Józef Putek. Path of interdict. The conflict between local authorities and parish priest in Chocznia in church documents

Abstract

Józef Putek (1892–1974), Juris Doctor, was distinguished people’s radical, peasant activist and member of parliment. He began his political career in his native village Chocznia, where, since 1919, he held the office of the Vogt. His uncompromising anticlericalism, fierce criticism of the Church and its position in the nation, brought about the conflict with the parson of Chocznia, Józef Dunajecki. Putek accused the parson of mismanagement and lawlessness in having at one’s disposal church wealth.

A critical moment in the conflict between the Vogt and parson Dunajecki was the matter of the foundation of bells. The purchase was financed by parishioners and emigrants from Chocznia, who lived in Detroit and Chicago. Józef Putek objected to hanging bells on the church tower. Incursion to the church and stamping one of the bells was a direct cause of interdict. Another reason for the interdict by archbishop Adam Stefan Sapieha was the effect of anticlerical political and publicistic activity of the Vogt. Some examples include, publishing in Chocznia a radical newspaper „Sztandar Chłopski”.

In 1929 Dr. Jur. Putek was canceled from the post of the Vogt and soon after that, in 1930, was imprisoned by the Sanation government in the fortress of Brześć.