Pope John Paul IIs Influence on the Fall of Communism Essay

THESIS STATEMENT Both the words and actions of Pope John Paul II were crucial to the downfall of communism in Germany as well as his native Poland. PURPOSE STATEMENT This paper will discuss Pope John Paul II’s role in the fall of communism in Germany and his native Poland through in depth research and an analysis of biographical research. INTRODUCTION Even as a child, people knew that Karol Wojtyla was destined for greatness. Even his mother bragged to all her neighbors that her newborn son would grow into a great man. And that he did. He served as pope from 1978 until his death in 2005, a period of over twenty-six years. He was the youngest pope of the Twentieth Century as well, elected at the age of fifty-eight. However,†¦show more content†¦Karol’s battle against communism began during World War II, when he was forced to hide his faith from the cruel government. He did this in several ways, including wearing his priestly garb without the collar and being called â€Å"Uncle† instead of â€Å"Father† in public. Karol was the kind of man who wasn’t afraid to put himself in danger in order to speak the truth. It is evident that â€Å"he tried to stand up for the dignity of man, even against the seemingly overwhelming power of Communism† (Accattoli et al 30), which he did at h is local university, preaching the message of Christianity to the students and warning them of the evils of the communism and the atheism that went along with such a government. But this action was only one of many early strides that Karol Wojtyla took against communism. A POPE FOR THE PEOPLE Pope John Paul II was a very bright and articulate child, burdened by the loss of many classmates to concentration camps. Drawing from his childhood experiences later in life, the pope used his talent in linguistics to write several religious plays, including his first, David. These dramas portrayed Christian views and beliefs in a simple and interesting manner. By acting out these plays, Christianity and questioning of the communist regime began to spread throughout Poland. Unfortunately, the government retaliated by shutting down the theological studies at the university. But Pope John Paul II wasn’t aboutShow MoreRelated The Fruitless Pursuit of The Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul II4925 Words   |  20 PagesThe Fruitless Pursuit of The Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul II I. Introduction: â€Å"Glinting orange through the green creepers, the Kombi familys mud-hut is barely visible now. Alphonse Kombi was murdered by militiamen in February. His wife, Bimosa, watched them eat his heart before they raped her, neighbours say. The trauma drove her insane. Two of the Kombis four children had already died of malnutrition. Then, a fortnight ago, a distant relative came to collect the two survivors - an emaciatedRead MoreThe Fall Of The Berlin Wall2245 Words   |  9 PagesEurope drastically and completely changed. This month marked the beginning of the two-year demolition of the â€Å"Iron Curtain† that descended across the continent and the thawing of the Cold War that waged between the world’s two rival superpowers. The fall of the Berlin Wall not only marked the reunification of Germany after 28 years but, also, the reunification of all of Europe after almost three entire, long decades. Out of the nine original countries that comprised the Eastern bloc a nd were effectivelyRead MoreThe Economy As A Whole Has A General Unemployment Ration Of 4.3 % Out Of A Labor Force3100 Words   |  13 Pagesholidays. Some of them were brought about for religious freedoms, and some for the victory of the revolution. Here are just a few holidays celebrated. Triumph of the Revolution (Independence Day), December 10, Christmas due to a visit from Pope John Paul II’s 1998 visit, and January 1 as Cuban National day (government in Cuba established). (http://www.safaritheglobe.com/cuba/culture/social-life/) (http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-cuba/) â€Å"There are few behavioral restrictions in CubaRead MoreA Study On Republica De Cuba3177 Words   |  13 Pagesholidays. Some of them were brought about for religious freedoms, and some for the victory of the revolution. Here are just a few holidays celebrated. Triumph of the Revolution (Independence Day), December 10, Christmas due to a visit from Pope John Paul II’s 1998 visit, and January 1 as Cuban National day (government in Cuba established). (http://www.safaritheglobe.com/cuba/culture/social-life/) (http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-cuba/) There are few behavioral restrictions in Cuba