“Wake up! Why are you asleep, Lord? Wake up! Do not reject forever!”. About Benedict XVI’s speech in Auschwitz

Abstract

The contents of the article contain an analysis of Benedict XVI’s speech delivered in Auschwitz-Birkenau during his first pilgrimage to Poland in 2006. The author subjects the papal speech to rhetorical analysis, which aims to display reciprocal relations between three most important domains of rhetoric: invention, disposition, and elocution. The author pays particular attention to the arguments that the Pope utilises referring to three sources: the Bible, history, literature and the present. The analogy of these areas, thanks to rhetorical amplification, serves to extract and reveal the depth of historical ideas. The papal speech, filled with biblical references, is a clear lecture of faith and a moving manifesto in honour of good and the need for interpersonal love. According to Benedict XVI, Auschwitz-Birkenau, that he called the largest European cemetery, should become a symbol of hope and reconcili- ation of the nations of modern Europe.

Keywords

• Auschwitz
• Benedykt XVI
• Żydzi
• Polacy
• Niemcy
• naziści
• Golgota XX wieku
• ludobój- stwo
• holokaust
• przemoc
• terror
• cierpienie
• nienawiść
• obóz koncentracyjny
• odrzucenie Boga
• pojednanie
• dialog