) was established in late 1942 in cooperation with church groups. The organisation saved thousands of Jews, with an emphasis on protecting children. False papers were prepared, and children were distributed among safe houses and church networks. Jewish children were often placed in church orphanages and convents. Parish priests created networks for hiding Jews, and close-knit country parishes were able to hide Jews without being informed upon by neighbours, as occurred in the cities.
Matylda Getter, mother superior of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary, hid many children in her Pludy convent. Gilbert notes various Polish nuns honoured by Yad Vashem for sheltering Jews in their convents, and the work of Polish priests in supplying fake baptismal certificates. Parish priests, like the priest from Nowy Dwór who was tortured and beaten to death for protecting a Jewish girl, and Fr. Marceli Godlewski, who opened his crypt to Jews escaping the Ghetto, also played a vital role in saving Jews.
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Catholic Church attitudes towards Jews
Poland was a Catholic-dominated country before World War II, with 65% of its population declaring themselves Catholic in the 1931 census. The Catholic Church bolstered its leading role in suppressing any crushing authorities, and its clergy proved to have unbreakable spirits amid Nazi atrocities. Many notable figures of the Catholic Church in Nazi-occupied Poland, including Fr. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, Archbishop Adam Sapieha, and August Cardinal Hlond, played a crucial role in Poland's independence pursuits.
However, the position of the Catholic Church towards Jews became increasingly hostile in the 1920s and 1930s, with Jews being seen as agents of evil and Bolshevism. This shift was influenced by the antisemitic tropes of Nazi propaganda, which were echoed by the National Democratic movement in Polish politics. The Catholic Church in Germany, while not openly racist, was generally hesitant to speak out specifically against the persecution of Jews. They feared that protests against the regime's anti-Jewish policies would invite retaliation against Catholics. Instead, they focused their efforts on opposing government interference in the churches.
During World War II, the Catholic Church in Poland faced severe persecution by the Nazis. The Nazis viewed ethnic Poles, who were predominantly Catholic, as "sub-humans". They instigated a policy of genocide against Poland's Jewish minority and suppressed religious leaders. Hundreds of priests and nuns were among those honoured for their role in saving Jews. However, the Church's complicity with the Nazis has also been noted, with some clergy making controversial remarks about Jews and providing spiritual guidance to Nazi soldiers.
In conclusion, while the Catholic Church in Poland played a significant role in resisting the Nazis and saving Jews, its attitude towards Jews was complex and influenced by the prevailing political and social sentiments of the time. The Church's response to the persecution of Jews was varied, ranging from public denunciation to complicity and silence in some cases.
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Catholic Church suppression by Nazis
Poland was a Catholic-dominated country before World War II, with 65% of its population declaring themselves Catholic in the 1931 census. During the Nazi occupation of Poland, the Catholic Church was subjected to persecution and suppression. The Nazis viewed ethnic Poles, who were predominantly Catholic, as "sub-humans". As a result, they instigated a policy of genocide against Poland's Jewish minority and suppressed or murdered Polish elites, including religious leaders.
The suppression of the Catholic Church in Poland manifested in various ways. The Nazis imprisoned, executed, and intimidated members of the clergy. Around 2,500 priests from Poland and other countries were imprisoned at Dachau during the war, and thousands of priests and nuns were murdered in Nazi concentration camps. The Nazis also closed Catholic schools, kindergartens, and youth organizations, confiscated church properties, and restricted Catholic welfare programs. They implemented laws that separated ethnic Poles from Jewish Poles in ghettos and imposed the death penalty for anyone aiding Jewish Poles.
Despite the risks, many Catholics in Poland courageously resisted the Nazis and aided their Jewish compatriots. Hundreds of priests and nuns are among those honoured by Israel for their role in saving Jews. The Catholic Church played a significant role in Poland's pursuit of independence, with notable figures like Fr. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, Archbishop Adam Sapieha, and August Cardinal Hlond speaking out against Nazi atrocities and promoting Polish independence.
While the Catholic Church in Poland faced suppression and persecution under Nazi rule, it is important to acknowledge that there were also complexities and ambiguities in the Church's response to the Nazi occupation. Some Catholic clergy adopted hostile attitudes towards Jews before and during the Nazi occupation, and there were instances of collaboration or complicity with the Nazis. However, many Catholics risked their lives to provide aid and support to those in need, demonstrating the complexities of this period in history.
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Polish Catholic clergy and Nazi terror
Poland was a Catholic-dominated country before World War II, with 65% of its population declaring themselves Catholic in the 1931 census. However, the Catholic Church's position became increasingly hostile towards Jews in the 1920s and 1930s, influenced by Nazi Germany's propaganda, which spread antisemitic tropes.
During the German occupation of Poland from 1939 to 1945, the Nazis brutally suppressed the Catholic Church, particularly in German-occupied areas. Thousands of churches and monasteries were closed, seized, or destroyed, and religious leaders were targeted as part of an effort to eradicate Polish culture. The Nazis viewed ethnic Poles, who were predominantly Catholic, as "sub-humans" and sought to destroy the Polish nation. This included attacking the Polish Church, with clergymen among those arrested or executed for their resistance to the occupation.
The Catholic Church played a crucial role in Poland's resistance to Nazi terror. Notable figures within the Church, such as August Cardinal Hlond, Archbishop Adam Sapieha, and Fr. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, bolstered the national spirit and encouraged resistance. They also aided Jews during the war, with hundreds of clergymen and nuns involved in rescue efforts. Archbishop Sapieha, in particular, became a symbol of Polish Resistance.
Cardinal Hlond, who served as Archbishop of Gniezno and Warsaw, left Poland after being injured at the outbreak of the war and went to Romania. He later returned to Poland and was politically active, even being considered for the role of prime minister or president. He used Vatican radio broadcasts to inform the public about Nazi crimes and improve the living conditions of the Polish clergy. He also submitted an official account of the persecutions of the Polish Church to the Vatican. However, his remarks on Jews have been noted as potentially controversial.
During World War II, thousands of members of the Polish clergy were murdered in Nazi concentration camps, with some sources estimating the number at around 2,000. Additionally, 2,500 priests from Poland and other countries were imprisoned at Dachau during the war. The Nazis' persecution of the Catholic Church in Poland was part of their plan to eradicate the existence of Poles and establish their Lebensraum ("living space").
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, many Catholics hid Jews in Poland during the Nazi occupation. Thousands of Poles have been honoured as "Righteous Among the Nations" for helping Jews, and hundreds of clergymen and nuns were involved in aiding Jews during the war. However, it is important to note that the Catholic Church in Poland had a complex relationship with the Jewish community before and during the war. While some members of the clergy risked their lives to help Jews, others held antisemitic views and failed to speak out against the Nazi atrocities.
During the inter-war period, the Catholic Church in Poland was influenced by right-wing political ideologies that viewed the Jewish minority as a "problem". The Church adopted and supplemented anti-Jewish rhetoric with traditional elements from Catholic doctrine. For example, in February 1936, the head of the Catholic Church in Poland, August Hlond, wrote a pastoral letter titled "On the Principles of Catholic Morality", which reflected the Church's desire to shape a model of Polish nationalism that aligned with Catholic moral doctrine.
Helping Jews during the Nazi occupation was extremely dangerous for Poles. Poland was the only occupied country during World War II where the Nazis formally imposed the death penalty for anyone found sheltering and helping Jews. Not only did this penalty apply to the helper, but it could also extend to their family, neighbours, and sometimes entire villages. In addition to the threat of execution, the small food rations and high black market prices made it difficult to hide people, especially in cities.
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