page_title: Reorganization of occupied dioceses during World War II
section_title: Postwar legacy
hierarchical_section_title: Reorganization of occupied dioceses during World War II / Postwar legacy
context_page_description: The reorganization of occupied dioceses during World War II was an issue faced by Pope Pius XII of whether to extend the apostolic authority of Catholic bishops from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy to German-occupied Europe during World War II.
  Although such reorganization was often refused, the decision of Pius XII to appoint German apostolic administrators to occupied Poland was "one of his most controversial decisions". These actions were the primary justification given by the Soviet-backed Polish Provisional Government, for declaring the Concordat of 1925 null and void in 1945, an act that had tremendous consequences for post-war Polish-Holy See relations. There was no Apostolic Nuncio to Poland between 1947 and 1989.
context_section_description: On September 12, 1945, the Provisional Government of Poland declared the Concordat of 1925 null and void as a result of the "unilateral violation by the Holy See stemming from illegal conduct repudiating its principles during the occupation", primarily as a result of the appointment of German apostolic administrators in violation of article 9.
  German prelates in Poland after the war were viewed as collaborators with the occupation. Carl Maria Splett, the bishop of Danzig and administrator of Chełmno, was tried for collaboration in January 1946. He was accused of aiding the persecution by suppressing the Polish language within his diocese and barring the return of Polish prelates even after they were released from the Nazi concentration camps. When he defended himself by claiming he was following the orders of the Gestapo, the prosecution retorted that he just as easily could say he was following the orders of the pope. On February 2, 1946, the special tribunal in Gdansk sentenced Splett to eight years in prison, denial of civil rights for five years and confiscation of property. The trial of Splett galvanised widespread anti-Vatican and anti Romam/Italian Curial sentiment among Polish Catholics.
caption: Cardinal August Hlond forced out German prelates after the war and replaced them with Polish ones.
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