The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1960-04-01
BY MANFRED ENZ

N, Germany,
NC) - The cathedral in
the East German city of
Bautzen has two main al
tars, pulpits and organs
divided by a grille that
separates the church into
Catholic End Protestant parts.
The division of that church
which dates from the Refor-
mation-is symbolic of the
problems facing the Church
in Germany today as a result
of the nations twofold divi-
sion, religious and territorial.
WHILE THE CHURCH has
been dealing with the diff
culties arising from religious
division for 400 years, those
resulting from boundary
shifts are relatively new. The
postwar division of Germany
between the Federal Republic
In the West and the commun-
iSt-dominated Democratic Re-
public in the east, and other
territorial changes, have d.
vided some German Sees and
placed others entirely in Red
hands.
. OF Germany's rs archdiocese
.es and dioceses, only 10 lie
wholly within the borders of
the free Federal Republic.
The frontier Which separ-
ates East and West Germany
the Iron Curtain which also
divides the free world from
communist nations cuts
through five Sees.
EXCEPT FOR a SMALL
part located in the western
sector of Berlin the last
place where Catholics from
the two areas of Germany can
meet freely-the territory Of
the Berlin diocese is in Red
ruled areas. Most OF that See
is divided between the Demo
cratic Republic and the Ger
man territories placed under
Polish administration follow
ing World War II.
ONE SEE, the Meissen do
cese, is entirely within East
Germany, which also contains
a small part Of the Wroclaw
(Breslau) archdiocese. Most
of the latter is now in Polish
administered territory and a
small part is located in Czech
oslovakia. All the territory Of
the Prelature Nullius of
Schneidemuehl Is in the Pol
ish.administered area, while
the Warmla (Ermland) do
cese is partly in Polish-admin-
istered and partly in Soviet
administered territory.
Although the rational
boundaries between Germany
and neighboring countries
have changed as a result of
the war, diocesan borders
have remained the same. This
is in accord with the Vatican
tradition of not changing do
cesar frontiers TO agree with
national frontiers until the
latter are confirmed by treaty.
COMM ATOMS be-
tween East and West Ger
many have been made ex-
tremely difficult by Red re-
strictions. In addition the
bishops of Sees divided be-
tween the two areas are not
allowed by the communist
government OF the Democratic
Republic to visit the parts of
their dioceses located in East
Germany.
The heads of these Sees,
therefore, have had TO APP
point administrators-mainly
auxiliary bishops-to care for
Catholics in the parts of their
dioceses situated In the east.
TO CARE FOR Catholics in
the parts of German dioceses
in areas now under Polish ad-
ministration the Holy See
gave His Eminence Stefan
Cardinal Wyzynski, Primate
OF Poland, authority to name
special administrators. To
date four Polish prelates
have been appointed for this
purpose. Due to population
shifts most Of the people in
the areas under their author
ity are Poles.
Catholics in parts of these
Sees still in Germany are UNI
der the authority of Wears
capitular residing in Berlin,
GoerDtz and 0snabrueck.
THE DIFFERENT political
situations in East and West
Germany have led to differ.
ent developments in the re-
ligious life of the two areas.
Church activity in the COM
munist-ruled Democratic Re-
public Is confined mainly to
worship and the struggle
against atheistic materialism,
Tho mnvIds.