1914–1930 –
Adolf Bertram, Cardinal since 1916 (public announcement 1919), title of prince-bishop voided in 1918 (but he continued to use the princely title until his death).
Archbishops
1930–1945 –
Adolf Bertram (d. 6 July 1945), Cardinal since 1916 (public announcement 1919), archbishop since 13 August 1930
Breslau and most of the archdiocesan territory (like most of Silesia) were annexed to the
People's Republic of Poland in July 1945. On 1 September 1945 the archdiocese was de facto divided into four separate areas, (1) the
East German archdiocesan area (seat in
Görlitz), (2) the administrative district of
Gorzów Wielkopolski (also competent for the Polish-annexed diocesan areas of the archepiscopal
suffragans, such as the
Diocese of Berlin and the
Territorial Prelature of Schneidemühl), (3) the administrative district of
Opole, and (4) the administrative district of
Wrocław (until 1978 also competent for the Czechoslovakian archdiocesan area):
(1) 1945–1963 Capitular Vicar
Ferdinand Piontek (1878–1963), in the East German archdiocesan area he remained undisputedly in office since his election on 16 July 1945,
Pope Pius XII granted him on 28 February 1946, when still residing in Wrocław, the rights of a residing bishop. Piontek was expelled from Poland to the
British zone of occupation on 9 July, he could return to the archdiocese in March 1947, then taking residence in East German Görlitz.
(2) 1945–1951 Administrator
Edmund Nowicki, appointed for the Gorzów Wielkopolski district with effect of 1 September 1945, deposed and expelled by Communist Polish government on 26 January 1951
(3) 1945–1951 Administrator Bolesław Kominek, appointed administrator for the Opole district with effect of 1 September 1945, deposed and expelled by Communist Polish government on 26 January 1951
(3) 1956–1972
Franciszek Jop, Special Delegate (for Opole) of Primas
Stefan Wyszyński, administrator since 1967, thereafter bishop of the
Diocese of Opole newly established from the archdiocese in 1972
(4) 1945–1951 Administrator
Karol Milik, appointed for the Wrocław district by
August Hlond on 15 August with effect of 1 September 1945, not recognized as archbishop by the Holy See, deposed and expelled by Communist Polish government on 26 January 1951
(4) 1951–1956 – Capitular Vicar
Kazimierz Lagosz, not recognized as archbishop by the Holy See
(4) 1956–1972 – Capitular Vicar
Bolesław Kominek, not recognized as archbishop by the Holy See, thereafter appointed as archbishop of Wrocław with a sharply belittled archdiocesan area
In 1972 the Holy See redrew the archdiocesan boundaries. The East German archdiocesan area (1) was disentangled from the archdiocese and established as the exempt
Apostolic Administration of Görlitz (in 1994 elevated to diocese), the district of Gorzów Wielkopolski was established as the new archepiscopal suffragan
Diocese of Gorzów Wielkopolski (renamed and regrouped as
suffragan in 1992), the district of Opole (3) was established as the new suffragan
Diocese of Opole and the territorially belittled remainder henceforth became the archdiocese proper with its capitular vicar elevated to archbishop.
1972–1974 –
Bolesław Kominek, card., papally appointed as archbishop
Apostolic visitators for the expelled German priests and faithful
The
expelled German priests and German Silesian faithful from the original Archdiocese of Breslau were granted the privilege of an
apostolic visitator, given all diocesan jurisdiction required, by
Pope Paul VI in 1972, in order to serve the Catholic Heimatvertriebene from Silesia, in
West Germany, their new home.[3]
^The date of death of bishop John is not known, neither are the names of his successors before the destruction of diocese during pagan uprising in the 1030s. (assuming there were any).
^
abcJurek T., Zagadka biskupa wrocławskiego Roberta, "Śląski Kwartalnik Historyczny Sobótka" 1990, pp. 1–11
1914–1930 –
Adolf Bertram, Cardinal since 1916 (public announcement 1919), title of prince-bishop voided in 1918 (but he continued to use the princely title until his death).
Archbishops
1930–1945 –
Adolf Bertram (d. 6 July 1945), Cardinal since 1916 (public announcement 1919), archbishop since 13 August 1930
Breslau and most of the archdiocesan territory (like most of Silesia) were annexed to the
People's Republic of Poland in July 1945. On 1 September 1945 the archdiocese was de facto divided into four separate areas, (1) the
East German archdiocesan area (seat in
Görlitz), (2) the administrative district of
Gorzów Wielkopolski (also competent for the Polish-annexed diocesan areas of the archepiscopal
suffragans, such as the
Diocese of Berlin and the
Territorial Prelature of Schneidemühl), (3) the administrative district of
Opole, and (4) the administrative district of
Wrocław (until 1978 also competent for the Czechoslovakian archdiocesan area):
(1) 1945–1963 Capitular Vicar
Ferdinand Piontek (1878–1963), in the East German archdiocesan area he remained undisputedly in office since his election on 16 July 1945,
Pope Pius XII granted him on 28 February 1946, when still residing in Wrocław, the rights of a residing bishop. Piontek was expelled from Poland to the
British zone of occupation on 9 July, he could return to the archdiocese in March 1947, then taking residence in East German Görlitz.
(2) 1945–1951 Administrator
Edmund Nowicki, appointed for the Gorzów Wielkopolski district with effect of 1 September 1945, deposed and expelled by Communist Polish government on 26 January 1951
(3) 1945–1951 Administrator Bolesław Kominek, appointed administrator for the Opole district with effect of 1 September 1945, deposed and expelled by Communist Polish government on 26 January 1951
(3) 1956–1972
Franciszek Jop, Special Delegate (for Opole) of Primas
Stefan Wyszyński, administrator since 1967, thereafter bishop of the
Diocese of Opole newly established from the archdiocese in 1972
(4) 1945–1951 Administrator
Karol Milik, appointed for the Wrocław district by
August Hlond on 15 August with effect of 1 September 1945, not recognized as archbishop by the Holy See, deposed and expelled by Communist Polish government on 26 January 1951
(4) 1951–1956 – Capitular Vicar
Kazimierz Lagosz, not recognized as archbishop by the Holy See
(4) 1956–1972 – Capitular Vicar
Bolesław Kominek, not recognized as archbishop by the Holy See, thereafter appointed as archbishop of Wrocław with a sharply belittled archdiocesan area
In 1972 the Holy See redrew the archdiocesan boundaries. The East German archdiocesan area (1) was disentangled from the archdiocese and established as the exempt
Apostolic Administration of Görlitz (in 1994 elevated to diocese), the district of Gorzów Wielkopolski was established as the new archepiscopal suffragan
Diocese of Gorzów Wielkopolski (renamed and regrouped as
suffragan in 1992), the district of Opole (3) was established as the new suffragan
Diocese of Opole and the territorially belittled remainder henceforth became the archdiocese proper with its capitular vicar elevated to archbishop.
1972–1974 –
Bolesław Kominek, card., papally appointed as archbishop
Apostolic visitators for the expelled German priests and faithful
The
expelled German priests and German Silesian faithful from the original Archdiocese of Breslau were granted the privilege of an
apostolic visitator, given all diocesan jurisdiction required, by
Pope Paul VI in 1972, in order to serve the Catholic Heimatvertriebene from Silesia, in
West Germany, their new home.[3]
^The date of death of bishop John is not known, neither are the names of his successors before the destruction of diocese during pagan uprising in the 1030s. (assuming there were any).
^
abcJurek T., Zagadka biskupa wrocławskiego Roberta, "Śląski Kwartalnik Historyczny Sobótka" 1990, pp. 1–11