Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 January 2017
Despite the fact that the relationship between the Prussian state and the Catholic Church had an important influence on the course of events in the eastern provinces of the German Empire, no monographic study has been devoted to the subject. Works dealing with church history, the nationality question, or the Kulturkampf have given a certain amount of attention to the problem, but without elaboration of the issues involved and as a rule with limited reliance on primary source material. This article may well be the first attempt to grapple with the problem during the period 1871 to 1914. In addition to the standard published works on the subject, numerous archival sources have been consulted, especially those of the Prussian state and the German Empire.
This article was translated from the Polish by Mr. Stanislaus A. Blejwas, doctoral candidate in Polish history at Columbia University.
1 The most important of these works are Feldman, Józe£, Bismarck a Polska (Kraków, 1947)Google Scholar; Jerzy, Krasuski, Kulturkampf (Poznarń, 1963)Google Scholar; Manfred, Laubert, Die preussische Polenpolitik (Berlin, 1920)Google Scholar; Joachim, Mai, Die preussisch-deutsche Polenpolitik 1885-188J (Berlin, 1962)Google Scholar; Aleksander, Rogalski, Košciói katolicki na Šlasku (Warsaw, 1955)Google Scholar, and Košciół katolicki na Warmii i Mazurach (Warsaw, 1956); Schmidt-Volkmar, Erich, Der Kulturkampf in Deutschland (Göttingen, 1962)Google Scholar; Tims, Richard Wonser, Germanizing Prussian Poland (New York, 1941)Google Scholar. Of these authors, only Mai and Schmidt-Volkmar have made significant use of primary materials.
2 Deutsches Zentralarchiv (DZA), Potsdam, Reichsamt des Innern, Zentralbureau, Akten betreffend die polnische Frage, Sygn. 15341, Band 5, Anhang.
3 Julian, Marchlewski, “Stosunki spoteczno-ekonomiczne w ziemiach polskich zaboru pruskiego Pisma wybrane (Warsaw, 1952), I, 213.Google Scholar
4 Karwowski, Stanisław, Historya Wielkiego Ksigstwa Poznańskiego (Poznarń, 1918), I, 181–82.Google Scholar
5 The anti-Church legislation is treated in detail by Schmidt-Volkmar.
6 Laubert, pp. 121-22.
7 DZA, Abteilung Merseburg, Acta des Konigl. Zivil-Kabinetts betreffend die Zeitungsberichte des Regierungsprasidenten zu Marienwerder, Sygn. Rep. 89.B.X. 1-28 Marienwerder : report of the president of the Kwidzyri [Marienwerder] district, Aug. 24, 1875; Die Vorgeschichte des Kulturkampf : Quellenveroffentlichung aus dem Deutschen Zentralarchiv (Berlin, 1957), pp. 318-21 : letters of Augusta to Wilhelm I, Sept. 18 and 28, 1872.
8 DZA, Potsdam, Reichskanzlei, Akten betreffend die Polen, Sygn. 660 : correspondence between the president of the Gdansk (Danzig) district, the president-general of West Prussia, and the Minister of Education, April 15 and 23, 1885; DZA, Merseburg, Acta des Konigl. Geheimen Zivil-Kabinetts betreffend die durch das Infallibilitats-Dogma veranlassten Kirchlichen Conflicte sowie die Massregeln gegen die den gesetzlichen Vorschriften sich widersetzende katholische Geistlichkeit, Sygn. Rep. 89.H. General Abteilung IX, No. 55b, Band II, fol. 63-65 : correspondence between the authorities concerning the incarceration of Bishop Marwitz, June and July 1874; DZA, Merseburg, Rep. 89.B.X. 1-28 Danzig : reports of the president of the district, Aug. 13 and Nov. 14, 1874, and Aug. 24, 1875; chetminska, Diecezja : Zarys historyczno-statystyczny (Pelplin, 1928), pp. 50–51 Google Scholar; Marikowski, X. Alfons, Kanoniczne elekcje biskupdw chetminskich po emanacji bulli De salute animarum (Pelplin, 1932), pp. 6-8.Google Scholar
9 Schmidt-Volkmar, p. 256.
10 DZA, Merseburg, Rep. 89.H. General Abteilung IX, No. 55b, Band I, fol. 251-63, 270- 77 : correspondence between the authorities, Nov. 1873; Buzek, Józef, Historya polityki narodowosciowej rzadu pruskiego luobec Polakdiv (Lwów, 1909), pp. 149–50Google Scholar; Feldman, pp. 283, 291-96; Karwowski, II, 240, 251-52.
11 Buzek, pp. 149-52; Schmidt-Volkmar, p. 168.
12 Karwowski, II, 433.
13 Archiwum Archidiecezjalne w Poznaniu, Akta Arcybiskupie tyczace sie Prześladowania Kobciola Archidyecezyi Gniežnieńskiej i Poznanskiej w roku 1873. letter of Archbishop Led6chowski to priests studying in German universities; Karwowski, II, 253.
