"IV. GENERAL CONDITIONS AND RESULTS OF THE PERSECUTION

11. The general situation of the clergy in the Archdiocese of Poznan in the beginning of April 1940 is summarized in the following words of Cardinal Hlond's second report:

5 priests shot

27 priests confined in harsh concentration camps at Stutthof and in other camps

190 priests in prison or in concentration camps at Bruczkow, Chludowo, Goruszki, Kazimierz, Biskupi, Lad, Lubin and Puszczykowo,

35 priests expelled into the Government General,

11 priests seriously ill in consequence of ill- treatment,

122 parishes entirely left without priests.'

12. In the diocese of Chefmno,. where about 650 priests were installed before the war only 30 were allowed to stay, the 97% of them were imprisoned, executed or put into concentration camps.

13. By January 141 about 7000 priests were killed, 3000 were in prison or concentration camps." (3279-PS)

The Allocution of Pope Pius XII on 2 June 1945 described National Socialism as "the arrogant apostasy from Jesus Christ, the denial of His doctrine and of His work of redemption, the cult of violence, the idolatry of race and blood, the overthrow of human liberty and dignity." It summarized the attacks of "National Socialism" on the Catholic Church in these terms:

"The struggle against the Church did, in fact, become even more bitter: there was the dissolution of Catholic organizations; the gradual suppression of the flourishing Catholic schools,-both public and private; the enforced weaning of youth from family and Church; the pressure brought to bear on the conscience of citizens, and especially of civil servants; the systematic defamation, by means of a clever, closely organized propaganda, of the Church, the clergy, the faithful, the Church's institutions, teaching and history; the closing, dissolution, confiscation of religious houses and other ecclesiastical institutions; the complete suppression of the Catholic press and publishing houses." (3268-PS)

The original plaintext version of part one or part two of this file is available via ftp.

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