To Kill a Priest : The Murder of Father Popieluszko and the Fall of Communism

by Kevin Ruane

To Kill a Priest captures the wide ramifications of the story of Father Jerzy Popieluszko, a popular young parish priest in a Warsaw suburb who steadfastly spoke out from his pulpit against the abuses of communism and supported the then-banned Solidarity trade union. Abducted by the Polish secret police on 19th October 1984, his savagely beaten body was found 11 days later in an icy reservoir.Kevin Ruane documents how, for the first time, a communist government was forced to try and condemn the repressive actions of its own security agents and admit its own wrong-doing. It proved to be the decisive crack in the fortress of Eastern Block Communism, forcing it - for the first time within its own boundaries - to share power with a non-Communist the Solidarity trade union.

Hardcover

First published June 4, 2004

Reviews

[Jordan Cowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a book that in think reads particularly well, and also happens to be quite a heavy read.

The actual event and time period is incredibly interesting, but the mix of similar sounding names (I appreciate this can't be helped) combined with heavily repeated testimonies during the legal proceedings, made this read a bit of a chore.

[Victoria M Eluszkiewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extremely well-written book about Poland under Communism and Father Popiełuszko's rebellion against the Communist regime which took over Poland at that time.

[Ralphholland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story about the fall of communism in Poland and the murder of a priest who preached.on behalf of Solidarity.