Roots - history of Wojtyła family

Emilia was in poor health, and at some point she could no longer walk. Her husband looked after her carefully and took over her household chores. When Lolek was nine years old, his mother died of myocarditis. After his wife's funeral, Karol senior took his sons to the Marian Shrine in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, to which the future pope often returned. Through this pilgrimage with his sons, he probably wanted to show them that they would seek protection from the Mother of God when they no longer have an earthly mother.
As a boy, Karol attended an orphanage (kindergarten) of the Nazareth Sisters. At the age of six, he enrolled in a four-year men's primary school. There were as many as 60 boys in the first class. After graduating with honors from elementary school, in September 1930 he enrolled in the eight-grade State Junior High School. Marcin Wadowita. It was a men's school with a classic profile - i.e. students learned the classical languages: Latin and Greek, as well as the culture of ancient Greece and Rome. At school, he had friends of Jewish descent, including Jerzy Kluger, who later lived in Rome.



Emilia was in poor health. Due to chronic diseases she suffered from paresis of limbs. In 1927, the father of the future pope, already in the rank of captain, resigned from military service because of Emilia's deteriorating health. He nursed his bed-ridden wife, looked after the house and children. There are known reports about how her husband carried her every day on his hands to the inner gallery of the tenement house, so that she could get some fresh air. Emilia died at the age of 45 as a result of acute myocarditis a month before the First Communion of her 9-year-old son Lolek.

In the Wojtyła family home, the memory of his mother was cherished, for instance, by treating the lounge where she passed away as a home chapel.

At the age of 19 Karol Wojtyła wrote a poem dedicated to his Mother.

In another passage he wrote: "I could watch his life every day, which was a harsh life. He was a military man by profession, and when he was widowed, it became even more a life of constant prayer. Sometimes I used to wake up at night and found my father on his knees, like I have always seen him praying on his knees in the parish church. We have never talked about priesthood calling, but this example of my father was some first home seminary "(John Paul II, Gift and Mystery).

After only one and a half years of work, he caught scarlet fever from a young patient. The disease led to his death within a few days. Information about his death echoed throughout Bielsko at the time and the heroic attitude was described in the local press. A following resolution of the City Council is also known:
"On December 4 this year he died after a serious, though lasting only 4 days, illness called severe septic sclerosis, the secondary doctor of the Universal City Hospital of Dr. Edmund Wojtyła. He acquired this deadly disease at the hospital bed of a seriously ill patient with sclerosis, whom he wanted to free from the clutches of death, but to no avail. He paid for his generosity and extraordinary duty with his young life. (...) Honor to his memory!"
(From the minutes of meetings of the Bielsko City Council)

Wadowice is located in southern Poland, 50 km southwest of Krakow, on the Skawa River. Before Poland regained its independence, it belonged to the Austrian partition. It was then a thriving city of 10,000, with a court, District Authority Office, prison, two important factories and four gymnasiums. The 12th Infantry Regiment was stationed there.
Places in Wadowice mentioned by pope John Paul II:
The Wojtyła family's apartment
"This house, the house where I lived belonged to Mr. Chaim Bałamuth. I don't know what happened to him. I think he's dead. I know that the Jews of Wadowice have gone through hard trials. "
John Paul II, Wadowice, 16 June 1999.


Parish Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
When in thought I look back over the long path of my life, I reflect on how the surroundings, the parish and my family brought me to the baptismal font of the church of Wadowice, where I was, given on 20 June 1920 the grace to become a son of God, together with faith in my Redeemer.
John Paul II, Wadowice, June 7, 1979.

Marcin Wadowita Primary School and Marcin Wadowita High School
"Thank you Wadowice for these schools, from which I took so much light: firstly the primary school, and then the excellent Marcin Wadowita High School".
John Paul II, Wadowice, August 14, 1991.

Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites
"I've known the Discalced Carmelites since I was a child. I was born - as you probably know - in Wadowice, where your monastery is located, famous because for some time its prior was the servant of God Father Rafał Kalinowski. "
"Sokół" Gymnastic Society
“Then I was admitted to junior high school, and after school I was regularly visiting " Sokół " for gymnastics classes. We also went to "Sokół" to watch the theatrical performances”
(Speech, Wadowice June 16, 1999)

Military Barracks of the 12th Infantry Regiment
"Before the war, there was also an excellent orchestra of the 12th infantry regiment, the fact which is certainly not known to the younger generation. But we - the elders – remember it very well: Regiment of Wadowice Land. "
John Paul II, Wadowice, 7.06.1979.

Synagogue
 "I have a vivid memory of the Jews going on Saturday day to the synagogue, which was in the back room of our junior high school. Both religious groups, Catholics and Jews, were united by the awareness that they were praying to the same God."
John Paul II, Crossing the threshold of hope