EN
The year 1956 is commonly known as a time of “liberalizing thaw”. The death of Joseph Stalin and Bolesław Bierut and delivering a secret paper by Nikita Khrushchev enhanced a struggle for freedom in the country and forced the party to make concessions. Liberalizing of political life in Poland, in its earlier period, did not include the Church. Fraction fights in Polish United Worker’s Party caused that the problem of mutual relations went out of focus. The second half of 1956 was the moment which brought a noticable revival in its activities. It was closely related to social and political changes in Poland and especially to the upheavals in Poznań. The latest ones were followed by chang- es in the leadership of the party and the government. A moderation of preassure on the Church was brought upon by nominating Władysław Gomułka the first secretary on the Third Polish United Worker’s Party Congress. The first step made by the new rule was to release Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, who was able to calm down the political scene. Making use of the situation the hierarch demanded that the authorities restore the Church rights and that they redress the wrong. Soon, another treaty with the Episcopate was signed. As a result the controversial decree of appointing Church posts of February 1953 was taken back. The party agreed to put Religious Education back on school curriculum, decided on the priestly care in hospitals and prisons and finally released the imprisoned bishops. In return, the Primate, helped to smoothen political mood and supported changes on political scene. Unfortunately the “October thaw” did not last long because the Gomułka workers started to violate the treaty with the Episcopacy. Therefore, a real chance of long-lasting peace between the Church and the state appeared to be impossible.