Cardinal Kominek in Berlin [PHOTOS]

The exhibition was opened by the President of Parliament Ralf Wieland and the Chairman of the Wroclaw City Council, Jacek Ossowski. The opening was attended by about 160 guests, including the former President of the Bundestag Wolfgang Thierse, former German Foreign Minister Marcus Meckel, Bishop of Berlin Heiner Koch, cousin of Cardinal Kominek, Monika Boelling and the representatives of the Polish Embassy in Berlin. Wroclaw was represented by a delegation of city councillors, among them Jacek Ossowski Jarosław Krauze, Malgorzata Zawada, Jerzy Skoczylas, Robert Pieńkowski.

From the end of October 2015, the exhibition was presented in Rome. Its first part includes works of art describing war and reconciliation: the sculptures by German artist Alexander Polzin, "Requiem" and "Double Angel". The following parts of the exhibition are devoted to World War II and the experience of Cardinal Kominek, the Stalinist times, and the road to reconciliation. The exhibition was created in collaboration with the Museum of Europe, which has partnered in, among others, the exhibition "Europe - This Is Our Story."

Father of Europe

In 2015 it has been 50 years since the Pastoral Letter of the Polish Bishops to their German Brothers, which included the famous words "we also grant forgiveness and ask for it in return." It was the first attempt at the reconciliation of nations after World War II. The initiative to present Cardinal Kominek to Europe was the President of of Wroclaw's. The city's authorities would like the European Parliament to consent to their idea to include Cardinal Kominek among the Founding Fathers of Europe, who include Konrad Adenauer, Joseph Bech, Johan Willem Beyen, Winston Churchill, Alcide De Gasperi, Walter Hallstein, Sicco Mansholt, Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Paul-Henri Spaak and Altiero Spinelli.

About the cardinal

Although the cardinal received the episcopal nomination and the office of administrator of Wroclaw in 1951, he came to Wroclaw five years later. He was consecrated secretly on October 10, 1954 in Przemysl. It was not until June 28, 1972 that he became a fully fledged metropolitan archbishop of Wroclaw, the first since the death of Adolf Bertram in 1945.

He participated in the first and fourth session of Vatican II. He was the principal author and one of the initiators of the Pastoral Letter of the Polish Bishops to their German Brothers in Christ's Pastoral Office, the issuing of which on November 18, 1965 provided the first post-war opportunity of closer contacts between Polish and German bishops. Issuing of the Letter came up against stiff opposition of the government and repressions against the Church in Poland. German bishops responded to the Letter on December 5, 1965

In the years 1971-1974, Cardinal Bolesław Kominek was Vice-President of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE). By decision of Pope Paul VI, he was made cardinal on March 5, 1973. He died a year later in Wroclaw and was buried in the Wroclaw Cathedral.

The exhibition is available in Berlin until April 8. From May 13, it is to be presented in Wroclaw.

photo: Krzysztof Szymoniak, UM Wroclaw