14 DZA, Merseburg, Rep. 89.H. General Abteilung IX, No. 55b, Band III, fol. 37 : report of the president of the Opole district to the Minister of Education, Sept. 11, 1876; DZA, Merseburg, Rep. 89.B.X. 1-28 Danzig, Marienwerder, Oppeln : reports of the presidents of the districts for the years 1874, 1875, 1876, and 1877; DZA, Merseburg, Ministerium des Innern, Acta betreffend die Massregeln gegen das in neuerer Zeit hervorgetretene politische und religiose Treiben der Polen und der katholische Geistlichen, Sygn. Rep. 77, Titel 413, No. 35, Band V : report of the Landrat of Grodkowo to the president of the Opole district, Jan. 1, 1875; Oredownik, Nos. 47 and 68, 1875, and Nos. 1 and 22, 1876; Kurier Poznanski, Nos. 18, 44, 47, 65, 116, 117, 128, 1877; Wielkopolska, 1851-1914; Wybór žródel, comp. and ed. Witold Jakóbczyk (Wroclaw, 1954), pp. 155-56; Roman, Komierowski, Kolo polskie w Berlinie 1875-1900 (Poznan, 1905), pp. 19–62; Karwowski, II, 243, 253, 303-4.Google Scholar
15 DZA, Merseburg, Rep. 89.H. General Abteilung IX, No. 55b, Band II, fol. 167 : report of the mayor of Biata to the president-general of Silesia, April 1875; Rogalski, Koiciol kaiolicki na Warmii i Mazurach, pp. 318-19.
16 DZA, Merseburg, Geheimes Staatsarchiv, Acta Konigl. Preussische Gesandtschaft in Miinchen, Kirchen Politik, Sygn. Rep. 81, Miinchen III, No. 133 : letter from the Foreign Office to the envoy in Munich, June 10, 1878. After the rupture of relations between Prussia and the Vatican in 1872, and until their resumption in 1882, the diplomatic channel was the nunciature in Munich.
17 DZA, Merseburg, Acta des Preussisches Staats-Ministerium betreffend die Staatsministerial- Sitzungsprotokolle, Sygn. Rep. 90a, Abteilung B, Titel III, 2b, No. 6, Band 93, fol. 221-23 : minutes of the meeting of the Council of Ministers, Dec. 1, 1881; DZA, Merseburg, Acta des Konigl. Zivil-Kabinetts betreffend die Angelegenheiten des Bisthums und des Domkapitels zu Breslau, Sygn. Rep. 89.H. Abteilung IX, Schlesien No. 3a, Vol. IV, fol. 33-41 : letter of the Minister of Education to the Emperor, Dec. 2, 1881; DZA, Merseburg, Acta des Königl. Zivil-Kabinetts 1 Abth. : betreffend das Domkapitel zu Frauenburg, Sygn. Rep. 89.H. Abteilung IX, Ost-Preussen, Vol. Ill : correspondence between the authorities, 1885; DZA, Merseburg, Acta des Konigl. Zivil-Kabinetts betreffend die Angelegenheiten des Bisthums Culm, des Domkapitels und der bischoflichen Behorden, Sygn. Rep. 89.H. Abteilung IX, West-Preussen No. 3, Vol. II : correspondence between the authorities, 1881-86; DZA, Potsdam, Auswartiges Amt Deutsches Reiches, Acta betreffend das Bisthum Ermland, Vol. VI, Sygn. 39808, fol. 53 and 8b : reports of the Prussian envoy to the Vatican, Aug. 1, 1885, and of the president-general of East Prussia, Sept. 14, 1885; Mankowski, p. 9.
18 Schmidt-Volkmar, pp. 261-62.
19 DZA, Potsdam, Reichskanzlei, Acta betreffend Angelegenheiten der Katholischen Kirche, Sygn. 856, fol. 72-75 : letter of the Minister of Education to the Council of Ministers, Jan. 28, 1880; DZA, Potsdam, Auswartiges Amt Deutsches Reiches, Acta betreffend das Erzbisthum Gnesen und Posen, Sygn. 39812, fol. 25, 30-35, 46 ff.; Sygn. 39813, fol. 2-3, 6, 25. 27-32, 33-34; Sygn- 398l4> fol. 6, 26-28, 68-69, 74-79, 84; Sygn. 39815, fol. 48-50 : correspondence between the Foreign Ministry, the Chancellor, and the Prussian envoy to the Vatican, 1884.
20 Hutten-Czapski, Bogdan, Sześćdziesiat lat zycia politycznego i towarzyskiego, I (Warsaw, 1936), 208 Google Scholar; Feldman, p. 299; Mai, pp. 164-68.
21 Rogalski, Kościół katolicki na Warmii i Mazurach, pp. 331-37.
22 DZA, Merseburg, Rep. 89.H. Abteilung IX, West-Preussen, No. 3, Vol. II : letters of the Minister of Education to the Emperor, March 12, 1882, and May 12, 1886; Cieślak, Tadeusz, Z dziejów prasy polskiej na Pomorzu Gdanskim w okresie zaboru pruskiego (Gdańsk, 1964), p. 90 Google Scholar; Mańkowski, pp. 9-11; Kazimierz, Wajda, Wieś pomorska na przelomie XIX i XX w. (Poznari, 1964), p. 303.Google Scholar
23 DZA, Merseburg, Rep. 89.H. General Abteilung IX, No. 55b, Band III, fol. 175-94 : correspondence between the authorities, 1882-84.
