An Account of the Polish Pastoral Care During Internment in Switzerland in the Period 1940-1945

Abstract

There were 13000 Polish soldiers in the period 1940-1945 in Switzerland. They were interned there after the French-German war in 1940. Owing to the friendly cooperation of the Swiss civil and church authorities and of local society the Poles organized there their own cultural life, education and university studies. Rev. W. Święcicki's report demonstrates the activity of Polish military pastoral care during 1940-1945. There were 19 priests working there and it comprised the following sections: pastoral care, religious-educational work, cultural-publishing work, work in education, in hospitals, cooperation with the charitable activity of the Apostolic See, cooperation with the clergy and Catholic Action in Switzerland, maintenance of tombs.