„You know that I was born in 1920, in May, when the Bolsheviks were advancing on Warsaw”
Jerzy Kossak "Miracle on the Vistula", 1930
Polish-Soviet war
Poland regaining its independence
Zaolzie
Family
„My childhood and boyhood
were marked by the loss
of loved ones”
Little Karol had a strong and cordial
bond with his father. His father raised
him in a big discipline, and at the same
time he was his friend.
Photo: Parents' wedding
Family
School
„I owe a debt of gratitude
to schools and to my teachers
and educators…”
As a bishop and cardinal, he was
still meeting with his schoolmates
and, being a pope, invited them
to Rome and Castel Gandolfo.
Photo: Karol and his schoolmates
A memory:
Karol in school time
Karol in school time
School
Lolek in middle school
Karol Wojtyła's younger colleague, Father Józef Gąsiorowski, recalls his school days in Wadowice. How was Lolek?
Theatre
„Even in Wadowice, on the stage
we reached for the greatest of the classics,
starting with the Antigone”
Karol developed his acting talent,
playing in performances in the school,
parish and Amateur Theatre
of Mieczysław Kotlarczyk.
Photo: Halina Królikiewicz, Karol Wojtyła and Danuta Pukła
in the play "Ułani księcia Józefa" ("Prince Joseph's Uhlans"),
around 1936.
in the play "Ułani księcia Józefa" ("Prince Joseph's Uhlans"),
around 1936.
Theatre
Football
"We played football on the streets
next to the church and the priest chased us
away because he was afraid that we would break
the beautiful stained-glass windows”
Lolek among sports disciplines especially liked football.
His 14-year-old brother Edmund played in a football
team and took him to matches.
Photo: Karol as a goalkeeper, 1937. (lying, in a white shirt)
Football
Karol Wojtyła
senior
senior
Karol Wojtyła senior
Emilia Wojtyła
(born Kaczorowska)
(born Kaczorowska)
Emilia Wojtyła (born Kaczorowska)
Edmund Wojtyła
Edmund Wojtyła
Mieczysław
Kotlarczyk
Kotlarczyk
Mieczysław Kotlarczyk
Fr. Kazimierz
Figlewicz
Figlewicz
Fr. Kazimierz Figlewicz
People
Wadowice
"It all began in this city of Wadowice.
And life began, and school began,
and studies began, and theatre began,
and priesthood began"
Wadowice
Wadowice of Karol Wojtyła
"Sokół" Gymnastic Society
Parish Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Wojtyła family's apartment
Marcin Wadowita Primary School
Military Barracks of the 12th Infantry Regiment
Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites
Synagogue
Marcin Wadowita High School
Genealogical tree of the Wojtyła and Kaczorowski families
Genealogical tree of the Wojtyła and Kaczorowski families