24 Adam Galos, “Hakata w pierwszych latach istnienia (1894-1900),” in Dzieje Hakaty, ed. Janusz Pajewski (Poznań, 1966), pp. 85 and 137; Marian, Orzechowski, Narodowa Demokracja na Gdrnym Ślasku (do 1918 roku) (Wroclaw, 1965), pp. 74, 160, 217, 218, 221, and 269Google Scholar; Rogalski, Kościót katolicki na Slqsku, pp. 241-44; Pirko, Michał, Niemiecka polityka wywłaszczentowa na ziemiach polskich w latach 1907-1908 (Warsaw, 1963), pp. 58, 124, and 156.Google Scholar
25 Karwowski, II, 452-54, 458-59.
26 Lech, Trzeciakowski, Polityka polskich klas posiadajpcych w Wielkopolsce w erze Capriviego (1890-1894) (Poznarń, 1960), pp. 97–107.Google Scholar
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28 Hemmerling, pp. 199-221.
29 Dziennik Kujawski, No. 219, 1906; Goniec Wielkopolski, No. 202, 1906; Lech Trzeciakowski, Walka o polskosc miast Poznanskiego na przełomie XIX i XX wieku (Poznarń, 1964), p. 118; Orzechowski, pp. 32-34, 160, and 220; Rogalski, Kościół katolicki na Warmii i Mazurach, pp. 334-36; Wajda, p. 303.
30 DZA, Merseburg, Ministerium des Innern, Zentralbureau, Acta betreffend Beforderung des Deutschtums und die polnische Agitation, Sygn. Rep. 77, Titel 871, No. 1, Adh. 1, Band 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 : annual reports of the presidents-general of disbursements from the disposable fund.
31 Orzechowski, pp. 221, 218; Rogalski, Kościół katolicki na Ślasku, pp. 223-32; ‘Karol Rzepecki, Naprzód czy wstecz? (Poznarń, 1912), pp. 135, 146; Wajda, pp. 295, 297.
32 Archivum Parństwowe miasta Poznania i województwa poznarńskiego, Polizeipräsidium zu Posen, Acta betreffend die polnische Bewegung im Kreise : Bromberg, Sygn. 2750, fol. 81-82, 207-8; Gnesen, Sygn. 2752, fol. 3; Gostyn, Sygn. 2754, fol. 103-10; Hohensalza, Sygn. 2756, fol. 4-13; Jarotschin, Sygn. 2758, fol. 35-40; Mogilno, Sygn. 2766, fol. 3-4; Ostrowo, Sygn. 2768; Posen-Ost, Sygn. 2771, fol. 204-9; Samter, Sygn. 2774, fol. 13-16; Schrimm, Sygn. 2776, fol. 361; Schroda, Sygn. 2777, fol. 86-89; Strelno, Sygn. 2779, fol. 3; Wongrowitz, Sygn. 2781, fol. 5-6 : lists of Polish activists. Witold Jakobczyk, “Ks. Piotr Wawrzyniak, 1849-1910,” in Wybitni Wielkopolanie XIX wieku, ed. Witold Jak6bczyk (Poznan, 1959), pp. 382-400; Korth, pp. 165-66; Rzepecki, pp. 86 and 100; Trzeciakowski, Polityka, pp. 62-91.
33 Lech, No. 146, 1907; Hemmerling, pp. 205-6.
34 DZA, Merseburg, Ministerium der Geistlichen, Unterrichts und Medizinal-Angelegenheiten, Acta betreffend das Metropolitan Kapitel zu Posen, Sygn. Rep. 76, IV, Sektion 4, Abteilung V, No. 4, Band V : correspondence between the authorities on the question of the awarding of honors; DZA, Merseburg, Konigl. Geheimes Zivil-Kabinett, Acta betreffend das Erzbistum und die Domkapitel zu Gnesen und Posen, Sygn. Rep. 89.H., Abteilung IX, Posen, No. 3, Band VIII, fol. 94, 95, 102, 104 : correspondence between the authorities on the question of the awarding of honors; Korth, pp. 165-66.
35 DZA, Merseburg, Rep. 77, Titel 871, No. 1, Adh. 1, Band 9, 10 : annual reports of the presidents-general of disbursements from the disposable fund; Kurier Poznanski, No. 30, 1907; Orejdownik, No. 237, 1905; Wielkopolanin, No. 96, 1906.
36 Dziennik Bydgoski, No. 189, 1910; Dziennik Poznanski, Nos. 133, 134, 149, 168, 170, 1903; Oredownik, No. 60, 1914; CieSlak, pp. 90, 105-6; Karwowski, II, 434-35; Orzechowski, p. 216.
37 Karwowski, II, 214, and III, 61; Trzeciakowski, Polityka, p. 118; Trzeciakowski, Walka 0 polskoU, p. 223.
38 Jakbbczyk, “Ks. Piotr Wawrzyniak,” pp. 386-400.