Due to his commitment to defend human dignity the Archbishop of Krakow inevitably became the number one enemy of the regime. And not only enemy number one. Also, those most controlled, spied on, followed, certainly considered the most dangerous. Security Service agents were present at all his speeches, recorded his speeches and even homilies. As a result, very extensive documentation has been preserved in the secret archives, to which there is access. Moreover, the SB (Polish Communist Secret Service) abundantly used the unclean “profession” of informing, drawing weak or blackmailed people from all walks of life, including the church environment, into cooperation. I will also mention the unpleasant story with eavesdropping and microphones that were placed in the house of the archbishops of Krakow. Therefore, when some people arrived, the cardinal would take them to his car, go to Wolski Forest on the outskirts of the city, and sometimes even to the mountains to stay away from indiscreet ears. And often then the SB cars followed the archbishop’s car. That is why its driver had to come up with something new, sometimes dangerous, to confuse the spies. Of course, they were afraid of Wojtyła. They feared his moral and intellectual strength, the fascinating influence he had on young people. But they did not manage to oppose him to the Primate of Poland. Just as, of course, they failed to convince the Vatican to consider the proposal formally put forward by the government in Warsaw, that is, to leave Cardinal Wyszyński in his place, approaching retirement age. It was dictated by the fear that Wojtyła would become his successor as Primate of Poland.
With the consent of Fr. Card. Stanisław Dziwisz – “At the side of the Saint”
Publishing House of St. Stanisław BM. Krakow 2013
