1965: A letter of Polish Bishops to their German counterparts

December 10, 1965 marked the launch of the largest anti-church propaganda campaign in the history of the People’s Republic of Poland. The campaign was targeted at the authors of an unusual religious and moral document that, out of necessity, was also political. Drawn up two decades after the end of World War II and made famous by its reference to forgiveness, the letter of Polish bishops to their German counterparts was perhaps the most consequential and boldest initiative aimed at reconciling the two nations. Published in late November and early December 1965, it was strongly condemned by Poland’s communist authorities. The letter was also widely decried by Polish clergy and by the majority of the Polish public. To make things worse, the response of the German bishops was unanimously received as disappointing, to say the least. Primate Stefan Wyszyński, who became the target of party and government propaganda, was particularly crestfallen.