Polish and German ambassadors mark legacy of bishops’ reconciliation letter

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher has praised the continuing relevance of the Polish bishops’ 1965 appeal for reconciliation with Germany

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4 min read

The Polish Embassy to the Holy See hosted an event ahead of the publication of a book reflecting on Polish-German reconciliation following the Second World War. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher said at the event that the example retained “a particular power and relevance today”.

The publication We Forgive and Ask for Forgiveness takes its title from the letter sent by the Polish bishops to their German counterparts in 1965. It followed an academic conference held in 2025 at the Pontifical Gregorian University which marked the 60^th anniversary of the reconciliation efforts.

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