Already then he was becoming more and more convinced that Jews and Catholics were united by the knowledge that they were directing their prayers to the same God. The owner of the Wojtyłów family’s apartment was a Jew. Karol had classmates who were Jews, such as Zygmunt or Leopold. He played soccer with Jewish friends, with Poldek, a musician, and there was never any alienation between them. The Jewish woman was a friend, not much older than him, a neighbor living one floor above – Ginka, thanks to whom he become interested in theater. There was also the Jewish family – Kluger, whom Karol often visited, especially Jerzy, whom he met in the first class of the primary school and who became one of his closest friends. Karol and Jerzy, actually Lolek and Jurek, as they used to be called, attended the same class until the passing of the baccalaureate exam in the gymnasium. During this period, they visited each other. Jurek was going to the Wojtyła’s house, as Lolek’s dad, Mr. Kapitan (Captain), helped them in their homework. Lolek was going to Jurek to listen to the radio or musical quartet conducted by the lawyer, Mr. Kluger, who at the time was the chairman of the local Jewish community. In addition, Jurek’s grandmother, Mrs. Huppert, often walked with the Pastor, Fr. Prochownik through the city square, and then they sat together on a bench and talked. They talked so laud that Mr. Ćwiek, the only policeman in the city, had to stand by them and move away passers who were stopping by to listen. It was the everyday life in Wadowice.
Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz – “Testimony”
TBA Publisher, Warszawa 2007
