Day 20 Szczecin to Wroclaw

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."

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. It, like Gdansk, is haunted by the ghosts of tit for tat recriminations between the Poles and Germans, between Catholics and Protestants. Some want to keep these animosities alive, but others, like my traveling companion above, 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 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.