Repression of Polish Catholic Clergy in Reichsgau Wartheland 1939-1945

Abstract

The so-called Wartheland was a part of the Republic of Poland incorporated into the Third Reich, including Wielkopolska (the Great Poland region) and a significant part of the Lodz region. One of the forms of extermination of the Polish population in the area was a campaign against Polish Catholic clergy. Polish national identity is well known to be associated with Roman Catholic Church as an institution cherishing the Polish tradition and identity. The paper is a summary of the research on the extermination of Polish Catholic clergy in Wartheland based on the archives of the Institute of National Remembrance and the Main Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation.