Kościół katolicki na polskim Górnym Śląsku wobec ludności napływowej w latach 1922-1939

Abstract

This dissertation deals with the issue of the attitudes of the Roman Catholic Church in Polish Upper Silesia towards incoming population in the years 1922-1939, in particular, in the light of records in archives and contemporarily-published press. Chapter I contains the outline of the history of the Church in Upper Silesia at the turn of 19th and 20th century, constituting, simultaneously, an introduction to the essential subject-matter of research. The subject-matter of considerations in Chapter II ise immigration before the First World War and in the interwar period and also the scale of incoming populations from other regions of Poland as presented by statistical data, but also in the aspect of the social standing of the incomers, resulting determinants and expectations (e.g. the social mission of the intelligentsia). The further chapters are concentrated upon the rule of subsequent Silesian bishops. In Chapter III, Upper Silesia under the rule of Bishop August Hlond (establishing the Bishopric-Ducal Delegation, Apostolic Administration and Silesian diocese), and also by the attitude of priests towards, among others, the issues of moral corruption, regionalism, separatism, religious dissenters and the German question, was discussed. Chapter IV investigates the attitude of Bishop Arkadiusz Lisiecki towards immigration set against the background of the pivotal political events (the May Coup) and change of the persons governing Silesian voivodeship. In addition, other aspects of relations between the spiritual and lay authorities in the contexts relevant to immigration: building projects, the activity of social organisation, dissenters and the issue of confessional school, were discussed. Chapter V contains the analysis of the policy of the Church towards incomers, conducted by Bishop Stanisław Adamski, the last bishop in charge of the diocese before the Second World War, in particular, in the aspect of the Great Depression in the 1930s. As well as that, the subjects of the draft of new marital law, charities, Domestic Mission and Catholic Action, and confessional school and the activity of sects, were discussed.