Sunday 5 July 2015

From Old Germany to Poland

Today we have travelled to Wroclaw with its wonderful main square and across industrial Silesia to Krakow.  The overriding theme or question has been about the huge transfers of populations after WWII.  200,000 Germans were expelled from Wroclaw.  And then the same number imported from Russia.  And I think of the migrants I saw a couple of days ago in Calais.  The old border is not far from here. 

A Russian chamber choir sang in the main street of Krakow tonight.  Poles joined in the folk songs they sang with energy and skill.  From my window I can see the house where Karol Wotywa lived in when he was Archbishop of Krakow.  Before he became John Paul II.  And that sparks some thoughts because, in a past life I met him on severl occasions.  This morning I went to Mass and saw Polish Catholicism in action. Sturdy and strong but ageing. 

More tomorrow

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