 |
| CEO Recycling Company |
WROCLAW, POLAND Riding the train is one
of the best ways to learn about a country. From Szczecin to Wroclaw, a five-hour
trip, an articulate, well informed, CEO of a Polish recycling company, talked
about her country, its politics, history, and culture. Not enough time or space
here to do justice to the breadth and depth of the discussion, so I'll pick
only one theme. "The political
situation here is still very fragile. I fear there could be a revolution,"
she said, and to underscore the point she refused to mention any political
names out loud less the two other passengers in our cabin, who were speaking
Polish, became upset and caused a scene. "The tragic airplane accident, probably caused by the president himself,
was not altogether regrettable as we now have,” she paused. “Hopefully, a more pragmatic forward looking
government. The old government, encouraged and supported by the church - we're
95% Catholic - held power by playing on the fears of the past. Many here,
mostly the poor and uneducated, look to the church and government to solve
their problems. They don't understand the sacrifices and hard work it takes to
be successful. They see what you have and they want it."
 |
| Pieta |
I
would describe Wroclaw as somewhere between Gdansk and Warsaw - bigger than
Gdansk but smaller than Warsaw. It has an Old Town with the architectural
appeal of Gdansk. Not surprising, like Gdansk (Danzig), Wroclaw (Breslau) was
formerly a thriving German commercial center. Wroclaw, like Gdansk, is haunted
by the ghosts of tit-for-tat recriminations between Poles and Germans, between
Catholics and Protestants. Some want to keep these animosities alive, but
others, like my traveling companion, want to move on. Impressive or oppressive,
the Catholic churches loom everywhere. They are part of the power structure
within Poland, once Catholic, then Protestant, then Catholic again – burned
down, rebuilt, bombed, and rebuilt again, reflecting a history of conflict.
From the top of St. Mary’s Church, I counted no fewer than fourteen churches
(cathedrals) within one or two kilometers. The guide told me, “There are at least 50 cathedrals in Wroclaw.”
The churches, especially those which remained Catholic throughout, are
marvelous examples of baroque art: massive pipe organs; priceless frescoes,
alabaster statutes, and stain glass windows; gilded alters and sold gold crosses,
all to the glory of God and Poland’s national identity. The Catholic Church in
Poland is rich and powerful.
