The permeability of the “Iron Curtain”: the Polish Catholic Church as a force of dissent in communist Poland

The article aims to examine the case of the Polish People's Republic during the Cold War, with a special emphasis on the Catholic Church as a central institution of resistance to the communist regime. Despite systematic pressure and propaganda of state atheism by the communist authorities, the Polish Catholic Church retained its role as a spiritual center, a source of moral authority and a key actor in shaping cultural, social and political life. Thanks to this, it became the most important competitor of the state in the spheres of ideology and social influence. Together with other institutions and phenomena, such as national identity, intellectual elites, diaspora, culture and trade union movements, the Polish Catholic Church contributed to the permeability of the "Iron Curtain", the gradual decomposition of the communist regime and represented the core of the oppressed but still active civil society in Poland. The case of Poland demonstrates the broader role of religious institutions in preserving national identity and forming collective resistance under authoritarian socialism.

The analysis presented in this article applies a multidisciplinary approach that integrates historical, political, and cultural perspectives to assess the position of the church in Polish society and its impact on the weakening of the totalitarian system.