Special collections in the Central Archive of the Light-Life Movement

Robert Derewenda

Abstract

The Central Archive of the Light-Life Movement is a department of the Rev. Franciszek Blachnicki Institute. The collection of the archive was formed as a result of Rev. F. Blachnicki’s activity (1921-1987). Some of his works are continued up to now. The records of the Light-Life Movement (operating incessantly since 1969, the beginnings date back to the 1950s) are the biggest collection in this archive. The gathered documentation also contains exceptional collections such as recordings and photographs concerning Krakow Metropolitan Bishop, Karol Wojtyła. The photographs depict Cardinal Wojtyła at oasis meetings, on Community Days and at the Centre of the Light-Life Movement. There are also unique recordings from the oasis meetings. Another interesting collection contains the photographs and recordings from the meetings of the first oasis with John Paul II in Rome in 1979. The material illustrates the genesis of the World Youth Day initiated by John Paul II in 1985. Other exceptional documents are the ones concerning the persecution the oasis movement suffered in the 1970s and 1980s. In addition, the archive contains postal orders confirming sending coal in parcels to the oasis centre. There are also a few thousand postal receipts confirming paying fines for providing accommodation for oasis participants. The material produced by the Security Service is especially valuable. These are falsified documents whose aim was to imitate documents produced by people connected with the Church. The archive also includes the material relating to the activity of the political opposition in the Polish People’s Republic. These are photographs from the strike in Gdańsk in 1980, Solidarity newspapers and prints of the years 1980-1981. What is more, the archival collection contains a few hundred cassettes with Radio Free Europe programmes.