Catholics in the Czech Republic Announce Year of Reconciliation Marking 80th Anniversary of World War II Expulsions


A Call to Healing: Bishop Stanislav Přibyl Declares 2026 the "Year of Reconciliation"

On January 1, 2026, Bishop Stanislav Přibyl of the Diocese of Litoměřice (Czech Republic) issued a pastoral letter marking the 80th anniversary of the post-WWII expulsions. He has formally declared 2026 a Year of Reconciliation to address the deep historical scars left by the forced removal of the German-speaking population in 1945–1946.

Facing the Truth of the Past

Bishop Přibyl reflects on the end of World War II as a time of liberation from Nazism, but also a time of "reckoning" that turned brutal. In the Litoměřice diocese, the expulsion of Germans was often marked by:

  • Widespread Violence: Acts of robbery, humiliation, and massacres in cities like Ústí nad Labem and Postoloprty.

  • Persecution of Clergy: Including the death of a Capuchin friar in Žatec and the silencing of Bishop Anton Alois Weber, who died exhausted in 1948 after being barred from his duties due to his German nationality.

  • Lasting Scars: Dilapidated churches, demolished homes, and a severed connection between current residents and the history of their land.

The Anniversary of Hope

The Bishop highlights the 80th anniversary of the Ackermann-Gemeinde, founded on January 13, 1946. This association of German Catholics has spent eight decades striving for Czech-German reconciliation in a Christian spirit, proving that healing is possible through faith.

The Path Forward: Twelve Pilgrimages

To foster "mutual forgiveness and reconciliation," the diocese will host twelve services of reconciliation throughout 2026.

  • Locations: Sites where the deportations were particularly inhumane.

  • Spirit: These gatherings will be ecumenical and interfaith, involving Christians of various denominations, the Jewish community, and the descendants of those displaced (Heimatsleute).

  • Purpose: The Bishop emphasizes that "old wounds need to be opened so that they can heal," rejecting the idea that silence solves historical trauma.

"We live from that life-giving movement of forgiveness, as we pray: ‘Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’" — Bishop Stanislav Přibyl

The Year of Reconciliation is entrusted to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the goal of building a "kingdom of justice, love, and peace."

Source: https://www.farnost-decin.cz/l/pastyrsky-list-biskupa-stanislava-pribyla-k-novemu-roku-2026/

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