Materiały jednostek wojewódzkiej administracji wyznaniowej w Archiwum Państwowym w Szczecinie jako źródło do dziejów stosunków państwo-Kościół rzymskokatolicki w latach 1945–1989

Abstract

Materials of the regional religious administration units in the Szczecin State Archives as a source on the history of the relations between the state and the Roman Catolic Church between 1945 and 1989 The purpose of the article is to analyse the materials of the Szczecin National Archives created by the regional administration units responsible for religious matters as the sources regarding the history of the relations between the state and the Roman Catholic Church between 1945 and 1989. It defines the group of entities implementing the religious policy at a central and regional level, with a special focus on administration. It analyses the contents of the archival fonds that included materials created by organisational units responsible for religious issues. The following methods were used to address the research problem: a historical method, an institutional & legal method, the system method and case study. The files of the religious administration unit can be found in the Szczecin archives in the following fonds: the Szczecin Regional Office, the Executive Committee of the Regional National Council in Szczecin, Regional Office in Szczecin. The materials from those fonds make it possible to recreate various aspects of the religious policy pursued by the state: hindering the pastoral work and religious education for children and teenagers, limiting the property of the church, attempting to create a rift between the clergymen. They contain important information about the social and political attitudes of priests.